|
Browse decor shops such as Z
Gallerie for household-blending furnishings and general retailers
such as Target
for organizers.
| • | Charities
-- Some people who don't want material gifts can register at Web sites
such as the I Do Foundation
and Justgive.org
where their families and friends can make a donation to help a favorite charity.
If you want gifts, as well, the I Do Foundation also has a gift registry that
donates a percentage of the purchases made to the charity. | If
couples want to register with a local chapter of an organization, Becker suggests
calling the local branch directly to set it up -- otherwise all the donations
will go to the national headquarters. Besides researching how
the registry will work, Naylor suggests staying away from controversial charities
such as politically charged ones, as these may offend some relatives and reduce
the donation amounts they otherwise would make.
| • | Financial
registries -- There has been a little growth in financial registries, such
as the house
down-payment registry, says Naylor, but they are not fully accepted yet. |
If you think some of your guests might contribute to a
down-payment registry, check with your bank to see what's available. If you want
gift certificates for other expensive endeavors, such as moving to a new city,
consider a registry that allows guests to contribute toward your goals. One
such site, www.felicite.com
lets couples register for nongift items, such as money for honeymoon expenses
or moving costs, and then allows guests to put any amount toward the total. "For
example, a registrant could list 'down payment for house,' without having to count
on word-of-mouth that they would prefer cash, as opposed to a toaster," says
Peter DiSalvo, Felicite's vice president of marketing. "Felicite will collect
contributions, then send the registrant a check." Be
aware that sites offering services such as this will generally charge a fee. Read
all the fine print before signing up. Are
financial registries considered impolite?
Certified etiquette and
protocol consultant Leah Ingram says these registries aren't as insulting as asking
for money. "Something that involves money but doesn't involve greenbacks
seems less bad to me, less offensive," she says. | 
