Coolest Wedding Registries

With wedding season totally under way...that means it's full-blown gift giving season as well...

I simply LOVE to give gifts. Especially gifts you know the receiver will LOVE. Sometimes I think I am way more excited about giving the gift than they are!

While I completely understand the point of registering at a mass retailer...I did it and got great stuff to outfit our new home. When I look back, there is truly only a dozen or so gifts that I we still have and that are so unique they have made it through all of the moves. So when I'm buying gifts, I always keep that in mind when looking at their registries. What might stick or mean something extra special?!

Oh boy, there are some super cool registries out there that offer such unique gifts and experiences that lend to each couple's personality and place in time. There is no excuse to not give something truly unique and something not everybody else can!

Here are a few of my faves...

Etsy Wedding Registry

 When Etsy announced Etsy Weddings this spring, they also introduced the Wedding Registry. SO AWESOME. I would have definitely been all over this! What a great way to capture unique gifts and style in a registry. 

Hatch My House is an online gift registry that helps couples start saving towards a home in a fun, interactive way! You don't even have to have a wedding date to start...works for birthdays too!

A honeymoon fund?!? Brilliant. My cousin actually registered with the Honeyfund and it was so great because I could buy him tickets to the opera while in Italy - which seemed more fitting than a crystal platter! I think the concept of this is fabulous.

I Do Foundation

Just like Prince William and Kate Middleton, you too can ask for charitable donations in lieu of wedding gifts.

The I Do Foundation allows couples to celebrate generosity and and incorporate their socially conscious values into their big day by giving back to a charity of your choice. Not only are you able to do this through receiving gifts for your chosen charities but also by registering with partner stores who donate up to 5 percent of gift purchases as well the giving a donation in leiu of traditional wedding favors or thank yous to the wedding party.

The Man Registry

TheManRegistry.com is an online resource for grooms that features a specialized wedding registry featuring gifts that are ideal for the man cave, garage, backyard or bar. It's only fair the groom gets some good stuff too. I recently gave a chainsaw and a weed eater as gifts to a friend who was the groom. He was in heaven!

Card Avenue is the first online gift card registry. What a great idea! You can ask for cash without asking for cash...you just ask for a total amount of gift cards at certain stores and then your guests are able to help contribute to some bigger ticket items you have your eye on. Well done!

Zankyou

Zankyou is " the multilingual international wedding registry that brings freedom to wedding planning!" A snappy idea that provides a convenient and practical cash wedding registry for your honeymoon, home or any other dream!

I am in love all of these options to give unique gifts! A perfect time to remember that simple is beautiful and thoughtful matters.

Cheers!