Having recently-ish been through crazy wedding planning and all the fun that goes with that, I thought I’d jot down some ideas and things I learned from creating our wedding registry. I didn’t do everything that’s on this list, but hopefully it will be helpful to you if you are needing to register for your own wedding.
1) Before you even go to a store to start your registry, asses what you already have. Kris had been living on his own for a couple years before we got married and had a lot of household items that I really didn’t know about. (I honestly didn’t spend that much time at his house before we were married - it was just easier for him to come to my family’s place. And the times I was at his house, I wasn’t rummaging through his cupboards, taking inventory of his stock. :-) I would have liked to have gone through everything (especially the kitchen stuff, but also towels, sheets, etc.) to see what he already had and then be able to focus on what was really needed.
2) Pick the store(s). Nowadays, it’s super easy to register at a couple different places if you need to, but picking one or two main stores is really helpful. First thing to think about - is the store near where you live now or close to your new home? It will probably take a couple different times of going to the store to register, and who wants to make a long trip for each visit? Also, you will most likely receive gift cards to that store and will probably have returns, so a close location after you’re married is good idea as well. (My sister registered at Target, which was about 30 minutes away from our home before she was married, but about 2 hours from her husband’s place.) I would suggest using a store that you already do most of your shopping at - for me, that would be Fred Meyer. Other good, well-rounded stores to register at are places like Target or Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Walmart is a bit cheap (I know, we all shop there) and Macy’s too posh (that’s actually where I started my registry, but I soon experienced price-tag shock. You can honestly find the exact same items for much less at other stores.)
3) Have a general idea for how you will decorate. You don’t really put decorations on your registry, but it’s helpful to know your bathroom color scheme for things like the shower curtain, rugs, and towels.
4) Bring a friend or go alone? This is, of course, totally up to you, but it’s something you really need to think about. Some brides-to-be want to do this without their fiance, but we opted to do it together (I’m not particular at all and wanted Kris’s opinion on a lot of things!).
5) Bed, Bath, and Beyond had an attendant who literally walked you through the store, helping make things super clear and quick. Kris and I really appreciated this, but that may not be the best option for you (if you like to take your time, or if you already know what you want and don’t want someone else telling you differently.) The lady who helped us advised us on things like which sheets, towels, vacuums, etc. were the best quality for a good price and helped us steer through all the seemingly millions of options for dishes, shower curtains, etc.
6) Don’t register for too much “extra stuff”. The purpose of your wedding registry is to help you set up a house, not have a giant Christmas gift unwrapping party (though it still feels like that!) Fun pillows, expensive espresso machines, and unique, only-use-once-a-year serving platters are nice, but if you get that over an everyday dish set and frying pan that you really need, you’ll have a lot of shopping to do once you tie the knot. (And, let’s face it - a lot of newly weds just don’t have that much extra money to spend.)
7) Register with the number of guests in mind. This is something I would never have thought of but it was one of the questions asked when we set up our registry with both Fred Meyer and Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Each website even had a graph that said how much each guest would statistically spend on a wedding gift and let you know if you needed to add more or if you had too much. If you’re planning a small wedding (<50 guests), it’s even more crucial to be wise with what you put on your registry.
8) And finally, don’t stress over it! This is supposed to be fun! You can never make a perfect registry and people will still give you odd gifts. :-)
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