The Complete Guide To a Wedding Gift Registry

We all are quasi experts when it comes to wedding planning. It’s almost in the Indian DNA. Catering, makeup, decor, outfits… we’ve nailed it all. But if you’re still unaware of the wedding gift registry, you’re in desperate need of a wedding refresher course! Because this wedding must-have is fast moving up to become one of the first (and most important) aspects of planning the perfect wedding, especially during the corona pandemic. A norm in the West, and an essential in India now, the wedding gift registry helps couples get the most perfect, memorable wedding gifts. So you don’t just feel special for the 2 days of the celebration, but are loaded with memories you can carry and use for years to come!

Nithin and Daphne with their gifts they received from their gift registry
Gift Registry

Read on and get an answer to every question on your mind about a wedding gift registry!

What is a wedding Gift Registry? 

A wedding gift registry is the smartest solution to unwanted gifts. By creating a gift registry, couples get the gifts that they actually like and will use. Couples create a list of gifts they would like to receive—gifts that will make them happy, and be used, instead of those that will be re-gifted or kept in storage! Once they create this list, they share it with their guests, who then know exactly what the couple wants and can buy or contribute towards a gift of their choice. Some companies take care of all the logistics and deliver directly to the couple, making the process super easy for everyone involved. Also, during the corona times, this is the best option for your loved ones to get you something memorable and useful!

A gift registry platform offers the couple a wide range of gifts to choose from, including appliances, décor, personal care, experiences, gift cards, charities, and more! In fact, now couples have the option of creating a cash registry or adding gifts from any online store to their registry. And this gives them innumerable choices to pick from. 

Do a Gift Registry!
Example of a Gift Registry

Why Create a Wedding Gift Registry?

#1. Your guests need not risk their safety!

With COVID-19 taking over everyone’s lives, it’s important that you take your guests’ safety seriously. So by creating a wedding registry, you ensure that your guests need not to step out of their homes and even the ones taking part in your celebrations get to contribute something. Since the whole process is online, your guests can gift you something from the safety and comfort of their homes.

#2. You get the gifts you actually want and will use!

By creating a registry, you get the gifts you actually want and will use. Instead of getting a stockpile of gifts like clocks, lamps, and Ganesha idols, you get the things you have hand-picked. It’s like handing Santa your Christmas list and having it come true! 

#3. The guests get the satisfaction of gifting you something you love!

We’re sure that your guests would like to gift you something meaningful. Mostly they just don’t know what that would be. So a gift registry gives the guests the satisfaction of knowing their money went towards something you’ll love. 

#4. You don’t need to spend more money on the things that are necessary!

After spending so much money on your wedding, it’s a given that you don’t want to spend more money setting up a new home. So, instead, let your guests help you out in this regard and make them a part of your new life!

#5. The guests need not carry a huge gift box at your wedding!

A gift registry eliminates the need to carry a huge gift box at your wedding. Your guests can walk in hands-free, and just enjoy the celebrations and have a great time. 

#6. Contributes to a waste-free wedding!

Since the gifts are something you’ve picked and will definitely use, it’s clear that nothing will go to waste or get stuck in the age-old re-gifting cycle. A waste-free wedding is the need of the hour that a gift registry will definitely help accomplish that.

#7. Very easy for guests to purchase your gift!

By doing a gift registry, you’re making life so easy for your guests! With just a few clicks they can purchase your gift without having to go shopping, wrapping, and carrying. Easy peasy! 

#8. Doorstep Delivery of Gifts

The gifts are delivered when and where you want. You can ask for delivery of your gifts even after a few months if you’re in the process of shifting into a new home! So the entire hassle of managing, storing and transporting the gifts is gone! At Wedding Wishlist, we adhere to all safety precautions to keep everyone safe during the corona pandemic.

How to Create a Gift Registry?

Creating a wedding gift registry is really easy. In any platform these are the generic steps you follow to create a gift registry :

  1. Sign up and provide your wedding details. 
  2. Add a profile/background image if you want
  3. Browse through their collection and add gifts you like to your registry. 
  4. Share the registry with your guests!
  5. Wait for the best gifts ever to be delivered to your doorstep.

Things You Can Add To Your Gift Registry

Good wedding gift registries enable a couple to add gifts from different stores and platforms. Think of your registry as a board you create by adding different things you like online. So one could add products from fashion stores, marketplaces like Amazon or Flipkart, furniture and décor brands, and so much more. Furthermore, it has the flexibility of adding innovative things like experiences, gift cards, cash and even charity. Below are some of the popular gift categories couples can choose from. 

