Congratulations! You’re engaged, and you’re on the hunt for tips to create your perfect wedding registry. You’ll come across loads of articles on the must haves and must avoids, so I wanted to share the steps we used to actually put together our wedding registry. We moved in together in 2010 and became engaged about five months later.
When we first moved in together, we bought household items that we wanted (a Griddler) and needed (hand-mixer, mixing bowls, etc). We didn’t invest in tons of stuff because we knew we would get engaged and would create a wedding registry at some point in time. I started our wedding registry while Mac was deployed, and we took a few shopping trips to once he came home to make sure we got everything we wanted on there.
- Take an inventory of what you have. Look at every room of your house: kitchen, dining room, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. Do you want to upgrade or replace any items you already own? I would also consult the many lists that suggest what to request on your registry.
- Create your wish list. Registering for your wedding is your chance to ask for exactly what you want (though you may not get it). For me (and many other brides), the Kitchenaid stand mixer was the holy grail of wedding gifts. The stand mixer was an absolute must item for my registry. We also included a variety of items that we didn’t own like a blender and other kitchen appliances.
- Select your stores. I would guess that a lot of couples register at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It’s a great store that offers a one-stop-shop for a lot of your wedding registry needs. But pick the stores that carry what you want. We registered at Belk, Macy’s, and Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Most of our guests live close to Macy’s or Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and all these stores offered a comparable selection of household items. Amazon is also popular for registries because they carry basically everything, and anyone with an internet connection can shop at Amazon.
- Start your registry. Most stores allow you to register online or in-store (assuming they have physical stores). I would recommend taking a trip to your local store to check out items in-person. This can help you decide if you like the pattern on the dishes you picked out or if you have the space for the toaster oven you want. Plus you get to play with the scanner. Be sure to include a shipping address, so your guests won’t have to lug a that toaster oven into your reception venue in their nice clothes.
- Include items from across price points. Keep in mind that people are paying to come to your wedding and giving you a gift. Most of our guests traveled to our wedding, so I didn’t include anything outlandishly expensive (I think the Kitchenaid was the priciest item). Also try to keep the cost of items on your registry in line with what your guests will be able to afford. I vividly remember attending a sorority sister’s wedding in 2009 as a senior in college. I totally forgot to buy a wedding present, so I logged on to her registry at Williams Sonoma the morning of the wedding. All I could afford was a set of chip clips, so that’s what I bought.
- Keep your registry updated! This is probably my most recommended tip to brides. If you received the quantity you requested, delete it. If someone bought you a gift from your registry at a store where you didn’t register, delete it. This can help prevent duplicate wedding presents. You can change your mind and add or delete stuff. I originally registered for three blenders: one traditional, one for milkshakes, and a Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville drink blender. In retrospect, I really didn’t need to register for three blenders just because each one did something cool. I had changed my mind about needing all three but never updated the registry. Fun fact: we were gifted all three blenders.
- Remember that people will go off registry. The majority of our guests gifted us money or gift cards. We also received gifts that were not on a registry and from people who didn’t attend the wedding. We wound up using the gift cards to buy those gifts we really wanted but didn’t get.
What’s your policy as a wedding guest? Do you give a money or a gift? Is your gift from the registry or not? Do you send a gift even if you don’t attend? I’m curious to know!
I know I appreciated when people bought us things off our registry, so I try to do the same. That being said though one of my biggest pet peeves is a poorly done registry with either items that are too expensive or too cheap and not a wide variety at all cost points. Because, I really don’t want to spend $75 on someone I barely know. But, I also want to spend more than $20 on a couple I love.
I understand! I tend to procrastinate when buying wedding gifts. For one sorority sister, I wound up buying her chip clips and a garlic press. Those were literally the only things on her registry besides a $2000 all-clad pan set. I felt terrible.
Unrelated to your registry comments, I am OBSESSED with the Magnolia Lane collection! I have like 10 pieces 🙂 Did you know that they sell it at the Campus Emporium on Main Street, as well? Best part of that is, for some reason, it’s almost always cheaper than anywhere else I find it. Not sure about the prices at Belk, but just an FYI 🙂 Go Hokies!
I didn’t know. Thanks! I always saw it at the Cburg Belk where it was generally 25%+ off. Sadly, my Belk here only carries Carolina, NC State, and Duke. Boo.