A Few Etiquette Rules About Wedding Registry

A Few Etiquette Rules About Wedding Registry

You’re getting married and all your planning is right on schedule. You chose a dress, selected the venue, and hired a DJ. Everything is falling into place perfectly. The next item on your list is the wedding registry. Unfortunately, you‘re not sure where to look or how to proceed. No need to panic, we’re coming to the rescue.

First, you can start your search for some bridal registries on this website. Weddingmuseum.com has compiled an extensive list of great online bridal registries from nationwide stores to eco-friendly websites. Visit our wedding planning section for more information.

We also gathered a few etiquette rules to help you navigate your way towards a pleasant bridal registry experience.

A Gift For Every Budget

Everyone dreams of getting luxurious gifts for their wedding. Gifts we probably couldn’t afford to buy ourselves. Maybe you always wanted an engraved silver platter from Tiffany & Co, or maybe it’s a Baccarat crystal ice bucket. You can select a luxury store or brand for your bridal registry, but you should also offer your guests some more affordable options.

Think about offering a wide selection of gifts at varied prices. You really need to be able to accommodate all possible budgets. Additionally, you shouldn’t necessarily expect that all your gifts will be bought at your selected wedding registries only. Sometimes, the unexpected gift makes the best gift!

How To Inform Your Guests

Letting your guests know where you registered is an important step, but it’s also a delicate subject. For example, you can post a link to your bridal registry on your personal wedding website. You can also tell your close family and friends about it; and ask them to tactfully spread the word to other guests.

Other viable options — and not at all agreed upon by etiquette experts — are to include your wedding registry information with the Save the Date cards or the bridal shower invitations. You could also include a gift registry information card with your wedding invitations.

Keep in mind that most etiquette experts (and probably some of your guests) will consider it rude and tacky to include any gift information with the invitations. Some other guests might find it useful and time-saving. In the end, it’s your choice to make.

Thanking Your Guests

Thank You cards are a must, and you shouldn’t skip this step under any circumstances. It would be pretty rude to not thank your guests. On the flip side, we know it can be a time-consuming and overwhelming task. First, all Thank You cards must be handwritten — either by the bride, the groom or both. You can’t also rely on a generic message into each card. It needs to be more personalized than that. You have to mention how happy you were that your guest could attend your wedding day as well as thanking them for the gift they gave you in specific details.

You also need think about sending your Thank You cards no longer than 4-6 weeks after the wedding. If you receive a gift before the wedding, you should try sending a Tank You card right away — that way you lower the amount of work to be done after the honeymoon.

About the Author: Nadine Elliott, freelance writer for WeddingMuseum.com.

Tags: wedding planning, wedding registry