By: Louise Schwartzkoff
Published: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/couples-have-wedding-registries-down-to-a-fine-art-20111009-1lft9.html
THE time Felicity Smith and Paul Lowe decided to get married, they owned a house in Darlinghurst and had enough kitchenware and manchester to last them decades. Rather than risk an avalanche of salad bowls and steak knives on their wedding day next month, the couple have asked guests to contribute towards a $12,000 abstract painting.
”Some people ask for cash, but I felt uncomfortable with that,” Ms Smith said. ”Most guests do want to bring something and I’d rather have something I want than something they think I need.”
With more and more couples moving in together before getting married, art is an increasingly popular gift. So much so that a number of high-end galleries offer a registry service.
Ms Smith and Mr Lowe chose a specially commissioned work by Sophie Cape from the Tim Olsen Gallery in Woollahra.
Guests can view the painting on the gallery’s website and pay a sum of their choice.
When Ms Smith spotted Cape’s work she assumed it would be beyond their budget. ”Until now, our priorities have been on buying a home and travelling. Art is something we love but it hasn’t been a priority,” she said.
Tim Olsen believes wedding registries at galleries provide an entry point for new collectors.
His registry service tends to attract couples between the ages of 20 and 40 – younger than the gallery’s usual clientele. ”Galleries are very daunting for a lot of people who aren’t regular goers,” Mr Olsen said.
”The registry system shows buying art is as easy as going into any retail establishment. We’ve had people come in to buy for registries who ended up becoming collectors. As their relationship blossomed, so did their interest in buying works of more substance.”
Mr Olsen started his registry service a decade ago, but in recent years the system has become more widespread. Several galleries offer gift registries, including Stella Downer Fine Art in Waterloo, the Kate Owen Gallery in Rozelle and Coo-ee Aboriginal Art at Bondi Beach.
Coo-ee’s gallery manager, Mirri Leven, has sold works through the registry from $5000 to $25,000. ”It gives you something you and your guests can look at for years to come,” Ms Leven said. ”It gives you something to remember the day by.”