Giving wedding gifts is not a new idea. People have been giving new couples gifts for thousands of years. The ideas have continued to evolve.

At one point, ages ago, it was a tradition to give the couple an ornate chest full of gifts, and then that turned into a leather key basket (it was a tradition in the South to represent the wife turning into the keeper of the home). 

Two things have changed the way we plan weddings and give wedding gifts. The internet and COVID-19.

 Thanks to COVID, people aren’t getting together, they aren’t allowed to have full guest lists, and first dances have to be 6 feet apart (not really). But this post isn’t about COVID, it’s about the internet and how it has changed things for the better, in weddings.

Now, I never had to plan a wedding without the internet, but I can imagine it was A LOT harder. Just think about going through the process without having websites, blogs, Pinterest, and google spreadsheets that were editable by you, your mom, your soon to be husband, and any vendor who needed access. 

The internet and websites have REALLY changed the wedding industry and how everyone plans their magical day. For me, I was able to do a lot of the planning when I was off work or on the weekends, even when places were closed. 

The wedding planning app, Joy, found that Amazon was the most popular place to register for wedding gifts. We are going to tell you about another popular option.

Gone are the days when you would go to Belk with your finance and pick out bedding. 

Now, you can both sit on your couch with your laptop (or even your phone) and register for your wedding. There are a lot of different tools and sites you can use for your wedding registry, and we are going to look at some of the most popular websites and tools you can use.

Online Gift Registries

Zola

If you’re engaged or friends with a recently engaged couple, you may have heard of Zola. This trendy name is everywhere. They are one of the most popular wedding planning apps and sites available. 

One of the coolest features Zola offers is their registry. They have worked a long time to make the process as easy and fun as possible. If you don’t want to go through the in-store process of walking through every aisle and fighting the crowd, Zola is the perfect alternative. 

Not only is Zola awesome for you and your future spouse to register, but it’s also very easy for your guests to buy the perfect gift. It lets them sort gifts by price, availability, and more. 

If your guest can’t find anything they want to buy, Zola allows them to donate to your honeymoon fund. How neat is that?

Zola has a TON of items they offer on their site, and they even have a list of common and suggested gifts that can make the process go quicker. They have a Starter Bundle which basically is a giant list of recommended items any new married couple could need! It’s a great place for you to start. 

Another unique thing Zola offers is the ability to purchase experiences. When you’re making your registry, you can pick from a lot of different experiences – or even choose your own. Maybe you want to take dance lessons or go skydiving. Your guests can buy you these fun trips instead of buying a gift. We love the practicality of this idea!

For every item left on your registry list after the wedding, you can get a 10% discount for up to a year after your big day. It’s a great way to save some money on all those things you still want. 

One of the downsides of Zola is credit card fees. Zola is going to charge a fee (2.5%) and their shipping can be a bit pricey depending on how large the item is.