Wedding Gift Registry? What to do!

My fiance and I have finally set the date for May 30, 2009 for our happy nuptials.  The wedding will be held in the states, and shortly after (2 weeks later) we will be travling by ship to England to reside permanently.  I want to travel quite light, although the ship imposes no luggage restrictions I do not want to deal with tons of boxes.  So, I do not want to receieve any gifts here that I would have to transport.  Additionally, but future husband's house is quite small (two up two down), and not much counter space, etc.  We are in the process of renovating both the kitchen and the bathroom, and really can't be bothered about fine china or something not very practical. 
Ideally, I would love to tell friends and family that we only want monetary gifts.  However, I can't help but think it's tacky.  Also, I realize many people prefer to give a physical gift, as it is more personal than a fist full of cash. 
Has anyone had a similar situation?  How did you manage this tricky social situation?  I'm open to anyone who may also have ideas of a registry site in the UK where US relatives can purchase gifts on-line and they can be sent to our house in the UK.
Thanks so much!

have a look at the hitching post- there are some threads about this.

we've chosen to do amazon.co.uk  the US & UK people can both access it- and they'll ship to UK address.

you could also do a honeymoon registry? some people consider it less tacky than asking for $£ upfront.

We ended up registering at Debenham's because it was pretty much the only option in Ireland. I would kill to be able to register at Crate and Barrel!! People can order off the registry online and the store will hold all purchases until we designate a delivery date. We also opted for free delivery (so guests wouldn't be charged) and forgo the 50 euro gift card they would have given us. The downside is that you can't add stuff from your list online, or from a Debenham's store that's different from the one you registered at. You have to scan the goods at the store where you registered. 

DH and I were married in the U.S. and had the same problem.  We ended up registering at John Lewis because they offer online ordering from the U.S. (where most of my relatives are) and they have free delivery.  We totally would have much rather just had the cash, too, but you can't really say that...

Heh. Not really applicable here, but I did a Wal*Mart run before I left the States and they were advertising their wedding registry.

I was totally tempted, just to see the look on my stepmother's face.

We totally would have much rather just had the cash, too, but you can't really say that...

Why can't you? I wouldn't think it would be too rude if you put why you prefer it on there. If they knew it was to fund paperwork and moving expenses, I'm sure people would understand.

I wouldn't think it would be too rude if you put why you prefer it on there.

I'm sorry, but you'd be wrong.  Gifts should not be mentioned in invitation at all, even registries. Give your guests a bit of credit: if they want to know what to get you, they'll ask.

I'm sorry, but you'd be wrong.  Gifts should not be mentioned in invitation at all, even registries. Give your guests a bit of credit: if they want to know what to get you, they'll ask.

I don't think it matters if you do or don't, but you should word it very carefully and it should usually be in small print at the bottom...not in great big huge letters saying "JOHN LEWIS PLEASE!!"   

I myself did not put it on the invite, but I did have a separate slip that went inside the envelope.

When I got married in the states, my family just decided on their own to give cash instead of gifts and DH n I never bothered to register anywhere. I just deposited the money into my US bank account and withdrew it when I arrived back in the UK. Sometimes people are smarter that we give them credit for, my family knew that I'd be travelling light. And I always thought it was rude to be dictated where I could buy GIFTS for people.

When I got married in the states, my family just decided on their own to give cash instead of gifts and DH n I never bothered to register anywhere. I just deposited the money into my US bank account and withdrew it when I arrived back in the UK. Sometimes people are smarter that we give them credit for, my family knew that I'd be travelling light. And I always thought it was rude to be dictated where I could buy GIFTS for people.

If I call and find out the couple are not registered I pretty much just always give cash. As mercenary as it sounds, that's kinda why I always thought registries were self-defeating if you'd prefer money.

We had a problem with cashing cheques from the US because we did not have a joint bank account ( and did not want one ) and we had to get one to deposit them.

When I got married in the states, my family just decided on their own to give cash instead of gifts and DH n I never bothered to register anywhere. I just deposited the money into my US bank account and withdrew it when I arrived back in the UK. Sometimes people are smarter that we give them credit for, my family knew that I'd be travelling light. And I always thought it was rude to be dictated where I could buy GIFTS for people.

Same for us. 

I'm sorry, but you'd be wrong.  Gifts should not be mentioned in invitation at all, even registries. Give your guests a bit of credit: if they want to know what to get you, they'll ask.

Mort is correct in terms of wedding etiquette on this.  And it does seem obvious - that guests will tend to ask you (or your parents, etc) what you would like as gifts, at least that was our experience.  We had a Debenhams registry, everyone asked and were directed accordingly.  Initially, both DH and I worried that the wedding registry was 'rude', but everyone really expected and actually appreciated it, in that for them it took the guesswork/dilemma/deliberation out of what to buy...just click, click, click - then turn up and have a good time at the wedding! 

On the other hand, if you're not concerned about etiquette - you can do whatever you like, of course!

We're getting married in April in the US then Molly is moving over to the UK after we've been on a road trip from Denver to San Diego. As we don't want to/can't ship big items across a traditional registry is no good for us so we've created a honeymoon registry (at Travellors Joy). We chose this as the guests can pick specific items for the honeymoon but we just get the money. I'm sure you can tailor it to so it's not a honeymoon list.

We haven't put the address on the invites but it is on the info card and our wedding website.

I'm sorry, but you'd be wrong.  Gifts should not be mentioned in invitation at all, even registries. Give your guests a bit of credit: if they want to know what to get you, they'll ask.

I agree completely. We're getting married in June and are not asking for money or gifts. If people want to give us something, that would be very nice. But it's not essential. That's not the point of a wedding. It's enough that they come and enjoy the day with us.