It’s that time of year again: springtime. Love is in the air, which means you may notice your mailbox filling up with wedding invitations from friends and family.

Most likely, the invite will also include information about where the newlyweds-to-be are registered. But are registries really convenient and useful anymore in today’s world or are they more costly, both in time and money, than they’re worth?

Whether or not you decide to purchase a gift the old fashioned way through a registry, be sure to consider these reasons for going a different, modern approach with your gift.

Technology has made it easier than ever to send a gift online or create group gifts. This can make for more interesting gifts of higher value for the newlyweds. There are sites that allow people to contribute for a down payment on a house or even the honeymoon. Not saying you have to do that, but it makes buying a blender seem pretty bland, doesn’t it? The only drawback is that many sites typically charge a fee, but maybe it’s worth it if you still want to be generous but not screw up on the choice of a blender.

Money is often wasted

While using the registry may be free, chances are you’ll still have to pay for gift wrapping or shipping if ordering online. It would be nice for that extra money to go toward the newlyweds and not to the corporate bottom line. Check out gifting options that don’t charge for those costs so more of the money goes to the newlyweds and their needs.

Up to 40 percent of gifts are returned or exchanged. It’s not uncommon for newlyweds to return gifts found on their wedding registry after deciding they don’t need it after all. This creates a lot of added, not-previously-aware-of work for the newlyweds. A better option is to use a service like zPerfect Gift that lets the newlyweds get the perfect gift the first go around, which would save everyone time, money and effort.

Givers may be forgotten

It’s hard keeping straight who bought what and, over time, this only becomes more common. Don’t be offended if, after a few years, the couple forgot what you bought for their wedding. In order to avoid this scenario, think of a way for your gift to be unique and memorable, such as capturing the memory by including a video message on YouTube or another video service. You can customize the video, adding a personal, unique touch.

Needs are different It used to be that wedding gifts were for helping newlyweds establish a household. With more and more couples marrying later or even living together before marrying, they probably already have those essential household items. Keep in mind that this means many wedding gifts are increasingly more for wants and not necessarily needs and therefore harder to select.

The best wedding gifts are not always ones that come from wedding registries, but ones that come from the heart. Newlyweds will never question what to do with a gift that has a thoughtful meaning and purpose behind it. Add in a way to personalize the gift and it’ll go a long way in helping to send the newlyweds off in their new life.

The next time you receive a wedding invitation in the mail, see if you can stay out of the wedding registry box by giving a gift sure to make the bride and groom smile with delight.