gift registries?

Goodness, I've been spamming these boards lately--knew it would happen once I was on my way to getting hitched!!  (Andrea, your posting about having fun over here might have been a slight influence too, lol.)

Out of curiosity, did any of you register for wedding gifts? If so, on what side(s) of the pond and why? I've been getting questions about china patterns  . . .

Out of curiosity, did any of you register for wedding gifts? If so, on what side(s) of the pond and why?

No,  i didn't.
I gladly accepted any gifts that we received, but i dont like the whole 'here is a list of what i want' thing.   

Same here.  I think some people have had one in each country or managed to find somewhere that people in either country to buy from.  China patterns?!?! 

We had the wedding in the US and then moved to the UK where we had a reception.

In the US I registered at Macy's for 'packable items' such as towels, sheets, and other small kitchen items. No appliances, obviously. I also bought a set of pots and pans with wedding money I received (a very good sale at Macy's, and much better value than similar ranges we looked at in the UK) and my Dad brought them over when he visited. Most guests in the US gave us checks since they knew I was moving.

We also registered at amazon.co.uk, which both our US and UK guests used. We did this specifically because they take American credit cards.

For the UK event, we also registered at Debenham's. They have been ok, but if I had to do it all over again, I would probably pick a different store. I just don't particularly like the store.

In the end we didn't end up registering for china, because it  didn't seem practical with our transatlantic lifestyle right now, and honestly, we didn't find anything we were blown away by, or were convinced we would like in 10 years. A lot of people tried to convince us that "now was the time to do it" but in the end that was our decision. If we feel it's something we want in the future, we will cross that bridge.

It was my guests that kept pestering me about the registry! People like the security of knowing they are getting you something you want and need. I don't particularly like shopping, and am awful about making decisions, so the registry was sort of a chore, but the guests (on both sides of the pond) really appreciated having the lists to shop from. Just make sure you have a wide range of prices, so that people have a choice of how much they would like to spend. Also, we didn't tell people about the lists unless they specifically asked about registries, which most people (especially our older guests) did.

Another thing to consider is that the stores generally give you a discount on items you purchase off of your registry after the wedding. So if you don't receive something you need off of there, or have wedding checks to spend, you can get some nice discounts.

I registered in the states at Bed Bath and Beyond.  We got some great stuff for the kitchen and bedroom!

It was my guests that kept pestering me about the registry! People like the security of knowing they are getting you something you want and need.

This is so true.  Our wedding guests were the same way, telling us that they wanted to get us things we really needed.  I know that I appreciate having a registry to shop from when I attend a wedding.  We registered at Amazon and Bed, Bath & Beyond.  The funny part is that we didn't know we were moving to the UK when we got married in 2005, so our gifts are still sitting in their boxes in my Mom's basement waiting for our return in 2009 

It was my guests that kept pestering me about the registry! People like the security of knowing they are getting you something you want and need. I don't particularly like shopping, and am awful about making decisions, so the registry was sort of a chore, but the guests (on both sides of the pond) really appreciated having the lists to shop from. Just make sure you have a wide range of prices, so that people have a choice of how much they would like to spend. Also, we didn't tell people about the lists unless they specifically asked about registries, which most people (especially our older guests) did.

Ditto this.

We registered at Bed Bath and Beyond in the States and Debenhams in the UK - the only caveat I'd give was that we chose BB&B because they told us they'd ship any purchased gifts straight to us in the UK, but after we'd registered they turned around and told us they couldn't ship outside the US!  So we've had to rely on my parents to help organise shipping, etc., which is a pain.  We haven't scheduled our Debenhams delivery yet so I can't really give you a good idea of how that one works....

My main place was  macy's..  but being that I was moving abroad  and  being Sicilian..     we got mostly money..

I'm on the same page as Q-G.  My opinion is that this "gift registry" idea is another way for retailers to get consumers to shop their stores.  When DH and I were married (nearly 25 years now!) most of our gifts were chosen from the heart of the giver and we have many of them still.  Towels, crockpots, dishes, linens, they all come and go over the years - lost to daily living.  But the unexpected treasures (even the ones I would have NEVER chosen myself) reflect the love and thought put into the gift.  I can still recall that my then best friend gave us the most unusal blue & green vase.  At the time I thought it was fairly ugly, but as the years have gone by, I now see at it through "different" eyes.  Not as something I would have chosen myself, but something she selected that showed her love and best wishes for my marriage.  It now sits proudly on the fireplace mantle of our recently new home.

I am aware the bridal registries have exisisted for decades, but I really do believe that this practice takes away the opportunity for newlywed couple to recieve a physical expression of the giver's "blessing" of the union.  Isn't that what a gift is meant to be?  How refreshing it would be to recieve a wedding invitation that instead of saying "we're registered at .....", it implied that "we will cherise whatever gift you chose for us because it was from you."

We registered at John Lewis (they gave us free food!  ) and on Amazon.co.uk .  If I recall correctly, we just told people about the registries if they asked; we didn't put it in the invitations.

We also registered at amazon.co.uk, which both our US and UK guests used. We did this specifically because they take American credit cards.

It was my guests that kept pestering me about the registry! People like the security of knowing they are getting you something you want and need.  Also, we didn't tell people about the lists unless they specifically asked about registries, which most people (especially our older guests) did.

Thanks, I had heard about the Amazon.co.uk thing, and was considering it for that very reason! Were you generally happy with them?

Also, and I can see where some people are coming from with registries being seen as gift-grubbing, and initially I wasn't even sure if we were going to do one because of the shipping headaches involved (though a lot of you seem to have that taken care of!). But the vibe among relatives has definitely been what you're saying, Kate. I also come from a very large family, and I'd be concerned that if we didn't do a registry, it could imply that I didn't approve of my clan of married cousins who registered. 

How refreshing it would be to recieve a wedding invitation that instead of saying "we're registered at ....."

I didn't think that was very common practice, at least in the US. Every bridal book, magazine and website I've come across says that it's a big etiquette no-no, and that registry info is meant to be spread by word-of-mouth, as has been mentioned in the thread.

gift-grubbing

what a brilliant word! 

Haha, I can't take credit for it. Heard it first on a wedding planning board on eljay.

My shower and wedding were in the US but it was known that we would be moving to the UK right after, so I registered with Debenhams. Most of my US friends/family bought from the list online and everything was delivered to my in-law's home. Other guests chose to give us money, which was very much appreciated, too!

Debenhams did a brilliant job with delivery and everything was gift wrapped in a really lovely way. I recommend them!

Goodluck and congrats!

Thank you!! 

I won't be having a shower because it would be difficult to have guests come (aside from the British side, most of my extended family lives quite far from my hometown), but it's good to know (or it would seem from your post?) that Debenhams accepts US credit cards too. (I mean, I know they do in person, I've bought stuff there, heh)