Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Living on the Cheap.
Getting engaged and planning a wedding often means that a friend or family member will offer to throw you a bridal shower, and Amazon Wedding Registry will make the gifting part easy for you and your guests.
Bridal showers stem from the antiquated practice of a bride needing a dowry to marry well. If the money for a dowry wasn’t available or the bride’s father didn’t approve of the marriage, friends would shower the bride with gifts that would act as a dowry.
While dowries are a thing of the past, the tradition of bridal showers remain to help the bride celebrate her upcoming nuptials and build a “nest” with all of the small appliances, kitchen tools, towels, and sheets that the couple would need.
Wedding registries allow guests to easily choose gifts for bridal showers and weddings that they know the bride and groom would like to receive, and while some may still think picking out your own gifts is poor etiquette, the Emily Post Institute approves this modern convenience.
Deciding where to register
Nearly every department, big box and home goods store offers wedding registries, so it can be hard to decide where to register.
It’s recommended that you register at least one store located near the majority of your guests to accommodate those who would prefer to shop in a store and for last minute morning-of-the-shower purchases, as well as one “store” that offers online shopping to allow guests to ship gifts directly to you, or shop from their couches.
Popular stores for registries include Macy’s, Crate & Barrel, Target, and Kohls. While all of these stores offer online shopping, brands, and styles are specific and limited to each store, and shipping can add $10 to $15 unless the purchase total is at least $75, $100 or more.
An Amazon wedding registry is a great option for those who love convenience. But here are some other benefits of wedding registry options with Amazon.
10% to 20% registry completion gift
Get up to 20% off remaining items on your registry after the event for a savings of up to $100. (Prime members get the bigger discount.)
Huge selection
Amazon has massive inventory and carries nearly any item you’d want to add to your registry.
You’re not limited to just housewares at Amazon. They sell items for nearly any hobby, tools, luggage, games, camping equipment, holiday decor, housewares, and nearly anything else you could think of to put on your registry.
Low prices and free shipping on many items
I’m a super-fan on Amazon because the prices are often lower than in the stores (and I check), and the shipping is free for most items sold by Amazon for purchases of $25 or more, or free with Prime membership (which is totally worth it).
User reviews
Items sold on Amazon.com often have tons of reviews, as well as user-submitted questions and answers, so you can know what to expect from the items.
Easy returns
If you change your mind about a gift, Amazon makes it easy to return items purchased from the registry. Amazon wedding registry returns are free, and they will issue credit to you in the form of a gift card and will not notify the seller/gifter. (This may not cover third-party sellers, so choose items sold by Amazon for your registry.)
Thank-you list
An Amazon gift registry compiles a thank-you list that will give the name, address, and items purchased, to make it easy to write thank-you cards to your guest.
How does a wedding registry work?
A wedding registry allows couples to create a list of gifts that guests can choose from when purchasing wedding presents. Here’s how it works:
- Create the registry: The couple selects items they’d like to receive, usually from a department store or an online retailer. Items can range from home goods to experiences or cash contributions.
- Share the registry: The couple shares the registry link with guests, often via wedding invitations or a wedding website.
- Guests browse and purchase: Guests can browse the registry, choose an item, and purchase it, ensuring they get the couple something they truly need or want.
- Gift tracking: Some registries allow the couple to track which items have been purchased, preventing duplicate gifts.
- Completion and thank you: Once all items are purchased or as gifts are received, the couple can send thank-you notes to the guests.
If you need to start a wedding registry and are overwhelmed about what to add, Amazon.com offers a list of the most popular registry items by category so you don’t miss a thing.
Whether you want a spiral veggie slicer for zucchini pasta, a homeowner’s tool kit, or an Egyptian cotton towel set, Amazon has it for you.
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