Bridal registry

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A bridal registry is a system designed by department stores for the purpose of allowing an engaged couple to manage the purchase of gifts for their wedding. From what is available at the store, the couple creates a list of items that they would like to receive, then the list is mentioned or provided to their wedding guests. Some implementation methods allow participating stores to provide the list to guests. As a gift is purchased by a guest, the department store's list is updated and the item is removed from the list of desired items, preventing a single gift from being accidentally bought redundantly by multiple people. This can be greatly efficient both for the couple to be married as well as convenient for guests who don't have to make decisions over what to buy.

The concept of a bridal registry was first instituted by Chicago-founded department store Marshall Fields in 1924, and has since been turned into a well-known experience of many large stores. Some registries track more detail than others. Target was the first to introduce an electronic gift registry in 1993, using a service provided by The Gift Certificate Center, Minneapolis, MN. The service was invented and subsequently patented by William J. Veeneman, the founder and CEO of The Gift Certificate Center. This registry resulted in a well-spring of similar registries to emerge from most of the major retail chains in America. Even Home Depot, the gigantic home improvement warehouse, offers a bridal registry.

[edit] Criticisms

Bridal registries are not always well received. They can be viewed as vulgar, particularly by older guests. Soliciting gifts can be seen as an anathema to traditional gift buying notions such as "being grateful for what you receive", the element of surprise, and leading to gift buying as a type of competition as the couple knows the prices of the presents given. It has led to the more controversial practice of couples asking guests to give them money instead of presents, in cultures where this is not the practiced norm. Apocryphal tales abound of people making profits off their weddings and sending invitations with space for people to give their credit card details.