Using A Wedding Gift Registry

The wedding gift registry is one area of the wedding planning process that one must really be cognizant, not just of one's preferences, but of family and guest's financial situations, and also of good taste. The wedding gift registry should cover every category of item that would be relevant to 'home making', and include several ideas for each category, ranging from your wildest dreams to the relatively inexpensive and practical.

You don't want to embarrass or impose on your guests by assuming that everyone can afford your taste! While Aunt Elizabeth may always have appeared to dress and live well, you don't know what her actual liquid cash situation is. Many people made their major purchases when they were working, however, their income may now be 'fixed'. Every store has a wedding gift registry, but this limits your guests to the stores you have chosen to include. If they are not internet savvy, the stores you have chosen are regional, or are not conveniently located near to them, this will cause added inconvenience for them.

A much better idea is to register with an entity which is itself a wedding gift registry. This means they have a database of merchants from which the gift giver can choose to patronize. They can choose both the location and the category they wish. The wedding gift registry website's database, of course, like the single merchant's registry service, would include a running calculation of what has been purchased already by other guests, as well as the number of multiple items, typically purchased in units, such as a set of china or silverware. The service should include telephone access, as well as access via the internet

Within each category on your wedding gift registry, you should include several items in a wide price range. For instance, if the category is 'for the kitchen', the range would be from expensive food processors or other appliances, to crystal, down to tables cloths, napkins, or towels. The one exception might be the china and silverware. This is because you are not interested in owning several different patterns, but want a complete set of your favorite design. However, you might list a set of 'everyday dishes', glasses and flatware, as well as the formal china, silverware and crystal on your wedding gift registry. Since these are typically purchased as a 'setting', a person could choose to order either a single setting, or two, depending on their situation.

Since there should be some feeling behind the choice of gift, your wedding gift registry might provide alternatives to pick something unconventional, such as a trip or other services; for instance, a weekend health spa for the couple, a monthly fruit basket, or something else from 'your wildest dreams' category!