How to Share Your Baby Registry With Your Family and Friends
From QR codes to personalized links, there are a few ways to get the word out—and yes, it's totally OK.
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You’ve researched baby gear, chosen what you love and put together a registry that you’re really excited about as you get ready to welcome your new addition. But now what? While the idea of gift registries isn’t a new one, sharing a specific list of things you’d like to receive from others can feel a little uncomfortable, especially since it can involve asking your friends and family to spend money, time and energy.
If you’re still feeling awkward about spreading the word, etiquette experts like Emily Post and Martha Stewart say it’s totally okay (and even encouraged) to create and share your baby registry. An organized, scannable list gives your friends and family a blueprint of the types of gifts you actually want and need, helping to relieve the pressure on everyone, including yourself.
There are lots of ways to get the word out about your registry in a way that feels authentic and gracious. Whether you’re hoping to share your baby registry with friends and family before your shower, you’re hosting your own sip and see, or anything in between, here’s how to share your baby registry while keeping modern etiquette in mind.
Include Your Registry Info Along With Your Shower Invite
If you’re having a shower or any other type of pre-baby celebration, including your registry info on the baby shower invitation is one of the best ways to let your guests know what you need.
Insert Cards
For physical invitations, experts recommend adding your registry information on a separate card or sheet of paper and including it in the envelope. If you have a Babylist registry, you can request free insert cards to include with your invitations.
QR Code
Whether you’re sending a paper invitation or a digital one, you can include a QR code that’ll send your gift-givers directly to your registry. Here’s how you find your personalized QR code (and for another visual, check out this page):
On both the app and the desktop version, within the registry view, click on the share icon (it looks like a square with an arrow pointing up).
You’ll see a customizable QR code as well as the link to your registry pop up.
Within the app, you can save the QR code to your photos or share it directly from the app through available channels on your phone (email, text or social media).
On the desktop version, you can download the QR code to your phone and share it from there.
Written Blurb
If you want to mention the registry right on your invite, keep these tips in mind:
Keep it simple. One line added to the bottom of the shower invite should do the trick. Keep it short, straightforward and light, with something like “Jen and Annie are registered at Babylist!” or “Head to Babylist.com for Peyton and Mark’s baby registry!” If your baby shower invite is going out via email, be sure to link out directly to your registry.
Baby Shower Alternatives
If you’re not planning on a traditional baby shower, can you still create a baby registry and share it with family and friends? You sure can! Here’s how.
Going virtual? The same rules above apply if you’re including registry info on your virtual baby shower invitation.
If you’re having a sip and see (a party after your baby arrives), a nesting party or a sprinkle (a smaller, shorter, less formal event), that probably means you already have most of your baby gear essentials covered. It’s totally fine not to mention gifting or a registry on your invite, especially if you’re hosting the party yourself (most guests will likely bring a gift and will just choose one on their own). If someone else is hosting the party for you, we think it’s okay to add a quick line about gifts if you’d like. Consider something like, “Amylia and Joe already have most of what they need for baby Frederick, but head over to their Babylist registry if you need some gift inspiration!” If you’re not planning on a traditional baby shower, can you still create a baby registry and share it with family and friends? You sure can!
Share Your Registry by Word of Mouth
Telling a few key people where you’re registered and letting word of mouth do the work can often be just as effective as including your registry info on your shower invite. Be sure to let people like parents, grandparents, in-laws and other close family members, and even some friends and coworkers, know where you’re registered so it’s an option for gift-giving.
One thing to keep in mind with this method is that you’re essentially leaving it up to your supporters to search and find your registry online. If they aren’t able to find it or forget where you said you were registered, there’ll be a higher chance of them going rogue and buying something you didn’t register for. To help avoid that, this method works best for small groups—and if you’ve saved your custom QR code to your phone, you can easily pull it up for them to scan on the spot.
Don't Forget to Create a Welcoming Vibe
Finally, when people find your registry, you may want to give them a warm welcome by customize the messaging at the top of your Babylist baby registry. It’s also a good way to communicate whatever you’d like to your family and friends.
Here’s an example of what to write if you’re creating a more traditional baby registry:
“Thank you for visiting our baby registry! We couldn’t be more excited to welcome our new little one soon. If you’d like to shop our registry, these are some of the items we think we’ll need as our family grows, but please know we’ll appreciate your love and support more than anything!”
And here’s an idea if you’re focusing more on gift cards and cash fund gifts:
“We are thrilled to be welcoming our new baby and can’t wait to introduce them to all our family and friends. If you’re considering a gift, we’d be so thankful for a gift card!”
If you have particular plans for gifts or funds, don’t hesitate to provide details so guests know what their gifts or funds will be used toward.
“Baby number three means we’re all set with gear, but it’s time to turn that office space into a nursery so she’ll have somewhere to sleep! We’ll be using our gift cards and cash funds for a new nursery.
“We’re so excited to share our love of reading with our little one. Take a peek at our registry for all the books we can’t wait to read with her!”
