What to get someone who didn't register?

Sigh @pinkflamingo you are taking this wayyyy too far. It's not that serious. Where I live, gifts are for bridal showers and people give cash and a card at weddings. Usually when a girl registers, she gets those gifts at her shower and then the couple together brings a card and a cash that goes into the card box. Also, some people don't have bridal showers and it is considered rude to write your gift registry on the invitation. You can never win with some people when it comes to etiquette. You get irritated at the thought of giving someone a card and cash but that couple is paying over $200 for you and your plus one to have tons of food, entertainment and a good time. Stop.

@OP- Were you invited to her bridal shower? Her registry would be listed there and not on the invitation. Cash and a card are a way to go for attending a wedding though.

We are having a destination wedding and having them show up is all we want. We weren't planning on registering because we have everything we need and really don't want any gifts other than their presence. Now you all have me worried we will look like we want cash. We aren't doing showers or anything like that either.

I'm not saying I advocate asking for cash, but questions like this and some of the responses here demonstrate why the practice exists. When people want cash, they want cash, not gift cards, not picture frames. Requesting it takes the guesswork out. I didn't know this "no registry rule" before coming to WW. Good thing OP happened to post here.

I would just get them a gift card to a steakhouse or walmart. Wal-Mart gift cards will buy groceries if they don't need anything

Cash money bitches!! Atleast that's the advice everyone on WW gets who wants cash.

They did not register because they don't want stuff or they want cash. If you want to gift them something give them cash.

Gift card maybe.

You could give a gift card for an activity date night: a paint your own pottery place, a paint while having a glass of wine activity, skydiving, glass blowing, lessons of some sort, etc. Maybe something you know they've been meaning to try, but have been too busy to do this year with wedding planning?

Here in Ireland people generally only give money, regiateries are frowned upon as gift grabby. I used to think wouldn't it be nice to gift a personal gift instead of money. But then I started helping friends family and organise thier weddings and then there was my own. I soon realised why cash is a better present.

I personally only give gifts for the shower and give money for the wedding. I always find it odd when I see gifts on a table at the wedding..... did that person miss the shower?

All right, now I'm all freaked out thinking people are going to think we only want money for our wedding because I'm not registered! I am having a very small (25 ppl) wedding of family only and have just turned down a shower because of that, so i don't have a registry. Does that really mean people are just going to think we want cash? Do i do a registry no matter what, even if no one really knows about it cause i sure as shit will not have it on my invitation? I'm so concerned now!

In those situations where it is someone I am close to, I try to figure out something for them to do on their honeymoon that we know they would like - an experience and give them cash and tell them we want them to spend it on an experience during their honeymoon. At the end if the day though, it is cash and their decision.

Cash

@peaceandlove11 she didn't have a bridal shower, that's why I was asking. I knew they didn't register anywhere.

Thanks guys! We ended up just getting them a card and some cash. There were a couple of gifts on the card table but it was mostly cards. Thanks for the advice!

@Jessi, yes most people read no registry as would prefer cash. If you're going to prefer physical presents a small registry with what you'd prefer listed on your website (and tell your mother/MoH/FMIL so if folks ask they know where) is your best bet.

All-Clad Espresso Sous-Vide Mandoline

@Jessi

Yes, your guests will interpret not having a registry as asking for cash. I agree fully with PinkFlamingo on giving physical gifts for weddings. Selecting a specific gift and being remembered when the receiver uses it gives me pleasure as a gift giver. In this situation, I would be giving a crystal picture frame or vase. I do not expect to get any checks or cash at my 350 person wedding. The ones that do give money will be from less close friends and family. No one shows up at the wedding with their gifts; they are delivered ahead of time.

I really do not understand the posters assuming that regions where wedding gifts are the norm are putting registry information on invitations or that it is somehow hard to google this information. I have never seen registry information on a wedding invitation that I have received. However, when invited to a wedding I google the couple and check Macy's and Bed, Bath & Beyond. If the wedding is in my hometown, I will go straight to the 70 year old gift store where everyone registers and look up the couples name. They keep up the old tradition of laying out the full place settings of china, crystal, silverware, and linens for each upcoming bride.