Wedding industry takes big financial hit from COVID-19
Engaged couples are forced to postpone their weddings due to social distancing measures.
Wedding registries aren’t uncommon, and most couples try to make sure they word them nicely.
But, that’s not what happened with one bride shared a Facebook post about the gifts she expects to receive, according to 7News.com.au.
The Australian news website captured a redacted screenshot of the lengthy post, which listed off 10 potential gift options and other stringent gift guidelines the bride wants guests to adhere to.
"Hey everyone!! So we are all aware that my wedding is coming up in October!!!! I’ve already sent out all the invitations. Meaning most of you have gotten them," the bride’s post began before its tune changed. "That being said, I would like to announce our gift registry to everyone!! To all those coming to my wedding, there are a list of gifts that you can bring. You MUST choose from the list or consult me first. There are no exceptions."
Each outlined gift should retail a few hundred dollars or more, according to the bride’s wedding wish list. Designer brands were also highlighted as acceptable gift options.
A bride shared her wedding registry on Facebook and it listed off 10 potential gift options that had stringent spending guidelines. (iStock)
At minimum, the couple is requiring their guests spend $350 or more on KitchenAid appliances, including the brand’s stand mixers, blenders and similar items. The bride made sure to point out that kitchen accessories such as aprons or spatulas were not suitable as gifts.
Next on the list was a gift spending minimum of $400, which could be offered in cash or as gift cards at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Calvin Klein, Whole Foods, Sprouts, "maybe even JC Penny [sic]" or any store the bride personally approves.
Alternatively, the bride wrote that guests can spend $400 or more on clothing from Calvin Klein, Moschino or Nora’s. The same spending amount can be extended to any "Korean or Asian beauty products" or "HIGH CLASS paintings."
BRIDE ASKS REDDIT IF IT'S 'TACKY' TO ASK GUEST TO MAKE WEDDING DECOR AS A GIFT
Three gifts the bride named had no price attached at all, but it included Gucci, Louis Vuitton or any other designer purse that receives the bride’s approval, new floor tiles for the couple’s entire house or a "new car or a new trim for my car, or anything in relation to the care."
The bride concluded her Facebook post to say she’ll accept gifts with a lower retail value so long as she’s told in advance.
"Remember to apply early if you don’t want to get me a Gucci purse or anything you don’t want to get," she wrote. "Thanks love!"
The anonymous bride told her Facebook friends that anyone who spends less than $400 on a wedding gift should provide advance notice. (iStock)
Not so surprisingly, Facebook users who came across the picky wedding registry were taken aback and disgusted by the bride’s request, 7News reports.
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Commenters reportedly criticized the bride’s post by pointing out that wedding gifts are meant to help couples start their new life together rather than building a luxury closet or home.
One Facebook user went as far as to say that they’d prank the couple on their reaching floor renovation request. "If I had the kind of money to mess around, I’d buy them the most hideous tiles for the house that I could find and surprise them with the install," the user wrote, according to 7News.
In recent years and notably before the pandemic, wedding costs have gone up substantially for couples who want to celebrate in a big way. And with thousands of dollars invested into the one-day event, some couples have gone viral for trying to pass on these costs to guests with pricey gift requests.
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For example, one Twitter user shared screenshotted messages she received from a bride who followed up with her about the €25 cash gift she donated not being enough to cover meals and entertainment the morning after the wedding.
The bride's Facebook wedding registry exceeded the amount most etiquette experts suggest for attendees, which is typically far below $400. (iStock)
Similarly, a bride ranted on Facebook that she only had 30 thank you cards to write out of a guest list of 100 people earlier this year, which sparked a debate on Reddit about wedding gift etiquette.
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Wedding experts told FOX Business in 2019 that reasonable gifts for newlyweds can range between $50 and $200, but it ultimately depends on the attendee’s budget and closeness to the couple.
