Of all of the traditions associated with a wedding, none is more

controversial than the bridal registry. Some couples view it as de rigueur,

while others see it as a free-for-all 'gimme fest'. However, registering doesn't

have to make any couple feel greedy. The I Do Foundation lets a couple make

their gift wishes known without violating any of their values.

The organization was created in 2000 by a group of nonprofit leaders who were

looking for new ways to encourage popular support for charitable organizations.

Based in Washington, D.C., the I Do Foundation works with some of the largest

and most well known nonprofit agencies in the country.

It has established partnerships with a number of national chain department

stores to donate between 3 and 6% of the amount spent on your gift registry to a

charity you pre-select. The I Do Foundation works with Donation Registry, Inc.,

a donation services company, to partner with these gift registry stores. The

donation to your selected charity is made at no additional cost to you or your

guests.

You set up your gift registry at partner stores by following the instructions

for each store provided on the I Do Foundation's web site (www.idofoundation.org).

Once you have started your gift registry with any of the partner stores, you can

manage and change your registry online or in-store in accordance with the

guidelines the individual store has established. You can register with as many I

Do Foundation partner stores as you like.

Your guests can access your gift registry through your Personal Wedding

Website. The web site also lets your guests find out details about events

connected with your wedding and get directions to the ceremony and reception.

You can personalize your wedding website by posting photos or by sharing

personal stories.

For those couples that would like to do even more, the I Do Foundation has

another option called the Donation Registry. The registry informs your guests

about charities you would like them to make direct donations to in your name.

When you create a Donation Registry, you can suggest a specific number of

donation gifts, or you can let your guests make donations as they see fit. You

can also specify a certain dollar amount for each donation, or leave the dollar

amount to the donors. The system maintains a list of all donations made in your

name so that you can thank your guests for their generosity.