Dear Cheryl,

My boyfriend was married and lost his wife to cancer. We are planning to get married, and I’m 48, which means I have most things already, and so does he.

We will need big furniture pieces for our home together, not all the regular smaller appliances and house starter items. Can people give towards part of a gift (e.g., a couch or recliner) without buying it altogether, allowing many to give towards the same item?

Thanks,

Susan

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Hi Susan,

Yes, you can register for larger, more expensive items, but in a roundabout way.

Several wedding registry providers now offer group gifting and cash funds, allowing guests to contribute toward high-ticket items in your registry, like furniture pieces, instead of purchasing them outright.

Here are some of the best wedding registry options that allow for group gifting:

1. Crate&Barrel

Crate & Barrel offers beautiful home furnishings and allows you to set up a Group Gift Fund for high-ticket items like couches or dining sets.

How to Use Group Gifting on Crate & Barrel:

• Create a wedding registry at Crate&Barrel.
• Browse for your big-ticket items (either in-store or online)
• Add the product to your registry using the Add to Registry button or by scanning in-store
• Then, go online, visit the “Manage My Registry” page,  select the item, and then click “Add to Group Gift Fund.”

After you set it up, the group gift fund will appear at the top of your registry page, showing the progress and the remaining amount needed. Your friends and family can contribute any monetary amount they choose toward the item or items. You can add up to five items to your group gift fund.

2. Zola

Another good registry option for you is Zola. On a Zola registry, you can add any type of fund, such as travel, experiences, or custom furniture funds. Once you set up your registry, you can easily create these funds. Zola also offers wedding websites, invitations, and much more.

3. MyRegistry

MyRegistry is a universal registry where you can add any item from any store. You can also sync your existing store registries to your MyRegistry list. For items on your wish list with a higher purchase price, MyRegistry also offers a group gifting fund.

To personalize your gift funds, I recommend using specific fund names (e.g., “New Sectional Sofa” instead of just “Furniture”). Guests will love knowing exactly what they are contributing to!

4. Amazon

Amazon is another retailer that offers group gifting. You will receive all group gift contributions as Amazon electronic Gift Cards.

Most guests want to give you what you both want and need.

You can easily add your dream furniture pieces to your registry by choosing one (or more) of these wedding registry platforms. By utilizing group gifting features, you can give your guests a convenient and stress-free way to gift you something meaningful.

While some guests prefer cash gifts, others prefer traditional gifts. So remember, your wedding registry is an excellent opportunity to upgrade items you’ve had for a while, including traditional gifts like towels, sheets, and small appliances.

For more wedding registry advice, see our recent article, Is an Online Universal Wedding Registry Right for Me?