Even though most of us are no novices to receiving presents, when it comes to registering for wedding presents, there are a few things you should keep in mind so you don’t accidentally break the wedding registry etiquette or come off greedy.
Don’t register for wedding presents in too many places
You never want to go overboard with your wedding registry because it can quickly get confusing and time-consuming for your guests. The golden rule is to stick to 2 or 3 different stores for your wedding registry. For instance, you can choose one or two nationwide chains and a local store in your wedding registry. It’s also best to choose stores and items with different price points, so every guest can find you a gift that fits their budget.
Complete your wedding registry early
When should you register for wedding gifts? Well, our experience says that the best time to register is about 4 to 6 months before your wedding. This way your guests can have plenty of time to pick out gifts for your wedding, engagement party and bridal shower.
Don’t ask for money as a wedding gift
While a lot of couples think about asking their guests for money as a wedding gift, this is still not considered culturally appropriate by most people. You ask your close friends or family for money instead of a gift if it’s considered appropriate in your family, but it’s not a good idea to request money from acquaintances. Instead, check out websites like GiftsofStock or TheHoneymoon, which allow wedding guests to contribute to the couple’s stock portfolio or honeymoon expenses.
Don’t print your wedding registry information in wedding invitations
Even though it might seem like the right thing to do, printing your wedding registry information in invitations is bad form. Instead, tell your close family and the wedding party where you are registered and allow them to spread the information to the rest of the people you’ve invited to your wedding. Alternatively, you can post it on your wedding website, just make sure that it’s not on the main page but in a separate tab.
Send thank you notes for wedding presents as soon as possible
Sending thank you notes to people who gave you wedding presents is just as important as sending out your wedding invitations, so don’t think of it as of something optional or unimportant. In this case, the sooner you send out the notes, the better, the best-case scenario is to finish sending thank you within 2 weeks from your wedding, but if you are busy with other things like your honeymoon or moving to a new home, it is acceptable to take up to 3 months to thank your guests for presents.
Return wedding gifts your don’t like
Even though registering for wedding presents maximizes the chance of you getting the presents that you actually love, in reality, you may often dislike the present once you actually receive it. So what should you do in this case? While it may seem rude to return or exchange the present, it is a perfectly correct thing to do. After all, the person who gave you the present wants you to have something you like, this is precisely why they chose something from your registry. There is no need to notify the guest who gave you the gift.