Registry and Gift Forum

Zola, Blueprint, Etc.

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Re: Zola, Blueprint, Etc.

  • TrixieJessTrixieJess member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited March 2015

    I used myregistry.com to register for things from several different sites. No one used it except my mother. Because no one knew how and it was a PITA.


    Also, these sites allow encourage you to register for money, which is both stupid and tacky. How are you not getting that?
    I used babylist.com for my baby shower and one person used it. Most people preferred the store registries, especially out of town relatives. If we do a registry, it will be brick and mortar stores.

    ETA: The last wedding I went to was etiquette blunders galore including a Honeyfund, and announcing on the invitations that they didn't expect gifts but...as a guest I was totally flabbergasted and bought them a gift (normally I give money).

    I have never been to a wedding where it was difficult to find a registry nor a wedding where the number of tangible gifts are outnumbered by monetary ones.
  • I almost registered at Zola, but went with MyRegistry.com instead just because you are able to actually register at the retail stores and then put them all together on one list. So I was able to register at Target, Amazon and Crate and Barrel, then just put it all on myregistry account. We also added a honeymoon fund in case my family wanted to give cash too. So I will have the stores completion discounts after the wedding is over, which I couldn't get with Zola.... so I'm a happy camper!!! Hope this helps :)
  • levioosa said:

    I almost registered at Zola, but went with MyRegistry.com instead just because you are able to actually register at the retail stores and then put them all together on one list. So I was able to register at Target, Amazon and Crate and Barrel, then just put it all on myregistry account. We also added a honeymoon fund in case my family wanted to give cash too. So I will have the stores completion discounts after the wedding is over, which I couldn't get with Zola.... so I'm a happy camper!!! Hope this helps :)

    You didn't read any of this thread, did you?

    Honey funds are incredibly rude.  

    Hi levioosa, yes I did read the thread, I just don't agree. The registry thing can go either way, just depends on your taste and your own opinions. I agree that setting up a HoneyFund can be seen as a little rude since you are essentially only asking for money. But when you register for actual items, it's like your family and friends are helping you set up up your home for your new life. I chose to use myregistry because I thought it would be the lesser "evil", since we do need some basic kitchen things and such and already registered at a few stores. I feel like the people that want to buy you a gift are going to so anyways, same with the people that want to give you money. So I just made it a little easier for them.

  • GMM84GMM84 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    I actually initially created a registry on Zola in addition to Crate & Barrel and Williams Sonoma because I liked the brands they carry (Jonathan Adler, Kate Spade). I quickly realized that even my most tech savvy guests who work at online startups didn't understand Zola and therefore didn't want to purchase anything from it. So I deleted it and added Macy's instead! Figured I'd just buy the items that I really wanted from Zola myself with any cash we receive. 
  • I would not using blueprint, having created a registry there.
    Pros (you can read on their website) are the same as Zola's, though if you're more organized by adding things into a specific room, that's blueprint only.
    We got some questions about it because it is not intuitive to use, but most of our younger guests have figured it out without much of a problem.

    Cons: No completion discount, and if you add gifts from outside websites, the prices do NOT automatically update. So if you added an item during sale season, your guests won't be able to see the current price before they commit to buying it. We ended up posting URLs into the description which got tacky. Unfortunately once people started buying gifts from it, we had to commit, though I did start separate, private registries at the retailers also. When we complained about this problem, blueprint basically said no one else has complained about it, so suck it up. Terrible!
  • Knottie69066587 Why are you replying to a 5 month old thread? Can we get a mod to close this one out?
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • inb4 zombie gets closed 

    Even with traditional registries, people often forget to tell the cashier it's for a registry and you still end up with multiples. That is not a sufficient argument against online registries IMO. Traditional registries are also a PITA as they sometimes don't update properly (just ask all the brides posting complaints about Macy's or Target registries), possibly require you to print out 6 useless pages, limit what you can register for to major retailers, etc. 

    We are using an online registry called SoKind. It is a listing only. It has nothing to do with the purchase itself. It takes no CC info, no fees, does not do affiliate linking or advertising. It is strictly a way to list items and will also provide your guests with your shipping address if they want it. 

