The Wedding Shop, the UK’s largest independent gift list service, have undertaken research into the world of wedding presents to find out what couples really want, what guests are willing to give and how to avoid the modern-day pitfalls and difficulties which can accompany wedding gifting to ensure the happy couple have everything they need for their newly-wedded life. The results are clear - despite some of the more traditional marriage celebration conventions changing, couples in the UK still want to be spoilt on their big day and have simply become much more savvy in selecting gifts.
The Wedding Shop researchs into the world of presents
Research findings show that nearly half (41.5%) of couples were happy with only some of the presents they received at their wedding. When discussed in more detail, it was found that couples who didn’t have a wedding gift list in place received some gifts in duplicate, with an average of 5 dinner sets, 2 toasters and 4 photo frames as presents. In addition, 83.3% of couples said they received more than 3 unwanted gifts at their wedding. It therefore comes as no surprise that 44.7% of married couples who didn’t have a gift 
list in place wish they’d had one in retrospect. Wedding gift lists at The Wedding Shop allow couples to carefully hand select gifts perfect for them with the help of their very own Gift Guru. Guests are unable to select a gift which has already been purchased by another attendee, which avoids the chance for any duplicates. Guests also make a monetary pledge towards a gift of their choice, therefore there is full flexibility for couples to even switch gifts if desired, meaning they have full control over their items and never receive any unwanted gifts.
So, what do couples really want? In an age where experiences are often valued over possessions and consumers are faced with overwhelming options it can be difficult to get it right. The Wedding Shop found nearly a third (28.4%) of couples feel that experiences are a much more personal gift than physical items and 18.6% of married couples say that in retrospect they would have liked to receive an experience they could enjoy with their partner, demonstrating the move towards ‘doing’ rather than ‘owning’ (RSM UK 2018). 67.1% of couples have now included cash contributions on their wedding list alongside product options, supporting the finding that 37.2% of couples want wedding gifts to financially contribute towards their newly wedded life. Honeymoons, spa weekends and mini-breaks also now make up a third (32.5%) of the modern wedding gift list, however product gifts are still the most popular form of present, with 83% of couples still asking for product gifts for their wedding. These gifts give couples the opportunity to give their homes a much-needed upgrade and invest in items they wouldn’t purchase for themselves.
To find some great gifts from The Wedding Shop visit here.
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