Wedding Registry 101


From my own wedding to all of the others I've been to, here the best tips and tricks I've learned about registering for gifts. Check it out after the jump...


1. Don't register for sets of things. Pick out individual pots, knives, bedding items, and luggage instead. You end up with more affordable options for guests buying the gifts and then, after the wedding, you can exchange the individual items for the matching sets. As a bonus, the sets are typically a better value so you you'll end up with a bit of store credit to pick up something else you might need. It sounds weird, but this is what Macys recommended to me when I was registering, mainly to give your guest more options for price points. You can't expect everyone to want to shell out hundreds on a set of pots.
2. Chose gifts for every type of giver. Even if you don't want crystal, silver or china put a few pieces on the registry anyway. They are traditional gifts and you're bound to have a great aunt who will want to buy that for you. If you register for it, they will pick pieces off of your registry that either a) you will love and keep or b) you'll be able to return, because you'll know where it came from. I recommend these Kate Spade vases, which I have and love or this, which, if you don't like, then you have $125 to spend at Crate and Barrel.  If you don't give your guests options you might just wind up with a creepy crystal dolphin statue that you have no way of returning. If this happens to you, at least you're set for your next white elephant gift exchange.
3. Have themed bridal showers. Do you have more pillows and duvets than you could ever need but nothing to eat on? Talk to the person throwing your shower about giving it a kitchen theme. That way shower attendees will be encouraged toward getting you the things on your registry you really need. 

4. Choose quality products. This is the only time in your life when everyone one you know is buying you a present so make it count. Be sure to choose things that will last a long time. We registered for a cheap vacuum and less than a year later had to get a new one. I'm now obsessed with my Dyson and recommend it to everyone.
5. Get what you want. Did you know that REI, Home Depot and Amazon all offer gift registries? If that's more your style, go for it!
6. Don't need a lot of stuff? Register to give to some of your favorite causes. OR- make a big impact in one place, with water.org you could fundraise for a well and bring clean water to an entire community.


Here are a few shots I took at my dear friend Mollie's shower. She got all the kitchen stuff she needed, including a friend's Ernie cookie jar she coveted as a child. And above, Mollie & Peter on their wedding day, shot by Jason, jkoephoto.com.

Oh, and one more thing... you know that when you go to register in stores you get to use one of those barcode scanner guns, right? Just sayin', it's pretty fun! Jason and I might have fought over who got to hold it and scan things. Although, to be honest, in the long run, I found it much easier to update the registry online.


Have something you want to see in a future Wedding Wednesday post? Let me know in the comments.



30 comments

  1. SUCH good tips....I needed these when we registered. And my Jason and I also fought over the gun -- and I lost nearly every time. BUT, he was happy to be there so it was a win-win! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like this one Jenny! So fun to see Mollie's pictures again...such great days!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great advice, Jenny! But what about an online cash wedding registry where you can get cash to buy what you REALLY want, whether it be for your honeymoon or home improvements? We work with a lot of couples who don't want more stuff and rather have the freedom and flexibility to register for anything the like. Please check out www.zankyou.com !

    ReplyDelete
  4. Another thing to think about: Register for the things that you need, but think are too expensive for people to buy, such as a really nice grill or vacuum. A lot registry places give you a discount on everything left on the registry after the wedding. Better to buy it at a discounted price if you have to buy it anyway!

    ReplyDelete
  5. What Dyson do you have? I'm looking into which one to register for...so many conflicting reviews online!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great advice! Also, if people comment all the time that everything on your registry is high priced, give them the ultimatum. Say that if they can't find something on the registry they like, get a gift card of an amount they deem appropriate instead. If they tell you that's no fun for the shower, say oh well, those are the options! :) It cuts down a lot on the stress. And remember, people only criticize the registry because they're jealous of the couple, items on the registry, etc. Don't let it get to you!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. are you kidding me? That's a bit rude. You should have items of all price ranges on your registry to give people options, not only high priced items that leave people feeling stranded when it comes to getting a gift for someone they care about.

      Delete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Easily, the article is actually the best topic on this registry related issue. I fit in with your conclusions and will eagerly look forward to your next updates. Just saying thanks will not just be sufficient, for the fantasti c lucidity in your writing. I will instantly grab your rss feed to stay informed of any updates. asian wedding photography london

    ReplyDelete
  9. There's so little advice or even guidelines about where to begin with a registry. This is a great starting point. A bit of thought on a couple's part before adding anything to their registry makes a huge difference with their satisfaction with their gifts in the long run.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yes it is very easier to do the registry online. Gifts are important, so i will be registering too for my future wedding!!

