The Magic of Wedding Registry Group Gifting

Group gifting is one of The Wedding Shop's most popular features, and for good reason! It allows couples to receive their dream big-ticket items without expecting wedding guests to foot the entire cost. Couples add gifts they love, and guests contribute only what they're comfortable with. It's a win-win for everyone involved!

Wondering how this collective gifting experience works? We've broken it down for you. Read on to learn everything you need to know about wedding registry group gifting.

Group gifting lets guests contribute any amount they like towards the cost of a gift. This way, couples can add more luxurious items to their gift lists, like a honeymoon fund or barista coffee machine, without putting the burden on any one guest. Guests are free to give as much or as little as they want, and the price is always at their discretion.

Everyone wins. Guests are satisfied knowing they’ve contributed towards an extra special purchase, without spending an arm and a leg. And the couple receives an item they’ve had their heart set on and will be using for years to come. Trust us, it’s the closest thing to wedding gift list magic out there.

Couples can set up group gifting through their online wedding gift registry in 6 easy steps.

1. Create a gift list online with The Wedding Shop
2. Add both lower and higher priced gifts to your list to give guests plenty of choice
3. Enable the ‘Group Gifting’ feature in your dashboard 
4. Publish your list and share your custom link with friends and family
5. Easily track the progress of a group gift with automatic email updates 
6. Top up any existing amount if the full pledge value has not been reached

Plus, once you’ve ordered and received your wedding presents, you can utilise The Wedding Shop’s ‘Thank You Manager’ function to easily arrange any personalised thank-you cards. Pretty simple, right?

All this talk of group gifting has hopefully got you excited to start building your list.  Upgrade your wedding presents and seek inspiration from our selection of the best luxury wedding gift ideas out there. All lovingly handpicked by The Wedding Shop team.

1. Elevate Your Dinner Party Game
The Portobello 12-piece dinner set from The White Company is the perfect accompaniment to elegant evening soirees at home. You’ll never regret buying a quality dinnerware set perfect for both special occasions and everyday use. 

2. Add A Kitchen Icon To Your Counter
There are few appliances quite as iconic as the KitchenAid Mixer in Almond Cream. A firm favourite with groups, guests love to gift this must-have mixer as it’s timeless and an all-round smart purchase. You’ll just have to make sure you invite friends and family over to try your delicious creations!

3. Chase Away Post Wedding Blues
Indulge in a quick, post-wedding retreat at The Pig Hotel in New Hampshire, for unrivalled luxury and world-class service. Spend your days ambling through stunning British countryside before returning to your country-house hotel to dine on specially crafted meals made from the finest local ingredients around.

4. Furnish Your Forever Home
Group gifting is a great opportunity to finance that plush, velvet sofa you’ve had your eye on. This Linen Sofa by Swyft is sure to turn a few heads and make an impressive statement in any living room. An ideal gift for cosy nights snuggling up with your love.  

5. Gaze Into Your Future
This brass Hubba Mirror from Umbra will freshen up any space and help brighten up dark corners. Because it’s only £150, it’s on the cheaper end of the group gifting scale but feels super luxurious at the same time.

6. Fund Your Honeymoon
Dreaming of a romantic getaway to the Maldives? Create a honeymoon fund and let your loved ones help you make it happen! Personalise your fund by creating unique experiences, like scuba diving or yacht sailing, so your guests know exactly where their honeymoon contributions are going.

7. Elevate Al Fresco Dining
Make the summer months last a little longer with the iconic Big Green Egg, perfect for grilling, smoking, roasting, and baking up a feast no matter the time of year. It's versatility at its finest and the ultimate group gift.

As we’ve mentioned above, the real joy of The Wedding Shop’s Group Gifting feature is that it allows guests to contribute towards one higher-ticket item easily and securely. This means a friendship group or number of work colleagues can ‘go in’ on one present together and therefore spread the cost. For example, if a gift costs £200, a guest can contribute £20, £100 or an amount of their choice. 

It really is as good as it sounds. However, there are a few group gifting etiquette tips we recommend guests follow to make for a smooth process end to end.

Stick To A Spending Limit
If you’ve decided to pool your funds together with your social circle, and you’d like to keep your contributions even, it’s a good idea to determine a spending limit. You should never feel pressured into spending more than you had planned to on a wedding gift.

Once you've decided on a budget, review the couple's wedding gift registry to find items that fit your group's budget. Remember, if your collective budget doesn't cover the entire cost, the couple can choose to make up the shortfall themselves.

Purchasing The Gift
Once they’ve published their list, the ‘to-be-weds’ will share a unique URL, allowing you to view and purchase items. The presents available to be group gifted will be clearly labelled as so.

Long gone are the days of swapping bank details and one unlucky soul in the group waiting for reimbursement. Each guest can securely pay for their contribution individually via The Wedding Shop’s secure checkout.

Letting The Couple Know
This is the part where you let the technology do the work for you. Fortunately, we will notify the couple of your purchase automatically, so you don’t need to worry about reaching out (unless you want to, of course!). Gift details are always available to couples via their ‘Thank you Manager’ in their Wedding Shop account.

Arranging Delivery
And just when you thought it couldn’t get any easier, you won’t have to worry about delivery either. When the couple is ready to receive their wedding gifts, they will place an order for them to arrive at our warehouse. Once their gifts have arrived at our warehouse, the couple can book a delivery at a date that suits them. That’s one less thing to think about on the wedding day!

There are many reasons couples choose to have a gift list. From decorating a new home with dream pieces to saving for a luxury honeymoon that A-listers would envy.

Having a list makes it easy for friends and family to get you the presents that you and your partner will enjoy together throughout your married life. And enabling group gifting on certain items is the next way to ‘level-up’ your wedding gift registry.

You may already be clued up on how to politely let guests know you have a registry. But before you rush into building your list, you may want to scroll through these extra tips, designed to help you master group gifting etiquette.

Choosing Items For Group Gifting
You’ve fallen head over heels for a pistachio green KitchenAid and now you can’t get the image of dreamy Sundays spent baking brownies out of your head. Never fear! Bucket-list items are ideal for group gifting and totally guilt-free.

We recommend asking yourselves the following questions when selecting items for group gifting, “Will we still be using it in the years to come?”, or “Does this have sentimental value?”.

If the answer to either is, yes, then it’s probably a great choice for group gifting. And with over 450 independent and renowned brands to explore with The Wedding Shop, there’s plenty of timeless, showstopper pieces waiting to be picked by you!  

Turning On Group Gifting 
Once you’ve added the item to your list, simply click the ‘Group Gifting’ button below the item’s picture to enable the feature. To be sure it’s turned on, you will see a percentage bar and pledge value showing exactly how much your guests have contributed to this item so far.

We’d also recommend leaving personal notes on each item so guests can fully understand why you’ve chosen a certain present. 

Thanking Your Guests
We couldn’t create an article on group gifting etiquette without reminding you to thank your guests too. Sharing your appreciation for all the beautiful gifts you’ve received is an important part of your gift list experience. 

Luckily, The Wedding Shop’s ‘Thank You Manager’ function in your dashboard allows you to keep track of which guests you have sent thank-you cards to already, making this a smooth and stress-free process. Hurrah!

P.S. We have partnered with Papier to offer our couples an exclusive 15% discount on wedding stationery from their beautiful collection. With a wide variety of designs to choose from, you're sure to find the perfect stationery to complement your wedding theme!