Last week Aaron and I did our first bridal registry and I thought I would capture the moment to share some tips and tricks that I’ve learned from being in the wedding industry. So, here are some things to think about, talk about, and note when creating your wedding registry:
- Talk to your fiancé about what you want before you go. This sounds silly, and if your guy is anything like mine, most of his answers will be “I don’t care”. BUT, when you get to the store it turns out, they do care. I’ve heard horror stories of friends going to register and realizing that each person had a completely different idea in their mind about what their kitchen / bathroom / bedroom would look like after the wedding. So, even if it seems ridiculous, ask if he cares what color your plates are, or what pots and pans you want. Aaron had a weird thing about spoons not being too deep! There are always a couple of “odd” things that guys notice that you’d never think of.
- Discuss what type of items you want to register for. As you walk around the store, there will probably be a sales person with you telling you that you need to register for everything from spatulas to hangers to picture frames. So before you head in there blind, think about your guests and what you think their budgets are, then register for items that fit into that criteria.
- Pick Nation-wide stores. If some of your guests are traveling from out of town, make sure to register at stores that are easily accessible all over the country. Your guests will appreciate being able to walk into a store that’s convenient for them to purchase from your registry. You want to make buying a gift for you as easy as possible :)
- Register for items that won’t be discontinued when the seasons change. Depending on how long your engagement is, you might go through multiple seasons before your wedding date. For us, it’s almost summer but we aren’t getting married until next Spring! So when Aaron wanted to register for a patio set, we had to think about if that item will be discontinued by the time someone is actually ready to purchase our wedding gifts.
- Be prepared. Y’all, registering is not a 30 minute ordeal. Aaron and I knew what we wanted and had discussed everything before stepping foot in Bed Bath & Beyond, and it still took us almost 3 hours to register for 100 items! It’s a process! So set aside a weeknight to go do it (when the stores are least crowded), and eat dinner first!!!! I cannot stress that one enough! Feed your man, then head to the store with your patience-tanks on full! It’s going to be a long night. Have fun, make jokes, enjoy this process! Then don’t be surprised when you’re utterly exhausted afterwards!