I used to have a stock wedding gift, one I would give my closest friends and family when they got married:



I thought it was cute gift! A card says, "Congratulations. May the vibrations from these bells reflect your own happiness and love."

I couldn't have said it better myself. And I hated the idea of buying one place setting, or three wine glasses, or clearing out the OXO kitchen utensil collections. I wanted to give a personal gift, one that meant something!

Then I got engaged.

We're getting married in September -- we just booked the hall today! But now we have to do...everything else. Except register. We did that months ago.



For some reason registering was easy, even though I felt really uncomfortable, if not greedy, doing it. The whole concept of telling your friends & family what to buy you? And I'm not a young girl, moving from her mother's house to her newlywed house, starting from scratch!

On the one hand, it makes life easier for your guests, so they don't have to guess what you want/need.

On the other hand, I feel like a cross between a spoiled princess and a jerk. Especially since if I hated buying stuff off the registry for my own peeps!!

My current attitude is that it's the thought that counts. Any gift is...a gift!! I don't care if we don't get ANY wedding presents!

Every wedding season brings such debate on this topic, it's like the sweetness of giving someone / getting a gift gets lost in the hubub!

What's your take - did you register? do you buy stuff off other peoples' registries?