The whole wedding gift registry thing can be a bit of a baptism of fire. On one hand you don’t really need yet another toaster but on the other it’s often really awkward to have the “actually we’d just really rather have cash” conversation.
Back in the old days (when I got married ha!) pretty much the only option for couples was to register with a department store or have that awkward cash convo. We opted for the former and although we got some great stuff (Vera Wang crockery that we still can’t afford… a Dyson vacuum… fancy bedding!) it would have been nice to have had more choice you know? John Lewis stocks some great stuff but it’s hardly up there in the cool stakes.
Which is why I wanted to introduce you to Wedding Republic. With a newly designed site launched just last week, their innovative idea allows couples to basically ask for cash but without the red-faced cringing.
In a nutshell, you sign up and add things you your registry from all over the internet. In fact it doesn’t have to be found online, you can add miscellaneous items that you’ve dreamt up too. How about horse back riding on a Californian beach… or swimming with dolphins in Florida… or backpacking through India… or hell, maybe even an extension on your house (!)…? Your only limit is your imagination.
All your guests then need to do is select the item(s) they’d wish to buy you. They can even contribute to larger items if they have a smaller budget (or erm.. you’ve picked something huge!)
You can sign up for anything you like – products, experiences, even travel expenses (hello Honeymoon!) The value of said item is then transferred into your assigned account for you to go ahead and purchase at your leisure. The great thing about this system is that even if you then change your mind and decide you no longer want that particular item, you can simply use the cash for something else. Hurrah!
