The contemporary custom of giving gifts at weddings comes from a feeling of goodwill from the guests with a desire to wish the happy couple good fortune. The modern custom of giving gifts to the bride and groom took off in the 1890s as retail department stores started to appear. The bridal registry was born, with guests going to the one store to purchase a gift for the intended couple. In the 1900s, the gift registry got a little out of hand with the wealthy and aristocratic families, where the list of gifts and the names of the guests purchasing each one was published in the daily newspaper.