    Airbrush Makeup Melbourne

    ReplyDelete
  11. Waooow!! Nice blog, this will be greatly helpful.
    click for CQ bicheng

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you so much for such a great blog.
    look for cuaban rama mia

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great tips! Enjoying your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Your blog is extremely brilliant especially the quality content is really appreciable. Unique Bridesmaids Gifts

    ReplyDelete
  15. This was great - I'm throwing a brunch themed shower for my sister in a few months with the hopes of her acquiring all of the things she'll need for her kitchen! Check out my 3 Awesome Wedding Gift Ideas post on http://nikkieandbabies.blogspot.com/2014/07/3-awesome-wedding-gifts.html if you get a chance!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I like your very first tip its genius. No one has enough money to buy a whole set for you. If you just do it all separately people will feel better about buying it. If you don't get the whole set, you can just buy what you're missing later. http://www.mishmashinteriors.com/gifts-and-home-accessories.html

    ReplyDelete
  17. The wedding team was very supportive. They helped us put together a great menu, from the consultation to the tasting to the actual event.
    Denver Wedding venues

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi...

    Nice tips here. Thanks for this informative post.

    Bridesmaid Gift

    ReplyDelete
  19. Plan your Hawaii Weddings! Since 1978 we have performed beautiful Hawaiian Weddings; including Sunset Weddings, Beach Weddings and Vow-Renewal services. We Are Your Hawaii Destination Wedding Specia

    ReplyDelete
  20. Guest parking


    We take the frustration out of parking management for Apartments, Home Owners Associations, Condominiums, Townhouses Co-ops, and other parking areas. www.Webparkingsoftware.com has reinvented how parking management should be done and more information then contact us :

    CBT SOLUTIONS, INC.
    23785 El Toro Road Suite 122
    Lake Forest, CA 92630
    call : 1-855-228-0411

    ReplyDelete
  21. Great tips! You can use these tips and register for all of your goodies from Macy's, and from many other stores by using a universal registry. Have you heard of Pegas.us.com? It’s a universal registry . You can create your registry from a long list of stores on the site and then it will all be stored in one central location. It’s very user friendly. I used this when I married and it was great. It was easy to register for all of my goodies, and very user friendly for my guests which was really important to me. The entire registry is all in one central location. Here is the website: https://pegas.us.com/WLX.htm Check it out, and make registering fun and easy!

    ReplyDelete
  22. These are some pretty good tips, I know that's been said a hundred times. But, that doesn't make it any less true! Me and my Fiance created our registry at Amazon.com! Easy for both us and our Guests! Shop Amazon - Create an Amazon Wedding Registry

    ReplyDelete
  23. These are some pretty good tips, I know that's been said a hundred times. But, that doesn't make it any less true! Me and my Fiance created our registry at Amazon.com! Easy for both us and our Guests! Shop Amazon - Create an Amazon Wedding Registry

    ReplyDelete
  24. Please take a look over this affordable Las Vegas wedding package and let us know how we can make your wedding day special for you.

    ReplyDelete
  25. A very awesome blog post. We are really grateful for your blog post. You will find a lot of approaches after visiting your post. Buy Discounted Gift Card!

    ReplyDelete
  26. When building a wedding registry, it is a great idea to add gifts in different price points so all your guests can choose what their wallets can support without any pressure. You can save some high-end gifts for your close friends and family to get you and your other half.
    You can make a rough estimate of the number of gifts you should add to your wedding gift registry by counting the number of couples in your guest list and adding some extras to create a buffer. And about the kind of gifts you should add. Check here a list of gifts that land in most of the wedding registries.
    https://theblubox.in/blog-detail/most-common-items-to-have-in-your-wedding-registry

    ReplyDelete
  27. When it comes to planning your wedding, choosing gifts to add in your registry can be a daunting task. Having tested choices is a blessing to make a perfect wedding registry for your new life ahead.You can make a rough estimate of the number of gifts you should add to your wedding gift registry by counting the number of couples in your guest list and adding some extras to create a buffer. And about the kind of gifts you should add, check here list of gifts that land in most of the wedding registries.
    visit us @ tinyurl.com/y34w2oj8

    ReplyDelete