VotumVela is a comprehensive gift registry and marketplace platform designed to make gift-giving effortless and personal. Create unlimited wish lists, organize gift events for any occasion, coordinate group exchanges, and browse or sell items in the marketplace. You can add items from any website using our browser extension, share lists with family and friends, and even work with a professional event planner for larger celebrations. Creating an account and using all core features is completely free.

After registering and logging in, go to My Wish Lists and click Create. Give your list a name, choose a theme, and set its visibility (private, shared with specific groups, or accessible via a shareable link). Add items by entering a product URL and VotumVela will automatically pull in the product image, title, and price. You can also add items manually with your own descriptions and photos, or use the VotumVela browser extension to add items from any website with a single click while you browse.

Gift Circles (groups) let you share wish lists with specific people for easy gift coordination. Create a Gift Circle, invite members by email, and everyone in the circle can see each other's linked wish lists. Members can mark items as reserved or purchased so others know what's already been claimed -- no duplicate gifts. Gift Circles are perfect for families, friend groups, or workplace teams who want to coordinate gift-giving for holidays, birthdays, or any special occasion.

My Gift Circles are circles you created and manage -- you control membership, can add or remove members, and can link your wish lists for the group to see. Shared Gift Circles are circles someone else created and invited you to join. In both types you can view everyone's linked wish lists and coordinate gift purchases. The only difference is who manages the membership and settings.

Yes. Each wish list has its own visibility settings that you control. Keep lists completely private (only you can see them), share them with specific Gift Circles, or generate a shareable link that lets anyone with the link view your list without needing an account. You can also publish a list to the VotumVela community if you want broader visibility. You can change these settings at any time, and you always decide who can see what.

A Gift Event is an occasion -- birthday, wedding, baby shower, holiday, housewarming, or any celebration -- where you want to coordinate gift-giving among a group of people. Create an event, set a date and optional budget, link relevant wish lists, and invite participants. Participants can see the linked wish lists, reserve items they plan to give, and coordinate without spoiling any surprises. Events can also include gift exchanges (like Secret Santa) with automatic random assignments.

Gift Exchanges let you organize Secret Santa, White Elephant, or any random-draw gift swap. Set a spending budget, add participants, configure any exclusions (so spouses are not assigned to each other, for example), and set a deadline. When you're ready, VotumVela randomly assigns who gives to whom. Each participant sees only their own assignment -- assignments are completely private. Participants can view their assigned person's wish list for gift ideas, making it easy to find the perfect gift within the budget.

A Coordinator is someone you trust to help manage a Gift Event. Coordinators can view all item reservations and purchases (so they can help prevent duplicates), add items to wish lists on behalf of the event owner, and help organize logistics. You can appoint multiple coordinators for larger events. The event owner retains full control -- coordinators assist with management but cannot delete the event or remove the owner.

Yes. The VotumVela marketplace lets you browse and purchase items from verified sellers right on the platform. Add items from multiple sellers to your cart and check out in a single transaction -- VotumVela handles the payment processing securely through Stripe. Items are shipped directly to you or to the gift recipient. You can track your orders, and optional product warranties are available on qualifying items for added peace of mind.

Approved sellers can list items in the VotumVela marketplace and reach buyers who are actively looking for gifts. VotumVela handles all payment processing through Stripe Connect, so buyers pay securely and sellers receive payouts after a brief hold period. Sellers manage their own listings, set prices, print shipping labels directly from their dashboard, and track orders. A small platform fee covers payment processing and marketplace services -- there are no monthly subscription fees for sellers.

Yes. Your personal information is protected and never shared publicly or sold to third parties. Wish lists are only visible to people you explicitly share them with through Gift Circles or shareable links. Your shipping and billing addresses are encrypted and only used to fulfill orders you place. VotumVela uses industry-standard security practices including HTTPS encryption, secure payment processing through Stripe, and optional two-factor authentication for your account.

Yes. You can enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for added account security using an authenticator app like Google Authenticator or Authy. Once enabled, you will need both your password and a time-based code from your authenticator app to log in. SMS-based verification is also available as an alternative. To set it up, go to your Profile, then Security, and follow the setup instructions. Recovery codes are provided in case you lose access to your authenticator device.

Yes. Creating an account, building unlimited wish lists, organizing Gift Events, running Gift Exchanges, sharing with friends and family, and using the browser extension are all completely free. There are no premium tiers or feature gates for gift registry users. The only fees on VotumVela are a small platform fee charged to marketplace sellers when they make a sale -- buyers and gift list users never pay platform fees.

Click the help icon in the top bar to open our contextual help panel, which provides guidance on the page you are currently viewing. You can also visit our Contact Us page to reach our support team directly by email. For common questions, this FAQ page covers the most frequently asked topics. We aim to respond to all support inquiries within one business day.

VotumVela (VOH-tum VEE-lah) is inspired by Latin -- "votum" meaning wish or vow, and "vela" meaning sails. Together it captures the idea of your wishes carried forward on the wind, reaching the people who care about you. Our logo features a sail motif with golden wish-stars, reflecting the spirit of wishes set in motion across any distance.

Go to Contacts, then Import, and upload a CSV or a vCard (.vcf) file. Your CSV needs a First Name, a Last Name, and an Email column for every contact; phone numbers, a second email, and a mailing address are optional. Most programs can export a CSV: in Outlook use File, then Open and Export, then Import/Export; in Google Contacts use Export; in Excel or Sheets save as CSV. If any row is missing a required field, the import is canceled and we list the rows to fix so you can correct them and upload again.