GIFTS Great China!

If setting up a gift list seems a teensy bit self-indulgent, think of the alternative. Guests love to give and if you offer no guidance you'll be groaning under a pile of mantelpiece knick-knacks and too many toasters. This week we have checked out china to give your old dinner service the boot.

Little Star

Couture wedding dress designer Monique Lhuillier has teamed up with Royal Doulton to create a stunning collection of gift and tableware - perfect for wedding lists! Tableware ranges include this gorgeous bone china, Etoile Platinum with its striking border design of stitches and dots, inspired by the designer's bridal wear collection. Dinner plates are £20 and small plates, £11.50. For stockists call 01782 404041 or go to royaldoulton.co.uk

Classic Bride

With just a hint of aqua green, one of Denby's latest collections, Jewel is a fab mix of contemporary style with classic taste. Breaking away from its traditional stoneware, Jewel is a bone china with Denby's trademark durability. Dishwasher, microwave and freezer safe, dinner plates are £14.50 and this teapot, £60. For stockists call 01773 740899 or go to denby.co.uk

Wedding Queen

American bridal guru, Vera Wang has created stunning chinaware collections with Wedgwood, including this classic Champagne Duchesse. Sophisticated and luxurious, it is the ultimate mix and match collection with elegant bands of subtle colour. Dinner plates are £22.50 and small plates, £13.50. For stockists call 01782 223301 or go to wedgwood.com

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GIFTS It's a Gift

If you are wondering what to do about a wedding list, Shropshire gift list service, The Silver Pear, might be the one for you. While setting up your gift list, you are invited to stay over in their converted 13th century apartment in the historic centre of Ludlow.

A break away from it all is what Janet Tuffley, owner of Silver Pear, says couples sometimes need. 'Wedding lists are often fraught with complications: grooms may not want to be involved but often the bride insists! It can be difficult to choose a list for a house you don’t already live in; and nowadays, people are getting married later in life so they have already accumulated a lot of the basic household essentials. We have set up this personal service to help couples select a list that meets their needs- be it unusual feature pieces, or things they wouldn’t necessarily buy for themselves – all from the tranquillity of The Silver Pear flat.'

You can take your h2b, mum, best friend - or all three - and enjoy staying in Ludlow for 48 hours while Silver Pear helps you choose your gifts and set up an online list for guests who can't visit the shop. Established in Ludlow since 1999, the Silver Pear has hundreds of top brands to choose from including Alessi, Arthur Price, Denby, Guzinni, LSA, Royal Worcester and Typhoon. Just make sure you are serious though as £200 is taken as a deposit, refunded on receipt of orders to the value of £1000 on your wish list.

To find out more call Janet on 01584 879096 or have a look at some of the products at silverpear.co.uk

©Denby, Alessi, Menu

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GIFTS Monochrome Home

Give your home a completely new makeover by putting some cleverly colour-themed gifts on your wish list. We have found three fabulous gift ideas in black, white - and a splash of pink!

Dining

Black and white china is a classic choice for the dining table and is great mix-and-matched with white or other colours.
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12-piece damask dinner set, £59, M&S

Living

Large-scale floral prints are a high fashion theme that look fab as soft furnishings.
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Retro glam cushion, £8, Au Naturele

Kitchen

Get celebrity chef style with black and white textiles in the kitchen to contrast with stainless steel and granite.
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Black & white tea towel set, £10, Next

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GIFT LISTS Flower Power

Celebrity florist Kenneth Turner has just launched an online wedding list service. As well as beautiful flowers, Kenneth Turner has scented candles, home fragrances and the sort of gifts that a certain kind of guest will just love to give, including pewter and crystalware.

Back in the sixties, Kenneth Turner first made his name in flower design by creating arrangements made with flowers, fruit, vegetables and any other organic matter. Roses and red apples soon became 'the thing' and Kenneth Turner now has a cool celebrity following for floral arrangements at events - including weddings of course! Kenneth Turner has also built a small emporium with the new wedding list service as the latest addition.

If you place a wish list at Kenneth Turner, you'll be getting beautiful scented candles such as the white flowers fragranced candle called Love (£20) or coloured glass tealight holders (£9.50).

