SimpleRegistry: The Modern Way to Register
SimpleRegistry is changing the way couples register, one click at a time.
The last few years have seen an evolution of wedding registries since their inception at Chicago-founded retailer Marshall Field’s in 1924, and no longer require couples to walk through a department store, scanner gun in hand, clicking on the store’s latest china collections. The entire experience has shifted to feature a more personalized list of desires, thanks to websites such as SimpleRegistry.
The easy-to-use website, launched in 2010, allows couples to add items from anywhere on the Internet with one click on their SimpleAdder bookmarklet tool, and gives you the opportunity to portion pricey products into multiple costs, allowing several guests to contribute to big-ticket items. The registry options are limited only to your imagination, from annual museum memberships and season tickets to home goods; they’ve even had a couple register for a hovercraft and sumo wrestling classes.
“We are making registering fun and personable so when a couple completes their registry, they can say ‘This registry is who we are and these are the types of items, activities and experiences that we love,’” says Brandon Warner, CMO and co-founder of the site.
They’ve also taken the site mobile with an iPhone app that lets grooms- and brides-to-be scan bar codes at brick-and-mortar shops, immediately adding the product to their registry. For those items sans codes, snap a quick photo for an instant update.
Of course, you are in the midst of wedding planning, so the team has taken their already easy-to-use registry and simplified it even more with their Instant Registry feature. The 30-second setup allows you to choose registries based on themed lists, such as Outdoor Adventures and The Perfect Kitchen, that are crafted by registry pros so you can spend more time planning (or camping or cooking) than clicking.
If even that sounds like too much work, give reign to friends and family. SimpleRegistry lets specified loved ones add gift ideas to your list (don’t worry, you have complete control over which suggested items to add … and to ignore), whether you just want stylish suggestions from your maid of honor or best man, or trust your entire registry to your guests.
After the event is over, a bank check or transfer for each gift’s amount is then sent to the soon-to-be brides or grooms. Taking this subtle monetary route gives couples more flexibility, but still provides a sense of traditional gift-giving. Newer model of that camera you registered? Want a different color of that blender? No problem! “If couples only want cash, we always recommend that they don’t register anywhere,” notes Warner. “We are helping couples and gift givers have a more personable gift that isn’t limited to the big box stores that only have registry functionality.”
“We are changing the way couples register for gifts,” says Warner. This registry progression stems from the fact that more and more couples are living together before saying “I do,” and the desire for nesting necessities, such as knife sets and dish towels, has decreased. This holds particularly true for LGBT couples, who statistically have been together for several years, anxiously awaiting their home state to legally recognize their commitment before walking down the aisle. This was the case for Amy Abravanel and her wife Annie, who had been together for 24 years when they decided to marry at Lady Mendl’s Tea Salon in New York City on August 2, 2011, after their state of New York passed the marriage equality bill. “We knew we couldn’t have a typical store registry, because after living together all these years, we already had Grandma’s china and silver and pretty much everything else we needed,” says Amy. “We started to wonder what other long-term couples do when all of a sudden they decide to marry after years of living together.” After researching, they were drawn to SimpleRegistry for its minimal fees, which is a mere 5 percent transaction fee. They opted to give their apartment a makeover, and guests contributed to things such as a “comfy, cozy bed” and “closets we’ll be proud to come out of.” “Looking around our apartment, we realized that our furniture wasn’t as comfortable as it used to be and we needed to replace our sofa, mattress and coffee table, and we needed to have new closet doors built. This registry provided the perfect opportunity for us to get exactly what we needed,” says Amy. “And our young nieces thought it was awesome to help with our Sephora wedding makeovers.”
And gay and lesbian couples can rely on SimpleRegistry for an extremely LGBT-friendly experience. “As a same-sex couple, we never know how people and companies will react to us. Brandon and his staff at SimpleRegistry couldn’t have been more helpful, and even selected us and another lesbian couple as two of nine finalists for a Real Members contest. Not only didn’t they hide us in the SimpleRegistry closet, they prominently featured us in the contest and we are still, after all this time, front and center on their Real Members page.”
After the vows have been exchanged, and you’ve settled into newlywed bliss, SimpleRegistry helps you through that daunting post-honeymoon task of writing thank-you cards. All of the gifts are expertly tracked, along with the contact information for each giver. Couples can keep tabs on those they’ve already checked off the list, and those whom they still owe a note to.
“As a same-sex couple, we never know how people and companies will react to us. Brandon and his staff at SimpleRegistry couldn’t have been more helpful, and even selected us and another lesbian couple as two of nine finalists for a Real Members contest.”
And, in case you’re hoping to add to your brood, they also do baby registries, as well as other life events that fall under the “Anything” category. “We have seen people use it for fundraising, graduations, housewarming and retirements,” says Warner.
With the ability to add, literally, anything in the world that you desire, SimpleRegistry is single-handedly changing the way couples register. So what are you waiting for? Start your wedding registry today!
