Ask the Expert: We Still Haven’t Received Gifts Purchased Off Our Registry—What Do We Do?

Shutterstock

Question: There’s quite a lot of stuff that’s been purchased from our registry—some of it a long time ago!—that we do not yet have, including some everyday items that we have since gone and bought ourselves since they are things we actually need. Is this unusual or fairly common after a wedding? Are people just waiting until they see us in person to give them to us?

Answer: This situation is a bit unusual, says Bloomingdale’s registry supervisor Leslle Sarego, since many people purchase items from the registry in advance to ensure that they have a gift to bring to the shower or to send to the couple before or directly after the wedding. Although traditional etiquette does give guests at least a year to gift a wedding present, “if you’re seeing that an item shows as ‘purchased,’ you should be receiving it within two to four weeks from the time of purchase.”

The exception: backorders. Certain items, Sarego says, can be on backorder for three to six months, but in most cases the guest and the receiving couple are both notified of the delayed delivery via email.

For more Ask the Expert questions and topics, go here.

RELATED: Ask the Expert: For Gifts That Arrive Before the Wedding, When Should I Send a Thank-You Note?

Getting married? Start and end your wedding planning journey with Philadelphia Weddings' guide to the best wedding vendors in the city.