Gift Registry “How To’s”, Part 1 of 2

It would be too difficult to pick out a universal, favorite part of weddings, but let’s face it, presents have to be somewhere in the top tier, right? Today we’d like to touch on all the basics of wedding registries. Most couples register at at least one of the following stores for the basics: Crate & Barrel, Bed Bath & Beyond, Macy’s, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Jonathan Adler, Sur la Table, and Bloomingdale’s. These stores all have great registries and carry a wealth of items that are common to register for. As for the logistics, we have some tips in that area as well.

-Be sure that you don’t limit your gift registry to an online source, especially if you have older guests. Some guests will still want to walk into a store and pick out a gift for you, even if some of your more tech-savvy friends prefer the ease of online shopping. Plus, there’s no reason to traumatize Great Aunt Gladys by forcing her to face her fear of online shopping, especially when it’s so easy to set up an in-store registry!

-Ensure that your registry has a gift for every sized budget. Include many small items with low prices for those guests who cannot or do not want to spend lots of money on a wedding gift. If you only include a few of these items, you risk that they will be “taken” by earlier guests and guests who purchase later on will be without an option. At the same time, though, don’t be too shy to add more extravagant items to your registry. Think about it, when is the next time in your life that you have a shot at getting that awesome luggage set or nice piece of silver as a gift? And even if no single individual is able to buy the gift, this makes a great item for groups to go in on (Bridge club? Cousins? College friends? Who knows!).

-Be tactful in your communications. Although getting the word out about where you have registered can be a tricky feat, there are two basic ways to go about it. First, many couples choose to create a wedding website that provides information to guests. These websites are convenient because it’s an organized way to communicate a lot of information, so sticking where you are registered in there is equally as easy. If you have not created a wedding website, the best way to communicate where you are registered is by word of mouth. Tip off your family members and members of the wedding party and they can take it from there!

-Finally, be extremely thorough in recording the gifts that you’ve received and who gave them. Despite the many untraditional approaches to registries these days, thank you notes are still an important part of the process! The more personal the notes are, the better, even if they take a bit longer to write.

Stay tuned for Part 2 later this week!

Simply Stunning Events
Nashville Wedding Planning

katelyn - July 17, 2012 - 4:02 pm

i’d love to hear what you think of “honeymoon registries”, kristin! i briefly mentioned it to my fiance’s family and they were all really against it. but, we have all the kitchen and homegoods stuff we could ever want or need. thoughts?

kristin - July 17, 2012 - 4:23 pm

Hi Katelyn! I personally love the idea of a honeymoon registry especially because so many couples are in the same boat as you and already have their homes furnished and kitchens complete. With that sort of registry guests can help give the couple the memory of a great honeymoon. I also am really liking photography registries these days. Most wedding photographers will set one up for their clients and guests can contribute to the purchase of prints, albums, and canvases down the road.

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