The Wedding Registry Portals That’ll Give You New Gift Goals
So you’ve just had a fairytale wedding, the kind you always dreamed of. But when you open those attractively wrapped presents the next day, expecting to be pleased as peach, do you instead just end up feeling gutted at the sheer volume of flower vases, clocks and archetypal cutlery? Not to mention the number of repeat gift items that end up gathering dust in your closet or are swiftly ‘discarded’. Because, who wants another dinner set or the umpteenth photo frame.
To provide prospective couples a cool solution to their wedding gift woes, a clutch of luxury wedding gift registry portals have cropped up in India. These uber-luxe websites are aiming to effectively change the gifting scenario by making it super personalised and bridging the gap between gifts received and gifts desired by couples at their wedding.
In simple terms, a wedding gift registry is like an adult version of your childhood letters to Santa, where you list down the things you want the most. Here, the engaged couple registers themselves to an online portal, and shares the list of things they would like to receive from family and friends. It could be anything from a dainty bone china set to an exotic holiday experience, or even a spa getaway to Ananda in the Himalayas. The link is then shared with close guests so that they can access what’s on the couple’s wish list. They can either contribute the full amount or half pay for the more high-end gifts to give the couple a head-start.
Pretty neat huh? If this entices you to set up your own wedding gift registry, we’ve rounded up the best ones in the country for you to choose from to strike the perfect note.
Wedding Wishlist
Ekaani Coat of Arms Jewellery Box
While the concept of wedding gift registries is popular abroad, it’s still catching up in India. And one such online service that has popularised this trend is the Wedding Wishlist. Founded by Kanika Subbiah, the site was set up to create a single platform where couples could decide what they want, how they want it, and where to send it. Here, you can take your pick from their plethora of gifts that range from home décor items to an elephant safari with barbecue dinner. And while you go about creating your dream wishlist, you can add candid photographs with your spouse-to-be and a personalized message for your registered guests. It’s easy and hassle-free to set up, and with options like ‘Group Gifting’ for really high-end gifts, couples can choose to split the cost among guests. You will be appointed wishlist planners who are there to support you through the entire experience. And that’s not all, the portal also helps you manage RSVP’s, wedding gifts and thank you cards from start until finish.
For My Shaadi
Founded by Sudha Maheshwari, For My Shaadi has carved out its niche in being the first online gift registry in India. It was born with the goal of creating an online market place where engaged couples can have fun selecting what they want. Once the couple creates and shares their wish list with guests, they can enjoy their wedding and honeymoon hassle-free, and have the gifts hand-delivered once they return. The site also has a chip-in feature that allows guests to contribute towards the cost of high-value gifts. So, whether it’s an exotic holiday in Greece or a sofa set for the living room, it can be easily split among guests as per their budget. There are three broad categories to choose from – For Us, For Our Home and For Out 1st Year – and each one houses a plethora of exclusive brands that are priced anywhere between Rs 1000 to over a lakh. With the gift tracker feature you can keep a close track of the activity on your registry, and thank your guests by writing personal messages to them.
Yellow Door
Although primarily a premium furniture website, it was the large number of requests from clients to set up a gift registry, that prompted the brand to launch a gift registry. The site offers high end furniture and home décor ranging from kitchen and bar sets to antique consoles. They also do bespoke furniture pieces to create tailormade designs, finishes and textures that embody a couple’s taste. Prices can go up to Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh for handcrafted furniture pieces and decorative mirrors.
Since the concept of wedding gift registries is still relatively new in India, there’s a bit of apprehension that it might appear as though the couples are demanding their gifts. To work their way around these sticky situations Yellow Door often steps in and sends out the registries on behalf of couples who are hesitant to do so.
Wishtry
If you’re worried a stand-alone gifting platform will seriously limit your options, then venture across to Wishtry that allows you to curate your own registry by adding brands from just about any website. All you have to do is select the occasion, go to any online store and add gifts to your Wishtry list, and start sharing with friends and family. It’s that easy.
On the other hand, if you can’t quite make up your mind about what you want and would rather save up for those big expenses like a new house or car, that’s possible too. By creating a cash fund on the website, your guests can contribute towards it, and you can withdraw the amount deposited after your wedding.
The registry also stocks a large roster of online partners so that you can avail of cool discounts and one-off offers. You can customize and share your Wishtry list on your social media networks, or create beautiful e-cards to announce your registry directly to your family and friends.
