Circulating Your Bridal Registry (Without Looking Tacky)

Have you created your bridal registry yet? If not, don't be afraid to do so--most wedding guests welcome the idea of a gift registry. Let's face it: it's not always easy to know what to get the bride and groom. A registry takes the mystery out of gift buying.

Most major establishments and many smaller private shops offer gift registries (including online access for your guests). Creating a registry is easy...but how do you circulate your "must have!" list without looking tacky? Many brides are solving this sticky issue by creating their own wedding websites.

Even if you think you're all thumbs when it comes to website creation, with the right "walk-through" program, trust me, it's easy (yes, I tried this myself to be sure). Better yet, it's often free. Check out this article for tips on how to start a wedding website of your own.

Once your site is live, circulate your the URL, and at least one or two updates, before adding your gift registry to the site. This way, rather than simply sending a gift list out of the blue, you'll let your guests know that you're interested in having them be in on all the stages of your wedding planning. But be careful. Updating a wedding website can be addictive. So if you find yourself up at 2AM adding just one more childhood photo of your groom...don't say I didn't warn you.