Organising Your Wedding Gifts Quicker Than You Said "I Do"!

Wedding gifts. They are usually heartfelt signs that someone cares. But they are also an extra level of organisation for a wedding and something else for the couple to consider.

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Asking for gifts

Guests ask for gift lists. Even if you genuinely don’t want gifts, people will buy them. And there’s every chance that what they buy will be something you may not have room for or already have, especially if you’ve been living together for a while (around 66% of couples).

Wedding etiquette has changed immensely, and it’s now completely acceptable to ask for cash (and to give it).

But there are still people who love giving gifts, and want you to have the joy of opening presents. They will often turn up at the wedding with these gifts.

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So whilst having a gift registry may seem a bit like overtly asking for gifts, they have the advantage of helping people out. They can save them the time and expense of traipsing through shops.  Whilst it’s fun to look for something special, looking for something special when you don’t know what they already have, or, worse, have never seen their home or don’t know them particularly well. 

And with belts being tightened financially across the land, no-one wants to spend hard earned money on something the happy couple will hate. 

So whilst it may not seem terribly British to ask for gifts, you are actually making their lives easier. With the costs of weddings, people inevitably feel obliged to bring gifts.

So a gift registry or wedding website can work well for offering people gift ideas.

Just remember that times are tight for many, so be sure to include some lower priced items.

Those who know you best may make other decisions, but the choice is there.

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Receiving gifts

Modern etiquette suggest that guests should deliver presents to the couple in the months before the wedding.

Whilst in the midst of all the planning and organising, writing thank you cards and opening gifts can seem like an extra job, at least things are with you. And you don’t actually need to open them until after the wedding, or say thank you until after the wedding/honeymoon.

(Another ‘plus’ in favour of the gift service is that you can choose when things will be delivered, so the gifts don’t arrive until you’re ready to manage them.)

If you are at a venue for the wedding, make sure they offer you somewhere to store gifts safely. There are increasing numbers of thieves ransacking gifts at weddings, and taking money from cards, and as people often don’t know everyone at a wedding, these light-fingered ‘guests’ often go unchallenged.

A friend, bridesmaid, best man, family member can be given an important role on the day moving gifts and money to a safe place.

Whilst venue staff should theoretically be able to help, they may have other priorities, and/or change shifts.

Remember too that burglars are good at spotting empty houses through a mix of full mailboxes, changes in how the garden is kept and lights on obvious timers. If you are off on honeymoon, consider putting gifts into storage while you’re away.

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Opening gifts

Opening gifts is really exciting. If you are lucky enough to have had a honeymoon, it’s something to look forward to when you return.

If you’re doing it with confetti still in bits you didn’t previously know you had, it’s a lovely ‘first job’ together as a married couple.

Whilst it may be tempting to dive in, have a pad and pen ready to note down who gifted what, for sending the thank you notes to.

You will laugh, you will cry, and you will have duplicates. (Unless you’re a miracle worker!)

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Don’t panic. You have choices:

·         To return/exchange most gifts with gift receipts of by speaking with the retailer - this is fairly normal. If a couple receives half each of two sets, being able to swap it to all of one is a real bonus;

·         To regift, although make sure you do this very carefully for obvious reasons;

·         To sell. (This is not quite as bad as it sounds – according to recent surveys at least 82% of couples sold on a wedding gift);

·         To donate – brand new goods in packaging are a fabulous donation for a charity shop. They sell quickly and for ‘top dollar’;

·         To store. If there’s something you still have to make space for or want to hold onto until you have a bigger space, storage is a good option.

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Thank you’s

Don’t forget the thank you letters.

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Help with storage:

If you need storage for any part of your wedding or relationship ‘journey’, from storing wedding favours and room decorations, to keeping gifts safe while you’re away, easyStorage quotes are available online 24/7 via our website or by calling 01333 406480.

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