In today’s world, most couples live together before they get married. Living together means they have most likely established a household by the time the big day arrives. For this reason, a lot of couples are going with an ‘online wishing well’ registry rather than asking for traditional wedding gifts.
What is an Online Wishing Well?
The wishing well can either be an online site, or it can be a decorated box placed at the reception. The box is where guests will drop an envelope with cash inside, a small gift, or a gift voucher. An online wishing well, or cash fund, is the same concept as the physical wishing well, except money is placed into it online.
The online option of a wishing well is attractive to couples who believe they will have large sums of money placed into it. Since the wishing wells sit out in the open during the reception, the online option is safer, and also more convenient as you don’t have to run the money to the bank after the wedding.
Some couples choose to have both an online wishing well, and an online wedding registry for gifts they may not have boughten themselves yet. Either choice may have you feeling awkward about asking your guests for either money or gifts, but they will appreciate your guidance when they know they are giving you something you not only need but want as well.
Should you have a wishing well or online registry for your wedding? This is some information about both to help you choose.
Wishing Well
The wishing well idea for your wedding gifts will provide you with a small nest egg to begin your life together with your spouse. You can use the money for a fantastic honeymoon, pool it together and buy a high-ticket item you could not put on a registry list, save it for something special, use it to pay some of the expenses for your wedding day, or however you and your spouse feel it would be best spent.
Online Registry
With an online registry, such as one with EasyRegistry, you get to build a flexible, all-inclusive registry to cover all the needs and wants you and your future spouse could imagine. You can choose any item from any store where you have seen something you absolutely love and want, or from the home department of a store where you see new and exciting items you want in your kitchen.
EasyRegistry even lets you put items on your registry like a honeymoon experience, or you can even put your wishing well on along with other wedding gifts to combine the two ideas.
How to Make the Right Choice
How you choose between a wishing well or online registry or both will all depend on your needs. The option of using both ideas will work great for those guests who find it uncomfortable or distasteful to give gifts of money. Whichever option you choose, know that you are simply providing your guests with options, and after the big day you won’t end up with a pile of gifts that you cannot use.
How to Inform Your Guests
Etiquette for informing guests of how you would like to receive gifts should always be on a card inserted with your invitation. The gift request should never be placed directly on the invitation card.
If you make your gift request respectfully, you will not offend your guests, and most people will be grateful you’ve let them have choices on what to present you with on your special day. You know your guests the best, so go with your instincts on how best to make your choice and enjoy the process, and your big day.
Where to Create Online Wishing Well and Online Registry for Your Wedding
EasyRegistry is a leading online wishing well and gift registry site. You are given complete control over how your registry will look and what you place as gift wishes on your registry. Traditional registries restrict a person’s choices as they must choose items specific stores sell. EasyRegistry allows you to place an item on your registry from any store, no matter where it is.
Our site is completely user-friendly. Check us out today and start creating a registry that includes everything you could possibly ask for.
One of the best activities for planning your big day is creating your wedding registry. A registry is all your ultimate wishes of things you want and need as you begin your new life together. The wedding registry can also confuse many couples as they head out to create one, such as how many items to list, or what is too expensive for a registry.
The question of how many items are acceptable on a registry depends on the number of guests you’ve invited to your celebration. One suggestion is to multiply the number of guests invited by two and then add a few more. Having this number on your registry ensures everyone will have choices as to what to buy for you.
When it comes to how expensive the items on your registry should be, you can use the rule of thumb and range them from $25 to $200. You will want gifts that last, so you will ultimately want a few higher-quality items to make the list. The most important consideration is the people on your guest list and what their personal budgets may be.
When Making Your Wedding Registry- Think About Who You’ve Invited
A typical wedding will see guests spending from $50 to $150, depending on how close the relationship is between you and them. Acquaintances and co-workers will often spend less and your family members will generally be more generous. Because of the mix of people you will have invited, you will want a mix of choices on your registry so everyone can make the right choice for them and you.
