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Joe's Diary: Wedding Gift Lists

Another interesting article to keep from my Wedding Organizer:

In this day and age, not having an official wedding gift list can be a risky business. With many couples living together prior to the big day, that usually means that they already have many of the usual gift list items such as kettles and toasters! Even if a couple specify that they want the cash there are often guests who prefer to give a physical gift to mark the special day and go ahead and buy randomly. There are only so many towels and casserole dishes a couple needs! To avoid having to have a garage sale or giving gifts bought by well meaning guests to the local jumble sale, the best solution is to give guests the choice ?" but with some clear guidance!

There are many outlets offering wedding gift list services, from small independent shops through to the large Department stores. Some couples even choose home improvements stores and ask for gift vouchers so they can revamp their homes or a specific room. Smaller outlets might offer specific types of products which are unique or more tailored to your tastes and needs, along with a high level of direct, personal service. Department stores are great because of the wide choice available. If you already have many of the usual household items you can still come up with a substantial gift list in the department stores which sell everything from luxury glassware to framed art. You could opt for a charity wedding gift list so that guests can donate to a good cause there are many websites on the internet offering such services.

Where to start?

The norm these days is to decide which store appeals most to you. You might choose a more regional store, specific shop or if you have guests coming from far and wide a national department store might be better. If you can draw up your wedding gift list with the store a few months prior to the wedding, everything will be in place so you then just need to activate the gift lift about 2 - 3 months before the big day. It's best to have a wander around the chosen store first for some inspiration and to get an idea of the type of items you might like. The process of compiling a wedding list is a good excuse to spend quality time together as part of the wedding planning process. When you are ready to start the list, set a few hours aside so you are not in a rush. Most stores will either give you a scanner or a notepad and you simply work your way around. Whenever you see something suitable, you simply scan it or write down the details.

What to choose?

It's best to ensure that you have items over a broad price range- to suit all budgets. Don't worry about putting that expensive hostess trolley or digital camera on your list because guests can always 'club together' to buy the more special items.

A dinner service is always a lovely reminder of your special day and of course friends and family can keep adding to it. It is amazing how many items a dinner service can contain with various plates and bowls for specific purposes. Make sure you choose a design that is not likely to be discontinued in the near future.

Once you have visited all the sections of interest within the store you then go through the list with the wedding list staff to ensure everything is correct. It's always a good idea to put gift vouchers down as an option as many guests will find that preferable. The store will usually send you a stack of gift list cards which detail your unique wedding list reference number and these are great for inclusion inside your wedding invitations. The hard part is then done and you can get on with the rest of your planning.

So it's then over to the guests who simply contact the store either in person, by telephone or via the internet as many stores have an online wedding list facility. Guests can see what's on the list and choose accordingly. This way guests won't be able to duplicate items on the list and it's a great way of keeping track who bought what. The stores usually then organise the wrapping and delivery of the items to the specified address on the specified date - even with personalized gift tags in most cases.

Having a wedding list is usually a stress free, fun process and is a great way to make sure you receive gifts that you and your partner will treasure for all time.