Registry and Gift Forum

Sending gifts out of country

I live in Canada but will be getting married in Michigan and having my wedding shower there as well. My host is going to ask that people don't bring the gifts to shower but rather ship them to Canada. I figured that the easiest way to do this would be to register entirely online so guests can easily ship to Canada. The problem I'm finding is that most sites don't have the option of putting a Canadian address in your registry info. So far, only Amazon has that option. Thoughts? 

Re: Sending gifts out of country

  • I live in Canada but will be getting married in Michigan and having my wedding shower there as well. My host is going to ask that people don't bring the gifts to shower but rather ship them to Canada. I figured that the easiest way to do this would be to register entirely online so guests can easily ship to Canada. The problem I'm finding is that most sites don't have the option of putting a Canadian address in your registry info. So far, only Amazon has that option. Thoughts? 
    Is the reason you want to ship them to Canada is to avoid questions/fees at customs? Are most of the guests at the Michigan shower American?

    If so I don't think it's appropriate to ask your guests to pay extra, or only shop online, just to make it more convenient for you (but less convenient for them). If you're having a IS-based shower its your responsibility to get the gifts back to your home, not your guests.

    I would not have your host ask that your guests shop all your gifts or in anyway tell them how to shop, or how to give gifts. 
  • It is not polite to ask your guests to make alternative arrangements for their gifts. You are responsible for dealing with the gifts once you receive them. If you don't want to deal with transporting gifts, don't have a registry and then don't have a shower and you will likely receive very few boxed gifts at your wedding.

    If you absolutely want to continue with having a registry, use Amazon or whatever sites do allow for a Canadian address to be included.

    The whole point of having a shower is to be showered with gifts and part of the entertainment is to see the Bride opening up the gifts. I would find a shower that didn't have physical gifts present to be weird. 

  • ernursej said:

    It is not polite to ask your guests to make alternative arrangements for their gifts. You are responsible for dealing with the gifts once you receive them. If you don't want to deal with transporting gifts, don't have a registry and then don't have a shower and you will likely receive very few boxed gifts at your wedding.

    If you absolutely want to continue with having a registry, use Amazon or whatever sites do allow for a Canadian address to be included.

    The whole point of having a shower is to be showered with gifts and part of the entertainment is to see the Bride opening up the gifts. I would find a shower that didn't have physical gifts present to be weird. 

    This. What would you do at your shower if no one brought any physical gifts? If I were going to a shower for someone I knew lived in a different city than the shower was being held, I would probably try to buy a smaller gift, or something that could be transported easily. Maybe you could look into options for shipping the gifts yourself, if you don't want to physically bring them back?
  • Hmm, I think you might either have to stick with Amazon which I believe has a universal registry thing where you can link to other sites?  Don't quote me on that I'm not sure. 

    But, I would definitely make some sort of arrangements to be able to transport gifts home with you or ship them yourself because even if you make your preference known there will be people who don't listen.  I didn't have a shower and our wedding registry had a simple feature that they could click to get it shipped directing to us but we ended up with a few physical gifts that we had to pack into my already overflowing car the next day!
  • SP29SP29 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    While it's fine to register online with a store that has the option to ship gifts, you cannot ask or require your guests to use this method.

    If you are having a shower, which is intended for physical gifts, it is on you to get the gifts home.

    I was living 3 provinces away from my hometown when I got married. We got married in our hometown and I had a shower there. One of my guests gave me a "coupon" for the gift she was planning on purchasing, where she was able to buy online and have the item shipped to the store in my city. Other guests did give me smaller physical gifts, and some gave cash (which is not what a shower is for, but cash gifts in general are common in my family).

    I think your guests will understand that you live out of country and either get a smaller gift, a gift card to your registry store, or ask you how best to give the gift.
  • I did purchase and ship a gift for a shower for which the bride lived out of state.  However, I bought a token smaller gift for the bride to open at the shower.  I had a crock pot shipped to bride's home address.  At the shower, the bride opened a ladle and serving spoon to correspond with the crock pot.

    I agree that it is impolite to dictate to guests how they deliver their gifts.
  • Do any of the stores at which you're registered have Canadian websites?  If so, you can register on the Canadian site, and then shipping to Canada shouldn't be an issue.

    But I agree with PP that having a shower and asking people to ship your gifts, rather than give them in person, is pretty pointless.
  • Williams-Sonoma, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Indigo, The Bay, and Sears all have international shipping. They also have website registries. You should be able to register at any of them and have them shipped.
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