    What I like about it most is I can ask for generic items, like cookbooks or aprons, without having to link to specific products, and you can also ask for secondhand or handmade items. And, like most online registries, I can list anything from any store. We have a buttload of BB&B on there, but also Pfaltzgraff.com, Amazon, Home Depot, etc. We put links for convenience, but folks can buy the products anywhere they like.

    A significant con with online registries is that there's no easy way to tell people where you're registered. We listed it on our website (a controversial decision on TK, I know). I bought a custom domain that is super easy, mynameloveshisname.com, so that if people ask they can be directed there to click on the link. We are also doing online only RSVP (or by phone if they want) other than for grandmothers, so website-viewing is pretty much mandatory for our guests and that might help.

    I think resisting digital registry options is pretty pointless. The vast majority of wedding guests are internet-savvy and may even find it preferable.
    Daisypath Anniversary tickers
  • So I just read this whole thread, because I am considering using Blueprint or Zola.  I have friends that have used both, but I wanted to get a deeper understanding of the difference between the two.  I want to register for a few small pieces of furniture (think CB2), but I have a registry at Crate & Barrel, Macy's and Amazon.  Also, I want these All-Clad D5 pots and pans from Williams-Sonoma because they have an incredible 2 pan deal that no one else has.  I don't and won't register for cash, but want to have registries with 5 stores without listing all 5 stores on my wedding website and shower invitations.

    It's appalling how rude some of the people on this thread were. I'm just happy a few people tried to explain what's going on for those of us with actual questions.  I'll be using myregistry.com thanks to this thread, and also making this my last post and use of these threads since everyone seems to be pretty patronizing.
    What's appalling is that people continue to set up these rude cash registries. I seriously don't understand how people can be so shameless. 

    It's disgusting.
  • Knottie69066587 Why are you replying to a 5 month old thread? Can we get a mod to close this one out?
    If I remember correctly, threads auto-close at the 1 year mark with no discussion.  I see lots of requests to close threads that are not at that point.

    @KnotHolly - Can you please review this process and consider modifying?  Maybe the threshold needs to brought down to 6 months or even 3 months and then auto-close?

  • JoanE2012 said:
    Knottie69066587 Why are you replying to a 5 month old thread? Can we get a mod to close this one out?
    If I remember correctly, threads auto-close at the 1 year mark with no discussion.  I see lots of requests to close threads that are not at that point.

    @KnotHolly - Can you please review this process and consider modifying?  Maybe the threshold needs to brought down to 6 months or even 3 months and then auto-close?
    Thanks for asking about this. Threads currently auto-close after 6 months. We feel that this the most appropriate amount of time for a thread to be active before it's closed to new comments. 
  • Hi! I don't know if your wedding passed already, but I just started looking into Zola and the reviews I've read seem positive:


    I think this is a paid post, but it walks you through the service:

    I actually like the idea of Zola because their curated aesthetic is more my style. I don't always shop at big box retailers and was thinking about setting up my registry with Etsy. But Zola lets me pick items that are in line with my taste and a big plus is that you can block out shipping dates (in case you're off on your honeymoon or in the process of moving). It's also a universal registry, so you can add gifts from anywhere online.

    The arguments for etiquette seem so dated--if you know your family and friends well and feel comfortable using a service like this, then do so. Your loving guests aren't anonymous message board users that are there to judge. They are there to support your new life together and if that means giving you cash because you're been living together for years and it makes more practical sense, then so be it. Or maybe they want to give you cash because they know what it's like to start a life together; many cultures encourage money as gifts or expect the bride/groom to reach out for financial help in preparing for the wedding for precisely this reason. And, honestly, an online service fee (which at Zola you can cover or have your guests cover) for a cash transaction is worth it to me because I hardly handle any check transactions anymore. Depositing checks to my single-branch credit union would be more of a hassle.

