Wedding Day Advice | Wedding Planning

Giving wedding gifts has replaced the ancient custom of giving fruits to newlyweds to encourage fertility. Sending out a wedding gift list or registry with your invitation used to be frowned upon. Times, however, are changing. To ensure you get the gifts you desire, follow The Wedding Directory’s guide to gift registry etiquette.

Image courtesy of  Green Wedding Shoes | Photo courtesy of Cake & Pictures

What is a wedding gift registry?

Many homeware and department stores now have a facility where brides-to-be can create a list of the items they desire. This list is sent to guests, who chose to purchase from it an item in their price range. As items are purchased, they’re removed from the list to avoid duplication.

How does a gift registry work?

The bride-to-be sets up a profile with her personal information, including the date of her wedding. She will then choose items from the store and the barcodes of each item are scanned into her profile. Guests are either sent the list or can view it at the store. As items are purchased, they’re removed from the list.

Is it proper to include gift registry information with the wedding invitations?

Purists still consider it poor taste to include wedding gift registry information along with the wedding invitations. However, many modern bridal couples and guests alike are drawn to the practicality of a gift registry and are perfectly comfortable with the concept. Communicate the information in simple and polite wording, either in an insert to the actual invitation, or a brief, discreet line on the invitation itself, along the lines of ‘Katie has registered at Woolworths.’

Should you feel it’s brash or unacceptable to include gift registry information with your invitations, you can include it along with the notices for your wedding shower or ask your Maid of Honour to communicate it verbally to your guests.

Wedding gift registry tips:

• Visit several stores to see what’s on offer, to assess how their registries work and what their customer service is like
• Ask about the stores’ gift returns policies
• Ask about gift wrapping services
• Include a wide price range, from the more cost-effective to the more pricey
• Keep a gift record – what you received from whom – so that you can send thank-you cards

Find a Wedding Gift Registry near you