Wedding Presents

The venue's selected, dresses and outfits are being made, the honeymoon's being arranged, and dad's getting nervous about his speech - wedding planning is in full flow. Now comes the fun bit, time to arrange your wedding gift list.

For the avid shoppers out there, can you think of anything more appealing than putting together your ultimate shopping list and then have somebody else pay for it?

Wedding gift lists have not been around nearly as long as the weddings, but in modern times 90% of weddings have a gift list of some sort.

So here’s some advice…

Don't be embarrassed about creating your wedding list. It is no longer a 'taboo' subject. Wedding guests generally expect to buy a present, and if they are going to get something, they would much prefer to get you something that you want.

When deciding what to put on your list, don't be afraid of putting particularly expensive items on the list. Quite often, numerous guests will 'chip in' and purchase a larger present rather than buying individual, smaller ones. Also, you never know but you might just catch one of your guests in a generous mood!

You can simply visit the local shops and make a manual list of all the items you want. You will then have to rely on a close member of the wedding party to hold the list for you and monitor who has bought what.

An alternative is to use a wedding gift list provider. Companies such as those advertising here on hitched.co.uk specialise in wedding gift lists and make the whole process a simpler, more pleasurable experience. Many offer a complete online service allowing your guests to select gifts from the comfort of their own home or office.

Try to arrange your wedding list well ahead of the day. Bearing in mind that it is normal to send out details of your wedding list along with your invitations, you should plan the list at least four/five months in advance. One of the key benefits of using a wedding list provider is that all you need to do is place an item or two on the list in the first instance and then you can add items as you find things you like. The wedding list provider will then (normally) supply you with small cards that you send to your guests giving them details of where the list is being held along with a reference for your particular list. Guests can then contact the company directly and purchase a suitable gift.

Use a reputable gift list provider. There have been some instances recently of companies offering gift list facilities and then going out of business. For this reason, it is imperative that whatever company you decide to use, you ensure they are reputable and responsible. At hitched.co.uk, we will only advertise and recommend companies that have a proven record.

Have a look at some of our partners, and enjoy compiling your wedding gift list.