    Anyway, I know you're not looking to these services for cash gifts, but I thought I'd offer some perspective since your question seemed to elicit some strangely strong reactions. Why are people so offended by people's wedding registry choices? Lol.
  • I agree...i've been looking into all of these options because we've been living together, and one would hope that our friends and family would want to help us add the our downpayment fund to buy our first home instead of a bunch of duplicate home items that we already have. That would be so much more meaningful than replacing a blender with a new one just because it's "less tacky." I am at a loss trying to understand why there are such strong opinions against giving newlyweds cash over a gift they don't need. Either way...thanks for the advice on myregistry.com as I didn't like that Zola wouldn't allow for registries from current stores as easily because we would like to register for some items for those who have dated opinions and don't want to help us save for our home.
  • I agree...i've been looking into all of these options because we've been living together, and one would hope that our friends and family would want to help us add the our downpayment fund to buy our first home instead of a bunch of duplicate home items that we already have. That would be so much more meaningful than replacing a blender with a new one just because it's "less tacky." I am at a loss trying to understand why there are such strong opinions against giving newlyweds cash over a gift they don't need. Either way...thanks for the advice on myregistry.com as I didn't like that Zola wouldn't allow for registries from current stores as easily because we would like to register for some items for those who have dated opinions and don't want to help us save for our home.
    Oh, stop it.
    Wedding Countdown Ticker


    image
  • Cookie PusherCookie Pusher member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    edited October 2015
    I agree...i've been looking into all of these options because we've been living together, and one would hope that our friends and family would want to help us add the our downpayment fund to buy our first home instead of a bunch of duplicate home items that we already have. That would be so much more meaningful than replacing a blender with a new one just because it's "less tacky." I am at a loss trying to understand why there are such strong opinions against giving newlyweds cash over a gift they don't need. Either way...thanks for the advice on myregistry.com as I didn't like that Zola wouldn't allow for registries from current stores as easily because we would like to register for some items for those who have dated opinions and don't want to help us save for our home.
    We're against pretending to register for things/experiences but pulling a bait-and-switch on your guests because you're actually getting a check (minus fees) a few weeks after the wedding. I am 1000000000% against honeymoon and other cash registries, but I also almost always give cash as a gift at weddings. 

    DH and I lived together for over 10 years before our wedding and didn't want any upgrades. We didn't register for a single thing. Lo and behold, every gift we received was cash or a check. We didn't have to register for it. We didn't lose any money by paying fees to a 3rd party vendor. And we had the money immediately instead of having to wait for a 3rd party vendor to send it to us at a later date. SO SHOCKING!

    ETA Words are hard before noon
    ~*~*~*~*~

  • Hi! I don't know if your wedding passed already, but I just started looking into Zola and the reviews I've read seem positive:


    I think this is a paid post, but it walks you through the service:

    I actually like the idea of Zola because their curated aesthetic is more my style. I don't always shop at big box retailers and was thinking about setting up my registry with Etsy. But Zola lets me pick items that are in line with my taste and a big plus is that you can block out shipping dates (in case you're off on your honeymoon or in the process of moving). It's also a universal registry, so you can add gifts from anywhere online.

    The arguments for etiquette seem so dated--if you know your family and friends well and feel comfortable using a service like this, then do so. Your loving guests aren't anonymous message board users that are there to judge. They are there to support your new life together and if that means giving you cash because you're been living together for years and it makes more practical sense, then so be it. Or maybe they want to give you cash because they know what it's like to start a life together; many cultures encourage money as gifts or expect the bride/groom to reach out for financial help in preparing for the wedding for precisely this reason. And, honestly, an online service fee (which at Zola you can cover or have your guests cover) for a cash transaction is worth it to me because I hardly handle any check transactions anymore. Depositing checks to my single-branch credit union would be more of a hassle.

    Anyway, I know you're not looking to these services for cash gifts, but I thought I'd offer some perspective since your question seemed to elicit some strangely strong reactions. Why are people so offended by people's wedding registry choices? Lol.

    IF THEY WANT TO GIVE YOU CASH, THEY WILL GIVE YOU CASH ON THEIR OWN.

    Adults do not need any prompting whatsoever to know that $$ is a great gift. Having it posted on a website that you WANT $$ is an insult to your guests' intelligence.

