depends, if they have the wedding registry in those major shop. just click in and select the items that falls into your budget - then for sure no useless items. or else, yes cash is the best.
for me, i used to pay cash and buy a little gift (like a photo frames or so) for them to display in the house to remember that's the gift from auntie so and so....
I like to give out gift cards, so, I can gain my visa points while buying those gift cards!!!
usually I prefer to buy IKEA, Walmart, Loblaws or Shoppers Drug Marts gift cards, since they are more useful such as: grocery , furniture or personal hygienes products.
agree, some of the gift card got expiry date, and you don't know which shops they will go to... so for me, i either go to the registry to pick up things they want, or give them cash instead. but my colleague just told me there is some gift coupon call the mall coupon, (like cadillac fairview/markville mall where you could use those in any of the shops withing the shopping mall), but not sure where to get such..