#1. Experiences: 

For those couples who are moving into an already set-up home and don’t really need too many gifts, this is a great choice. Millennials love experiences and they make for highly memorable gifts. From weekend getaways to honeymoons, spa vouchers, dinner coupons and more… there are many options to choose from. 

#2. Gifts

This is the traditional choice for guests and couples—home décor, appliances, furniture, gadgets, silver, personal accessories, just about any product the couple wants can be added to their gift registry!

#3. Charity

An increasingly popular choice especially during the corona times. Couples who truly don’t want anything for their wedding can ask their guests to contribute to a charity of their choice. This is a great way to start one’s married life and really make a difference. 

#4. Cash

It is not uncommon for couples to ask for ‘no boxed gifts’ or indicate that they prefer cash, because it’s the most flexible gift they can ask for. With a gift registry, they can add a cash option, enabling their guests to directly transfer the money to their account. 

What To Consider When Creating a Gift Registry?

Even though a wedding gift registry is a fairly new concept in India, there are a few platforms offering the service. Below is a comparison of all major platforms. It contains the different features you should consider before creating your wedding gift registry. 

Things to ConsiderWedding WishlistZibongaWishtryPepperfryAmazonThe KnotZola
Has a Wedding Theme
Option to add from an external website
Customisation available
Available in India
Cash registry 
Charity registry 
Experiences
Option to Contribute 
Option to gift as a group
Free Delivery
Gift Tracking Services
Integration with international websites
Option to integrate with wedding website
Option to integrate with wedding App
Thank you notes

Manisha and Niranjan had created a gift registry with Wedding Wishlist and this what they had to say: 

To know how to create a gift registry at Wedding Wishlist, click here!

How To Share Your Wedding Gift Registry?

Couples can sometimes find it awkward to share their registry with guests. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be so. There are some simple and widely accepted rules of sharing your gift registry. 

One can inform their inside circle about the gift registry, so if anyone asks the parents, close friends or siblings for wedding gift suggestions, they can just direct the guest to the registry. 

Another great way of sharing the registry is to create a free wedding website for your big day, complete with details, pictures, maps, and RSVP. And websites like Wedding Wishlist, Zola, or The Knot offer you the option of integrating your registry within the wedding website. When presented beautifully with all other wedding details, the registry looks like yet another important piece of wedding information to make the guests’ experience easier. Some couples prefer to print their website link on your digital or printed invites so guests have access to all the information they need at a click. 

When a couple creates a gift registry, they have the option of leaving a note for guests there. It’s important to make sure this is well worded and guests understand the intention for creating one. 

Why Will Your Guests Appreciate You Creating a Gift Registry?

Couples in the West will tell you that doing their wedding gift registry is literally the best and most fun part of their wedding. After all, who does not like to receive 100 plus amazing gifts in a day? But when it comes to India, young couples are still hesitant as they worry about guest reactions (especially the elders) to “asking for gifts”. 

But this fear is mostly in their minds, because wedding guests, whichever part of the world they’re from, LOVE the idea of a registry. Think about how easy it makes their life—they don’t have to do the guesswork and think of a gift the couple likes. They don’t have to spend hours shopping for the perfect gift. And most importantly, when they enter the wedding, they don’t have to awkwardly carry a big box with them, waiting to hand it to the couple. Also, with a gift registry, guests have the option of buying, contributing towards, or group gifting anything, enabling them to stay exactly within their budget.

Group Gifting:

Group gifting allows groups of friends or cousins to get together and chip in for a gift, but without any IOUs. So each member of the group gets a link to pay their share and when the amount is complete, the gift is delivered to the couple!  

Part Contribution:

This is an amazing feature you get with your registry. When guests are looking for wedding gifts they generally have a fixed budget in mind and don’t always want to over-spend. On the other hand, a couple may want bigger gifts that don’t necessarily fit into one person’s budget. Both these features are designed to troubleshoot this pain point. 

With the contribute option, guests can make a contribution of any amount they want towards a gift in the gift registry. When enough guests contribute and the amount is full, the couple gets the gift. If there aren’t enough contributions to complete the gift amount, the couple can either add the remaining amount themselves or choose to transfer that money to another gift of their choice.

 You can also find out how to make your marriage gift registry a success!

Refer a CoupleCreate Your Gift Registry Now!


Comments

  1. good ideas for gift registry

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