  • Zola is terrible. 
  • Good points on Zola and MyRegistry.com from some. I will have to give MyRegistry.com a look as I initially really liked Zola for the aesthetic, but it seems MyRegistry might be easier for guests (both old and young).

    I personally liked using Zola has a guest. The couple chose to cover the credit card fees. For the honeymoon fund section, they described the experiences they were hoping to have on their honeymoon with my money. I liked the idea that they knew I was contributing to their high tea in London as I personally really like high tea as well. It felt more personal than just writing them a check and giving it to them on the day.

    Please know I'm going to ignore any nasty comments or gifs that are replies.

    Be kind! Have lovely weddings.
  • Good points on Zola and MyRegistry.com from some. I will have to give MyRegistry.com a look as I initially really liked Zola for the aesthetic, but it seems MyRegistry might be easier for guests (both old and young).

    I personally liked using Zola has a guest. The couple chose to cover the credit card fees. For the honeymoon fund section, they described the experiences they were hoping to have on their honeymoon with my money. I liked the idea that they knew I was contributing to their high tea in London as I personally really like high tea as well. It felt more personal than just writing them a check and giving it to them on the day.

    Please know I'm going to ignore any nasty comments or gifs that are replies.

    Be kind! Have lovely weddings.
    Nope, it is rude to ask for cash, whats worse is MANY couples don't get to use your money for whatever thing you purchased, they use their own and get a lump sum check a few weeks later. What really takes the cake though is by covering the credit card fee your $100 gift is now only worth $95 despite the fact that you would have probably given them $100 regardless. Some couples don't offer to cover the credit card fees and I've heard many stories of sad family members feeling very duped when they found out that not all of the money given went to the bride a groom. Everyone knows that cash makes a great gift.

    Also, not a single gif was a response to this topic, they are all in peoples signatures. 

    Be kind, to your guests!
    image
  • Good points on Zola and MyRegistry.com from some. I will have to give MyRegistry.com a look as I initially really liked Zola for the aesthetic, but it seems MyRegistry might be easier for guests (both old and young).

    I personally liked using Zola has a guest. The couple chose to cover the credit card fees. For the honeymoon fund section, they described the experiences they were hoping to have on their honeymoon with my money. I liked the idea that they knew I was contributing to their high tea in London as I personally really like high tea as well. It felt more personal than just writing them a check and giving it to them on the day.

    Please know I'm going to ignore any nasty comments or gifs that are replies.

    Be kind! Have lovely weddings.
    @Knottie1449319144 You know they aren't being gifted a high tea experience, they are being given a plain boring check after a fee comes out right?

    My cousin and I were shopping a few months before my wedding and we both found these awesome wicker picnic baskets with we loved but they were too expensive to justify buying. So for my wedding she gave me *gasp* plain boring cash and wrote a note saying now you can buy that picnic basket we saw! Clearly the same thing as this website "does" since we both know what the money is for but I didn't rudely ask her for cash and I got the full amount rather than a website taking 7% or whatever their fee is. 

    If you plan on using these registries just to group tangible items from other sites then I guess that is OK but know there are downsides to doing so mentioned earlier in this discussion.

    It is NOT OK to register for cash ever. Everyone knows you'd like cash and by registering for it you are being rude.

    Honeyfunds/Experience registries are just another way of registering for cash where a website either charges your guests a fee or the fee comes out of the check you get. And that's right the couple gets a check so it's just as "boring" as if you just gave them a check in the first place and it's less money... If you want your gift of cash to be more personal write a note in the card saying "Enjoy a dinner in Paris on me!" or "Hope you enjoy the safari as much as we did last year!" or whatever you want it to say. 
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • Man, you guys are so mean! I feel terrible for @daisy28426 that she got this angry group of responders...I was wondering the same thing about Zola, but I certainly know now not to ask anyone on the knot about it. Wow. Beyond that, so much of what the responders said about how Zola works isn't even true, as they do send actual gifts, not just cash. 
  • 1. Oh good lord, why won't this thread die already?! 

    2.
    No one who is regularly on this forum will ever agree that using Zola or any other site to ask for money is okay - which is what the OP was about.

