Having a great wedding is one of life’s biggest joys, but what is a couple supposed to do when they don’t have the basic supplies for a life together? Wedding registries were originally intended to be a gift idea list that couples could give to wedding attendees in order to have a functional home to arrive into. If you are looking to have a say in the gifts that you receive, you need to know how to set up a wedding registry.
In order to set up a registry, you have to register early, and pick out one or two stores that you want to shop through. Three to four months’ time is enough to guarantee that you’ll get the gifts you want on your special day.
Asking a customer service rep from the store often will help you get registered immediately. The fun part comes when you are shopping for wedding gifts that you want to receive. Many stores, once you have decided to have a wedding registry through them, will give you a scanner which lets you choose which products you want to have in your new home, and registers them for you.
Once you are done “shopping,” the store often will print out cards for you to include in your shower invitation, or in your wedding invitation. These cards will notify guests that you are, in fact, registered at the store of your choice. If the store doesn’t supply you with cards, make sure to make a note of where you are registered on either your wedding invitation or your shower invitation.
It’s important to remember what works, and what doesn’t as far as a wedding registry goes. Choosing the right wedding gifts is one of the most important things you can do as an engaged couple.
- Don’t ask for perishables. It will be very smelly by the time that you are opening your wedding gifts.
- Ask for things that come with a variety of different prices. Although it is very tempting to ask for the most expensive things that the store offers, it’s often very rude and out of most guests’ budgets. Order one or two very expensive things, and then have other gifts, such as toasters or coffee machines, be less costly.
- Do choose things that match. After all, having a mismatched home right from the start isn’t going to do you any favors.
- Choose things that you will use regularly. Toasters, microwaves, coffee makers, towel sets, and even bedsheets are excellent ideas for a wedding registry.
- When choosing items from a set, make sure that they are reasonably priced so that you’ll have a higher chance of getting all the gifts that you asked for. For example, getting a set of towels at $50 each will probably only yield 1 or 2 towels, while a set of towels at $15 each will be much more likely to be bought as a whole set.
- Don’t get greedy, or at least blatantly so. Asking for designer clothes, jewelry, or collectible Star Wars figurines will be met with a lot of annoyance from guests.
- Do make an effort to choose quality over quantity, though. A microwave that lasts for 5 to 10 years is going to be a better wedding registry gift than a microwave that breaks after 1 year.
- Give each guest 2 to 3 gift options for them to choose from. After all, you don’t want to strongarm them into buying something that they can’t afford.
- Pick things that you both want and need. If you need a lawnmower, then ask for one. If you need a blender, then ask for that too.
It’s important to remember that a wedding registry allows guests to show their goodwill towards you and your new spouse, so accept every gift as graciously as you can. Many wedding registry services allow you to check the status of your registry. Unless you are okay with not being surprised when you open your wedding gifts, avoid checking it. Remember, if you get duplicate gifts, you generally can return them in exchange for store credit.
Wedding registries might just be one of the most fun aspects of planning a wedding. It’s foolproof, carefree, and allows the new couple to indulge in shopping on their guests’ dime.
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