Your registry for your wedding should have both affordable items and bigger-ticket items so everyone feels as though they have supported your wishes on your new adventure. It is a good idea to divide your registry into price categories. Having at least three, such as a $25, items under $100, and wishes that will cost more than $100. The key is not to let the high-ticket items dominate your list.
Create a Realistic Wedding Registry
There is no hard rule as to what is too expensive or what is too many when it comes to creating your registry, but you have to be realistic. Think about the guests you have coming to celebrate with you, and if what you are putting on the registry will actually be used or needed. Often guests will go together to purchase more expensive items you’ve listed, but make sure you want the item and are not just caught up in the excitement of creating the list.
Consider Your Future When Creating a Wedding Registry
The registry for your wedding is not just about filling your kitchen with appliances or redecorating your den and living room. The registry can also be about what you will need in the future. Many couples getting married today think about receiving collectible items for their wedding. Items that can be passed down to future generations and have longevity. China sets and silverware are some of those items considered that will increase in value, as well as be useful for special celebrations you’ll be planning.
Where to Create the Perfect Wedding Registry
EasyRegistry makes it easy to create a flexible all-inclusive wedding registry. We allow you to create a registry that includes items from any store. We also have those unique gifts to ask for such as a honeymoon experience or a place to help you build a wishing well where guests can contribute funds for future needs and uses.
The process is simple for your guests and a fun, unique experience for you and your future spouse. You choose the items or experiences you want to be listed on your registry and provide a link on your wedding invitations for your guests to follow. We keep track of items chosen so you do not receive duplicates, and on your special day, you and your spouse will receive the gifts you’ve been dreaming of.
The gifts listed on a registry for couples who are cohabitating before the ‘big’ day, typically include items that will make their home more fulfilling and exciting. Some items often listed by these couples include gifts that will make their surroundings more meaningful and cozy.
If you and your partner have been living together, and are now planning a wedding, a wedding registry will help your family and friends choose the right gifts for you. Since you’ve been together, it is more than likely you have enough dishes, bedding, and kitchen appliances, so you don’t want to end up with more. For this reason, creating a registry will help not only you and your partner but your guests as well.
These are other reasons for you to create a registry if you’ve been living with your future spouse before the wedding:
1. Your Future
A registry can be something more than just a request for standard gifts. If you and your future spouse have all the necessities you think you’ll need, check out Easy Registry where you can add gifts from any store, whether online or not. Why not try asking for something like an exciting experience. You could add gift cards for airlines, hotels, or other travels you and your future spouse would like to check out once life has settled down again.
2. Build a ‘Together’ Home
Your registry can be used to create a ‘together’ home to fulfill both of your dreams. List items that will bring both of you joy, not just a bunch of random items. Maybe your cookware set is just a bunch of hand-me-downs, and now you’d like a set that matches. Perhaps the couch you’ve been using is a relic and you’ve got your eye on a more comfortable, eye-appealing style. The wedding registry is the perfect place to get started on a better-looking place to live.
3. Help Guests Buy Practical Gifts
Your guests are going to want to buy you something. Gift-giving is a tradition and expectation with almost every wedding celebration. Your registry provides your guests with the help they need to buy you something they know you’ll want and appreciate. The registry also ensures you’ll be opening gifts that are wanted and you’ll keep. When you use these gifts, you’ll remember your special day and the special person who gave them to you.
Types of Gifts to Put on a Registry If You and Your Spouse Already Live Together
When you set out to create a wedding registry as a couple who has lived together for a time before the ‘big’ celebration, these are some of the common choices others have added:
Donations to special charities
Upgrades to everyday items
Collectible pieces
Unique gift cards and experiences
Cash for future expenses
Learn More About What to Put on Your Wedding Registry
EasyRegistry makes it easy to put any item you and your future spouse desire on your special day’s registry. We make it simple to add any item from any store, an experience you’ve always wanted to enjoy, or a contribution to your favorite charity.
Create the registry of your wishes and share with a link to your guests. Place the link on your wedding website, stamped on your invitations, or share it on social media. It has never been easier to make a list of wishes. Visit EasyRegistry and start your registry today.