And while you are checking out your gift options, you would be forgiven for impulse ordering flowers for mum - how about the Drama Queen Bouquet (£60)?

To set up a list, insert your details and gift choices, add you designated code to your WeddingPath site and let guests know! Kenneth Turner manages your list, letting you know what gifts to expect and make delivery arrangements. To find out more about gifts and flowers at Kenneth Turner, go to www.kennethturner.com.

For more gift list ideas read 'What I Really Want' Gift Lists and No Toasters Please, We're British! For advice on selecting a gift list company read Which List? And if you are interested in going green with your wedding wish list in Nice Day for a Green Wedding. Or perhaps you want to know about putting travel vouchers on your list for the honeymoon? Then read Fly Away!

We'd love to hear about your wedding list! Post a comment or email to let us know where you are placing your wedding list. Or tell us about any good wedding list ideas!

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GIFT LISTS 'What I Really Want' Gift Lists

If you just can't decide whether to place your wedding list with a local store or at one of the online retailers, you might want to check out whatidlove.co.uk.

Unlike a wedding list held at a single store, at whatidlove.co.uk you can add products from any retailer on the internet or even local stores. Putting all your favourites on one definitive list, you get a special number to send to guests. As products are bought the list is automatically updated.

Set up in 2007 by Lynne Bothamley and Kim Brookes, whatidlove.co.uk also features a wide range of independent businesses, boutiques and even food retailers offering quirky and original gifts from all over the UK.

“Whatidlove.co.uk enables couples to create a secure on line wedding gift list,” comments Lynne Bothamley. “They can add a wide variety of gifts to their list from large or small retailers, on or offline, or even include contributions to their favourite charities. It is a brilliant way for the bride and groom to have a comprehensive list of everything they would love to receive, and not be confined to one particular store or website.”

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GIFT LISTS Nice Day For a Green Wedding

A quarter of a million Brits get married each year with massive impact on the environment. Just think of all of those leftovers and transport for guests - not to mention the piles of confetti. Well no-one wants to spoil the fun, but how about some green gift ideas?

At John Lewis ‘green’ gift lists are ever more popular. Fairtrade hampers, doormats made out of recycled tyres and garden furniture made from sustainable rainforests are suddenly in demand. ‘Wedding nuptials are taking environmental credentials to heart’ says Kerry McCulloch, Head of Gift List at John Lewis. 'It seems that the desire to become eco-friendly has moved on from petrol emissions, air travel and central heating to the wedding gift list!'

Top green gifts
Recycled rubber link doormat (made out of recycled tyres) £12
Fairtrade hamper £40
Recycled notebooks/gift wrap etc £2.50
Organic cotton scarf £20
Brabantia Recycling Bin £91
John Lewis Organic Cotton Duvet Covers £40 - £70


So take the leap, don the Superwoman outfit and go for your very own unique green wedding. If you are all fired up and want more ideas, Green Guide to Weddings by Jen Marsden is a great source. “A wedding is a fabulously fresh opportunity to start the way you mean to go on, finding new eco-companies and inspiration that you can use time and time again throughout your married life.” For more information visit www.greenguide.co.uk

For more ideas on alternative gift lists click on the feature below.

Something Different
Fly Away
No Toasters Please, We're British!

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GIFT LISTS Something Different

When you are putting together a gift list, remember to include something for everyone! We have three fun ideas that we think just might appeal to the guest who wants to give you something a bit different.

Arts...
Your arty aunt will love Uconic's hand painted prints, created from a favourite photo. It could be a piece of wedding day memorabilia or perhaps a favourite photo. It works by providing Uconic with a photo then choosing a style, medium and size from the website. The completed artwork on chunky box stretched canvas is delivered in two weeks with prices starting at £64.

Crafts...
Funky cos from Oz is going to be right into the new wave of cottage crafts. What could be better than hand-embroidered and made with love textiles by Jan Constantine. Her latest Green Pop Art Collection includes vibrant stripe cushions, bags, tea cosies and hearts - with the Love message everywhere. Cushions are £60.

