Why you should consider wedding registry
Priyanka Chopra and Meghan Markle did it, the next ought to be you.
Flowers, cookers, cutlery, an odd clock or two, bed linen, and more flowers perhaps define the length and breadth of wedding gift giving in India. But can we blame the guests? Gift giving is hard as it is, and anything personal and, well, useful requires one to really know the couple, which makes less than 10 per cent of the guest list that actually turns up. And this means only one thing—getting stuck with random, generic duplicates of things that are going to end up in the lost pile or kept in storage for further re-gifting.
On the contrary, in the West, the idea of gift giving is to help equip the new couple with things that they could use going into this new phase of their lives. Which explains the popularity of wedding registries overseas.
And while the concept has picked up in India, too, over the years, the number of couples doing it may be one to a thousand. Which is why we make this case for it.
What is wedding registry and how it works
Also known as bridal registry or wedding list, wedding registries are simply a wishlist of gifts put together by the to-be-married couple. The process is simple enough. A lot of wedding websites in India tie up with online marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, FabIndia, Myntra, and more; luxury portals like Tata Cliq Luxury and Ajio Luxe; even high-end brands. The couple can then select items from these websites and create a wishlist with a price range that reflects on the wedding website, ready to be shared with their guests. Guests can then select a gift of their liking and price point, and purchase it online to be delivered directly to the couple. The item is immediately ticked off from the list and is no longer available for others to purchase.
We can’t help wondering, what’s the downside to this? It’s bye bye to tedious gift piles at the wedding, and no more fretting about duplicates that you will never use. And it makes the process just as easy for the guests, too.
When you should curate the list and how do you tell your guests about it
Western etiquettes aside, a time frame of two to three weeks prior to the wedding is ideal. If it is a destination wedding, you might want to consider adding a week or two to the timeline. Also consider that some of the guests may want to gift after the engagement, so you may want to have that covered with a small selection, too.
As for informing the guests, this one can be a little awkward for Indians, but sharing the URL through messages or email should be most polite.
How do you pick the gifts, and how many
Of course, this may go without saying, but make sure you do the selection process together. After all, the gifts are for both of you. Or you could even divide the gifts and pick for yourselves.
As for the number of gifts, three to four gifts per guest is ideal, although remember that not all of them will be purchased. And make sure to have a variety of gifts, across budgets.
Where can you register?
While there are plenty of online portals like WeddingWishlit.com to choose from, stores like Good Earth also offer gift registry options. A quick check into your favourite stores can help you curate this list.
Of late, celebrities like Priyanka Chopra and Meghan Markle have jumped onto the wedding registry bandwagon. Chopra collaborated with Amazon to curate her own wedding registry with a wide variety of gift options. So, what are you waiting for?
Feature Image: @priyankachopra / Instagram