Out of Town Wedding Gifts

by Michell
(Colorado Springs, CO)

Our wedding is going to be out of town (we live in Colorado but will have our wedding in California). We do not want to have a bunch of gifts to mail back to California so, what type of gifts should we put on our registry?

Do you have any advice on how we should handle this? I do not think it is appropriate to ask for money. So what should we do?

Our Thoughts

This is a situation that many couples who have a destination wedding or a wedding in another state face, and there are a few options available to you.

First, go ahead and register like you normally would. It will help if the store you choose has a good website and offers free shipping.

Next, you will want to ask your guests to have the gifts shipped to your home address instead of bringing them to your wedding location in California. Another option is to ask for gift cards to the store or website which will be used to purchase items from your registry.

There are a couple ways to get the word out to your guests about your wedding gift preference.

Create a wedding website that explains your situation with a link to the store of your choice where you created your registry. Ask your guests to have their gift sent directly to your house (preferably before or after your trip to California so you are there to receive them), or they can also give gift cards towards items on the registry.

It is not recommended to state your gift preferences in your wedding invitation. Instead, give your guests the link to your wedding website in your save the date or along with your invitation.

Also, have your bridal party and family help spread the word to your guests. Word of mouth usually works well for those guests that are unsure or aren’t computer savvy.

Don’t feel bad about tactfully explaining your situation and preferences. If you don’t tell them, your guests will start asking where you are registered anyway.

To Your Wedding!
Danielle & Stephen