Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland physics professor says Greek debt deal unsustainable ... Triple-digit days, hot nights in the forecast ... Ticket Availability ... Ashland physics professor says Greek debt deal unsustainable ... Triple-digit days, hot nights in the forecast ... Ticket Availability ... Registries: 'Year of the groom' Comment By Melissa Erickson More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Melissa Erickson More Content Now Posted May. 6, 2015 at 7:32 AM By Melissa Erickson More Content Now Posted May. 6, 2015 at 7:32 AM » Social News Sometime in the past few years, wedding registries evolved to include not just bed linens and place settings but tool sets and flat-screen TVs. “The world has changed. Couples have changed. The way we register for gifts has changed,” said Nancy Lee, president of MyRegistry.com, a universal registry site that makes it possible to add any item from any online store to your wedding (or other) registry. “I’m calling 2015 ‘the year of the groom,’” Lee said. Other necessities Traditionally, bridal showers were held for the bride, and if the groom-to-be showed up at all, it was to lug the gifts home after. No longer. “The time of the groom has been building up. Over the past five or seven years, the media and bloggers have started paying more attention to the groom,” said Chris Easter, co-founder of TheManRegistry.com. The site was founded in 2008 when Easter and two friends discovered a sad trend. Their pals were starting to become engaged and get married, but when they looked at the bridal registries, “we saw that they didn’t reflect what the couple was all about.” Instead of finding “cool guy toys” like Kegerators and other fun items that both bride and groom would enjoy, they saw only typical, traditional household gifts. Practical items like mixing bowls and bath mats are needed, but so are weed whackers and ratchet sets. When it comes to numbers, half of the guests at a wedding are the groom’s friends, family and co-workers. “They deserve to be able to shop for something for him, for something that he has picked out,” Lee said. “Items like flat-screen televisions are for both bride and groom, and the cost has really come down. Now you have the choice to buy a flat-screen or a Lenox place setting.” ‘Team effort’ This gender-neutral approach makes registering for gifts just more fun. “Years ago, the couple would walk around stores like Crate & Barrel, and maybe it wasn’t his favorite day. It was just part of the process. Sometimes, he had to be dragged along,” Lee said. Now, online registries allow couples to cozy up on the couch to register for gifts that will allow them to start their lives together, Lee said. Stores like Sears, Home Depot and Best Buy all have wedding registries available, and that makes registering “more of a team effort,” Easter said. Guests on average plan to spend $106 on a wedding gift, according to the latest American Express Spending & Saving Tracker. While the most common gift is cash, that’s followed closely by gifts off a couple’s registry. The most popular groom-centric gifts include bar items, grills and grilling tools, patio and lawn furniture, home improvement products and electronics, Easter said. By Melissa Erickson More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Melissa Erickson More Content Now Posted May. 6, 2015 at 7:32 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501