Shagun register: how to track wedding gifts and cash

Short answer: give one trusted person a register (a notebook, a printed sheet or a spreadsheet) for each function. They write the date, the function, who gave, the amount or gift and how it came (cash, UPI, envelope). Number every envelope as it is handed over, so names can be matched later even when it gets busy.

Why families keep a shagun register

• Thank-you messages: you can thank people properly, by name, for what they gave.
• Lena-dena: many families return the gesture at the other family's functions later. The register is the record that makes that easy years from now.
• Clear accounts: cash changes hands quickly on the day. A written record avoids awkward questions afterwards.

Who keeps it, and how

1. Pick one person per function (a cousin or a family friend who is calm in a crowd) and seat them near the couple or the stage with the register, a pen and a pouch or box.
2. Number every envelope the moment it is received (1, 2, 3…) and write the same number in the register with the giver's name. If the queue gets long, write just the number and the name, and open the envelopes later to fill in the amounts.
3. UPI shagun: more guests now pay by UPI or a QR code at the venue. Note the name and amount in the register, and keep the UPI reference or screenshot so the bank statement matches.
4. Gift items: write what the gift is ("dinner set", "silver coin") so the thank-you note can mention it.
5. Count and sign at the end of each function: two people count the cash, write the total and sign the page.

The columns to keep

Number · date · function · name / family · side (bride / groom) · relation · amount · mode (cash, UPI, cheque, envelope, gift) · gift item · thank-you sent · notes.

Common shagun amounts

Many families give an amount with an extra one, such as ₹101, ₹501, ₹1,001 or ₹2,101, which is seen as a blessing for growth. Round figures like ₹1,100, ₹2,100, ₹5,100 and ₹11,000 are just as common. There is no "right" amount, and the register is a record, not a judgement.

Thank-you message (English and Hinglish)

"Dear Sharma uncle and aunty, thank you so much for coming to our wedding and for your blessings and lovely gift. It meant a lot to have you with us. Love, Meera and Aarav."

"Sharma uncle-aunty, aap shaadi me aaye aur itna pyaara aashirwad aur gift diya, bahut bahut dhanyavaad. Aapka aana humare liye bahut khaas tha. – Meera aur Aarav"

Free printable shagun register

Download the printable register (PDF, A4)

Two pages with numbered rows; print as many copies as you have functions.

Prefer it on your phone? The Shaadi Sheet includes a shagun register that totals by side and function, flags pending thank-yous and has a "lena-dena lookup": type a name and see everything received from that family.