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Wedding Lists |
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With weddings come presents. But making sure you get things you need or want takes more than luck. Carole Hamilton, author of the Sublime Wedding and a former editor of You and Your Wedding magazine for more than 13 years, picks Britain's best wedding list services. Click to view Top 5 Wedding Lists.
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Wedding Gift Lists |
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 A wedding list is an embarrassing concept for many couples but if you don't give your guests some clues as to what you want, you'll end up with a lot of unwanted gifts - a waste of time and money all round. |
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You may ask yourselves, do we really need a gift list? If you already live together then you probably have all the household basics like china, glasses and a toaster. But you need to accept that your guests will want to buy you something and it's better to give them some idea than to leave it completely to chance.
I've come across many couples who, rather than have an organised list, let their guests give them something "personal" and they've ended up with hardly anything that they actually wanted, or in many cases even liked!
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 A wedding list is a great way to tell people what gifts you would like to receive if they are feeling generous enough to buy them for you. It can be arranged through a department store, a specialist gift-list shop or an online service. You can, of course, do it yourself too - but bear in mind that, particularly for a large wedding, managing a wedding list can be time-consuming and troublesome.
Using a good professional service takes away a lot of hassle at what is already a hectic time and minimises the chances of gifts being duplicated or going astray and of you being left with no idea of who to thank for what.
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Compile the list as a couple |
| Your list should usually be arranged three to four months before the wedding, sooner if you like - whenever you do it, details of the what, when and how need to be finalised by the time you send out your invitations. You should compile your list as a couple; shopping may not be the male idea of fun but the items you choose are for you both, so you will want to choose them together. |
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 Before you start looking for specifics, try to make out a rough list of what you actually need. Gift list basics are linens, china, cutlery, towels, small electrical appliances, tools, picture frames and ornaments. This is also your chance to replace older items and treat yourselves to the latest designer gadgets.
If you already have all the basics you need, there’s nothing to say you can’t broaden the spectrum a bit and include sporting items, gym equipment or things for the garden. But do try to stick to presents that your guests, and particularly the more traditional ones, will think are suitable for a wedding.
If duplicate gifts are received, providing the gift is returned unopened and in its original packaging exchanging the item for something else or for gift vouchers is not usually a problem at most major outlets.
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Can we ask for cash? |
| And finally, the question that most couples want answered: can we ask for cash instead of gifts? It's a tricky one. |
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 It used to be considered bad manners but these days many of your friends will appreciate that you just don’t need anything for your home and that cash would be useful to spend at a later date.
It’s always better to suggest that you are saving towards a specific item, like a conservatory or new kitchen, so people feel they know what the money is going towards (even if you don't have a clue).
If it’s all too awkward, suggest vouchers instead - many people don’t see them as cash even though good vouchers can be almost as versatile.
And if you really don't want to have a gift list, you can always ask your guests to make a contribution to your favourite charity and let someone else benefit from your happy day.
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