Planning a wedding is a huge task which can be very stressful at times. However, one aspect that should be fun and enjoyable is picking items for your wedding gift registry. While it's a Chinese tradition to give red lai see packets filled with hard cash to 'Mr and Mrs Married', in the last decade, some stores have made it easier for friends and family to buy exactly what the bride and groom want.
'About 10 years ago, I had been invited to a lot of weddings and asked for the [couple's] gift registry, but nobody did one here,' says Nunu Luan, founder of Double Happiness Gift Registry.
Since starting, Luan has seen a steady 30 per cent rate of growth every year. 'It seems to be that mainly expats use the website, but more locals are getting used to the idea.'
With a mix of international stores, such as Wedgwood and Alessi, and local stores, such as Inside and Pantry Magic, couples can choose from about 70 merchants. 'There are some great small shops that can't operate their own registry. So we act like a portal to a registry service,' Luan says. The easiest way to compile a gift list is to visit the actual stores, then provide the list to Double Happiness. The most popular item is crystal wine glasses, followed by practical items such as pots, pans and towels.
With more than 600 brands in the store, Chang says that once the couple select their gifts, it takes only two days to set up the registry. Then the list will be accessible at all four Lane Crawford locations for guests and family to view.