Researching and finding a wedding registry
Sep 26, 2023
We know what it’s like: you’ve got a wedding around the corner and you need to sort a last-minute gift. You go to snag one from the couple’s wedding registry but, shock horror, it’s nowhere to be found!
Here, we’ll show you how to find a couple’s wedding registry quickly so you don’t have to turn up empty-handed. Oh, and we’ll also cover how to find and choose the best wedding registry for yourself if it’s your wedding day in the diary!
How do I find a couple's wedding registry?
First things first, if you’re struggling to find a couple’s wedding registry and you need to sort a gift quickly, follow these simple steps.
1. Check the invitation
The best place to start is by looking at the wedding invitation. It may include information about the wedding registry, but if it doesn’t, it’ll almost certainly give you a clue about where to find it.
For instance, there’ll usually be a link to the couple’s wedding website, where you’re highly likely to find what you’re looking for. Which brings us onto…
2. Find wedding registry info on their website
Nowadays, almost every happily-engaged couple will have a wedding website. It’s here that you’ll often be able to RSVP, find details about the day and (perhaps most importantly!) access the couple’s wedding registry.
There might be a link that leads you directly to the wedding registry, or simply details about where it can be found. If the couple would rather you transferred them money, donated to a charity or even didn’t buy a gift at all, this should all be stated clearly on their website.
3. Use social media to find a wedding registry
Hopefully, you’ve found what you’re after by now. But if the couple doesn’t have a website – or you can’t find it – we’d recommend using social media to find a wedding registry.
Although it’s generally not considered the best etiquette, some couples choose to share wedding registry info on social media, so check their bios and recent posts to see if there are any clues. If they’ve added you to a private ‘wedding guests’ group on Facebook, make sure to check that as well.
4. Check the bridal shower invite
Sometimes, wedding registry details won’t be included on a wedding invite, but they will be on a bridal shower or wedding shower invitation. Why? Well, the idea is that someone else usually hosts this kind of event on behalf of the soon-to-be newlyweds – so, the couple won’t be directly asking for gifts themselves.
Hopefully, you’ve still got that invite knocking around somewhere!
5. Use a wedding registry search tool
If you’ve looked through every scrap of information the couple has given you about the wedding and you still can’t find anything about the wedding registry, now’s the time to use a wedding registry finder.
These tools are designed especially to help you track down a couple’s wedding registry so they’re definitely worth a try. Usually, you’ll just need the couple’s full name but it’s also helpful to know which store or website they used to create their registry. We’ll show you which tools are the best in a moment.
6. Search for a wedding registry online
Wondering how to search for a wedding registry online? If you type in the couple’s name and the words ‘wedding registry’ into Google, the one you’re looking for might just pop up. It’s a long shot though, given how competitive it can be to rank highly in the search engine results pages. Plus, not every wedding registry will be visible to the general public.
At Moonsift, you can set your collections up to be visible to anybody. However, if you want to set them to ‘registry’ mode (and therefore allow guests to tick off the items they’ve bought), it’ll only be viewable by people who have the link.
7. Ask someone!
We get it if you’re reluctant to ask for wedding registry details – especially if you’ve left the gift buying until the last minute!
However, some couples don’t share their wedding registry info freely, and will only send the link to people who ask for it. So, you might just need to bite the bullet (plus, buying a last-minute gift is much better than not buying one at all!). If you’re feeling sheepish about it though, you could ask a mutual friend if they can pass you the details.
Best wedding registry finder tools
When it comes to wedding registry finder tools, the best ones are those that can search multiple stores and registry providers. Let us explain.
Most wedding registry finders are run by wedding registry providers. That means they’ll normally only be able to help you find registries that were made on their website or in their store.
In order to find the registry you’re looking for, you’ll need to wrack your brains for the stores or websites the happy couple is likely to have used. Otherwise, you’ll need to try countless wedding registry search tools in order to stand a good chance of finding the registry you’re after.
Top websites for wedding registry search
The top website for wedding registry searches is RegistryFinder.com. It’s pretty much the only tool that can search for and uncover registries made with multiple providers.
Essentially, you just need to enter the name of either the bride or groom, and select what kind of registry you’re looking for (wedding, baby, graduation and so on). Then, RegistryFinder.com will search the web for their wedding registry – it’ll even show you multiple registries if a couple has registered with multiple stores.
The one downside? It’s not a truly universal tool. Rather, it can only find registries made with its registry partners – and it’s very US-focused too. However, it’s a lot better than being restricted to just one registry provider!
How to find a wedding registry without the couple's full names
Feeling too awkward to ask for a couple’s full names? Don’t worry, all is not lost. You may still be able to locate their wedding registry using a wedding registry finder.
While it helps if you have the couple’s full names, many of these tools will still let you search if you just input a first name. Or, you may be able to search using their first name and just a couple of letters of their last name.
Searching this way will likely mean you have many results to scroll through. So, it can be time-consuming, particularly if you find you need to use several wedding registry finders to try and track down your couple. However, with some patience and perseverance, you may well be able to locate the registry you’re after.
Tips for finding a wedding registry quickly
Up until now, we’ve focused on how to find a couple’s wedding registry so that you can buy them a gift. But what if you’re the one getting married? How do you quickly find the best wedding registry for your needs, so that you can get on with organising the rest of your wedding (and enjoy receiving mountains of wonderful gifts to boot!)?
Well, here are a few tips to help you find the best wedding registry.
Find one that’s universal. Most wedding registries will only let you add items from one store. On the other hand, universal registries will allow you to save items from any store in the world, giving you way more choice – like Moonsift!
Don’t pay for it. Choose a wedding registry website that won’t make a margin on the products you add to your registry, and that will let your wedding guests take advantage of discounts. Moonsift is totally free with no markups or fees.
Make things easy. Many wedding registry providers will make you copy and paste links and upload product information manually – but no one’s got time for that! Moonsift’s universal ‘save’ button will let you add items directly to your registry while you’re browsing, whether that’s on your mobile or desktop.
Find one that will let you add a cash fund. Want your guests to be able to contribute towards a big purchase, like a honeymoon or house renovations? Then pick a wedding registry provider like Moonsift that will let you add details of a cash fund.
Don’t settle for a clunky design. You’re putting lots of effort into making your wedding look just how you want it, so you shouldn’t have to settle for a clunky gift registry website or one that’s riddled with ads! Moonsift is acclaimed for its clean design, which was created together with stylists and interior designers.
As you can see, wedding registry websites weren’t all created equal. Rather, it’s important to find one that has all the features you want and that makes it quick and easy to create your registry.
Luckily, Moonsift has all of the above and more! Thanks to our universal ‘save’ button, you can easily add items from any store in the world to your wedding registry on the go – it just takes a simple tap or click. Then, when you’re ready, share the link with everyone you’ve invited to the wedding and they’ll know exactly what to buy you in advance of your big day.
Simply sign up to get started!