...and Nature
And for nature-lover friends or rellies, why not take a look at Noodle? Inspired by nature, designer Sally Hudson transforms light shades, mugs and cushions with digital prints from her travel photography. The effect is stunning. We love her new candles, each with a seasonal fragrance, priced from £20 including postage.

NEXT FRIDAY... more gift list ideas

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GIFT LISTS Which List?

So the golden rules are...

1. Make sure that the company you choose offers a lot of choice - having two lists is always confusing for guests and you end up not getting what you want from either list.

2. Choose a gift list service that allows you to keep your list open for as long as you want and to open it whenever you want it to go live.

3. Make sure the gift list service is flexible - if you put a fondue set on your list and someone bought you one independently, make sure that you can swap the list one for something else that hasn't been bought on the list.

4. These days it's important that guests can see your wedding gifts and buy online, but make sure that guests also have the opportunity to buy a gift over the phone if they don't have internet access.

5. Check out extra charges - you don't want guests to have to pay for the service and nor should you.

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Fly Away

Thomas Cook have just joined forces with online gift list company, Wedding Gift World, so that couples can add honeymoon vouchers to their gift list.

Wedding Gift World b2b comments, 'I love the fact that I can put a mixture of gifts and vouchers onto my list, especially as I know Auntie Alice want to buy us something she'll see in our home while friends are happy to contribute towards our honeymoon'.

As well as some fabulously romantic destinations, vouchers are also redeemable against other travel-related items such as airport parking and insurance.

GOING THE EXTRA HONEYMILE
Most travel agents are willing to make a gift list arrangement where guests can contribute to your honeymoon. Or, contact a specialist...

Travel Counsellors' bridal registry service works in the same way as a store list with a deposit of £10 to open a honeymoon account. They supply personalised gift cards (and freepost envelopes for guests' donations) to send out with your wedding invitations.

Africa specialists, Rainbow Tours, have a honeymiles service with online access and provide a personalised web page. You can also opt to support a local charity. Aaron and Sophie were going to South Africa for their honeymoon and chose to donate to the Imbasa School in a township near Cape Town.

Travel experts Trailfinders has a dedicated Wedding & Gift List team. Once you have registered, you receive personalised gift cards to send to friends and family. Keeping track of your list is just a matter of going online and two weeks after the list closes, you are sent a full guest list with messages and pledges.

Do you have any honeymiles on your wish list? Post a comment and let us know.

NEXT FRIDAY ... Expert gift tips from Wrapit.

© David Hampton

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No Toasters Please, We're British!

If your home is already full of the things you love, then why not celebrate your wedding by donating to your favourite charity?

Alternative Gifts gift service is run by World Vision Alternative Gifts. Instead of toasters and coffee makers, your guests select an item needed by a community where World Vision is working. The gifts range from £9 for seeds for a family farm to £300 to train a teacher in Daringbadi, India.
How it Works: Guests can send an email or real card letting you know what they have bought for your wedding.

The Alternative Wedding List works in exactly the same way as a wedding list. After registering, you can choose one or more charities that you would like guests to donate to. Gifts range from £10 to Sightsavers International for a folding white cane to £200 for a MENCAP family break.
How it Works: You can log on to check on donations. After your wedding you receive a certificate with a breakdown of the grand total.

Give in Celebration supports Cancer Research UK. From the website, you create a personalised page then invite guests to make a donation, either by email or downloading donation slips that can be inserted with your wedding invites.
How it Works: Guests donate online, by phone or by sending a cheque with the donation slip.

Oxfam Unwrapped have a catalogue of gifts to help fight poverty from £5 donations to ‘Build a little bit of a classroom’ to £78 for a ‘Safe haven for women’. Click on ‘My Lists’ from the homepage to set up a wedding wish list and then let your guests know by sending a weblink or a list reference number.
How it Works: You can manage your list on line and keep track of donations.

TOP TIP
Putting together a wedding list might seem low down on the list when your dream dress is still to be found. But, your gift list needs some kind of action plan before the invites are sent out. Wedding invites should hold as much info about your big day as possible, including gifts – even if it is just a simple note.

NEXT FRIDAY...HONEYMILES

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