Bridal Registry "winner" (sorry this is a long detailed one!)

2024 Update:

hey guys! i wanted to share my experience since this post is a little bit outdated. i went to a bridal registry demonstration last week! i had went to a couple of bridal conventions but they did NOT give my information to a third party. i vaguely remember a man at a booth, (who ended up being the salesman at the demonstration), telling me to scan a qr code and fill out the information, giving me a bag with a spatula after i did so. that's how they got my information. i literally signed up for it!

fast forward to the day of the demonstration. i was a little bit nervous after reading this thread, but i still went because i didn't want to potentially miss out on anything. the prizes included: two champagne flutes, $600 voucher for wedding bands, and an all-inclusive 3 day/2night trip to select locations. upon arrival, we were asked to sign in. after that, we were given the first two prizes immediately. all we had to do was text a number and scan a qr code. the salesman spent a bit explaining the prizes before we moved on.

the demonstration was for cookware. he cooked chicken and vegetables for us and had us try it. he explained all of the equipment (pots, pans, knifes, etc). the salesman was very funny and interactive! we were given a booklet that had all kinds of sets/bundles for the cookware. the incentive was if you were to buy a set, you'd get a free 7 day/8 night trip. the cookware itself was super nice but also very expensive! we're talking almost $6000. regardless, i wasn't buying anything but there were two couples that actually did! he never pressured us to buy anything although he was very persuasive. at the end, he gave us time to talk with our partners and make a decision.

now, the issues didn't start until the very end. once the demonstration was over (he went over so it was a little over 2 hours), he ONLY focused on the couples that were buying cookware. the rest of us were kind of just lingering because we haven't received our 3 day/2 night trip. whenever one of us would try to ask him how we get it, he'd respond with "one couple at a time please" and then go back to ignoring us. it was about 20-25 minutes after the demonstration and we were still be ignored. a lot of us couples started to get passive-aggressive, kind of just standing by the door and eyeballing him to get his attention. eventually, he came up to me and i asked for my voucher. he said okay and went to go get it, but ended up handing and explaining it to my fiance. he didn't even look at me and it was a little off-putting considering the fact that i was one to ask for it. regardless we got it!

as for the gifts: you have to pay $25 for shipping of the champagne flutes. i haven't bought the wedding bands yet, but i went on there and entered the code and it looked like shipping is about $55. i haven't booked the trip and probably won't for a while, but you have to pay a $100 refundable fee and hotel taxes averaging about $39/night BEFORE you even speak with the travel agent to book. which i don't really like, but i don't believe it's a scam. i plan on using a pre-paid card whenever i do decide to book the trip.

overall, it was a good experience up until the end! i got what i was promised and didn't feel pressured to buy anything. if you're like me and love free, or in this case "heavily discounted" stuff, i recommend doing it! it's only 2 hours of your time. if this kind of stuff isn't your thing, i understand. i just wanted to share my experience so people know what to expect! good luck