    3.
    In theory, Zola is fine IF you are using it only for physical gifts. Then it is just an aggregate registry. The issue lies with asking guests to donate money to "experiences". Zola does not plan your parasailing adventure or romantic dinner on the beach; they take a cut of the money and send you a check. It's straight-up rude and presumptuous to ask for cash, however you do it.
    1. Clearly, this thread won't die because there are still people out there looking for information about which of these sites it better/works best with outside registries/how they work in general.  Which brings me to number 2. There are constantly women getting engaged and married.  Those of you who "are regularly on this forum" are not better, more informed, or more important than the brides who are looking for information here for the short period of their engagement. Every single one of the replies to the original poster was rude, condescending, and made assumptions about her and what she was looking for.  I honestly read them aloud to my fiance, shocked that people would behave this way (outside of pubescent 12-year-old girls deciding what is cool this week and that everything else is "disgusting." Seriously, that was the last time I have seen people be so mean.)  Those of you who pointed that out, I commend you, and I hope that you eventually found the information for which you were looking. 

    3. I don't think any one of the people looking for information about Blueprint, Zola, or MyRegistry asked for your opinions on whether or not it is rude to use them. You may think that registering for cash is rude; I may think that your opinions are dated and obsolete.  These opinions are not helpful.  Isn't that the purpose of these forums? To be helpful to all brides, not just the ones who happen to share your opinions on outdated beliefs and traditions... 

    Now, please excuse me while I debate about going back through this entire thread for the second time, reporting each of these uncivil posts for violating the forum's conditions of use.
  • 1. Oh good lord, why won't this thread die already?! 

    2.
    No one who is regularly on this forum will ever agree that using Zola or any other site to ask for money is okay - which is what the OP was about.

    3.
    In theory, Zola is fine IF you are using it only for physical gifts. Then it is just an aggregate registry. The issue lies with asking guests to donate money to "experiences". Zola does not plan your parasailing adventure or romantic dinner on the beach; they take a cut of the money and send you a check. It's straight-up rude and presumptuous to ask for cash, however you do it.
    1. Clearly, this thread won't die because there are still people out there looking for information about which of these sites it better/works best with outside registries/how they work in general.  Which brings me to number 2. There are constantly women getting engaged and married.  Those of you who "are regularly on this forum" are not better, more informed, or more important than the brides who are looking for information here for the short period of their engagement. Every single one of the replies to the original poster was rude, condescending, and made assumptions about her and what she was looking for.  I honestly read them aloud to my fiance, shocked that people would behave this way (outside of pubescent 12-year-old girls deciding what is cool this week and that everything else is "disgusting." Seriously, that was the last time I have seen people be so mean.)  Those of you who pointed that out, I commend you, and I hope that you eventually found the information for which you were looking. 

    3. I don't think any one of the people looking for information about Blueprint, Zola, or MyRegistry asked for your opinions on whether or not it is rude to use them. You may think that registering for cash is rude; I may think that your opinions are dated and obsolete.  These opinions are not helpful.  Isn't that the purpose of these forums? To be helpful to all brides, not just the ones who happen to share your opinions on outdated beliefs and traditions... 

    Now, please excuse me while I debate about going back through this entire thread for the second time, reporting each of these uncivil posts for violating the forum's conditions of use.
    If you do not like the tone of this forum, then by all means, do not continue to visit it. Every forum has its own culture, which is why we recommend lurking (i.e. reading posts to see how people interact, maybe even looking back through old posts to get a sense of ongoing debates, etc.) to see if you are comfortable with it. People on here are often blunt and to the point, because they get sick of arguing about etiquette. Etiquette is not a matter of opinion, and asking for cash is a violation of etiquette. It is rude. You can believe whatever you want, but your opinion =/= fact.

    To the bolded - echoing @levioosa, no one violated the TOS in this thread. It's probably a good idea to familiarize yourself with the terms of service before threatening to do something that would actually be a violation, since arbitrarily flagging posts because they hurt your feelings will indeed result in a warning... for you.

    If you think we're a bunch of meanies, WeddingWire may be a better place for you.
    BabyFruit Ticker
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