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Today I am sharing 6 tips for creating the perfect wedding registry for you! Creating a wedding registry is one of the times you get to be as picky as you want because these items will hopefully last you a long time! Most people buy items from the wedding registry as, you guessed it, gifts for the wedding. But items are also usually given for bridal showers and other wedding events. It can be overwhelming, so I’ve created a list of 6 tips for making a registry that you love!
CHOOSE THE STORES WISELY
I wanted to start with this tip because all of the items you add to your wedding registry will come from the stores you choose. Now with the online accessibility, some websites offer the option to put items from practically anywhere, but if you choose to do your registry in person, you will be adding items from specific stores. We chose Pottery Barn + Crate&Barrel as our two stores. The number of stores is entirely up to you, but I would recommend sticking to 2 or 3, as too many options can confuse guests when they are searching for the gifts to purchase. Keep in mind that you most likely want stores that offer a variety of items as well. For example: Sur la Table is a store that I thought we would choose to do our registry at but you are really limited to kitchen/dining room items. However, with Crate&Barrel, you can add items for practically any room or space in your home. (By the way, if you have chosen Sur la Table + kitchen items are very important to you, GO FOR IT!! I am just explaining my reasoning for choosing one store over another). Also, keep in mind, some stores have a great discount after the wedding for items that have not been fulfilled. So this is something to keep in mind when picking the stores.
TAKE INVENTORY OF WHAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE
I mention this tip because it is veryyyy easy to get trigger happy when you are in the store scanning items for your wedding registry. Especially if you love shopping as much as I do! I wish I would have taken a quick glance at some items that we have that I knew we loved, + items we knew we needed more of. For example: we were recently given a nice set of cooking utensils. But when we were in Crate&Barrel, I added every utensil I could find. We need some new towels (thanks to our pup, we have used almost all of them for her!), so that was an item I knew HAD to be on our list (+ we needed a decent amount of them). Taking a simple inventory before you create your wedding registry allows you to be mindful while you are adding items!
MIX UP THE PRICE POINTS OF ITEMS
This is probably the most important tip because I have been on both sides of this wedding registry gifts. I have been the one purchasing the items + I have been the one adding the items. Everyone who is attending your wedding (or is invited) is in a different phase of life. So it is important to includes gifts with a variety of price points. Not everyone can afford to gift you a $100 gift. When I was in graduate school, I could not afford to pay $100 towards a wedding gift when I was already paying for flights and other accommodations. So I opted to pay for some of the “smaller” items on the list because that was where I felt comfortable given my financial status. By including gifts (even some close to $10/$15) it allows guests to determine what they are comfortable with spending!
CONSIDER FUNDED GIFTS/HONEYMOON
This is another great option for wedding registries! Some wedding websites/registries allow the option for guests to contribute money toward gifts. This is particularly useful for gifts that are at a higher price point. Similar to the topic above, if someone cannot afford a $300 blender, but they want to contribute money toward that specific item, having a contribution option is great! There are also ways to contribute toward the honeymoon. The site we used for this is Honeyfund (you can register through this link too!). They have so many great opportunities for couples, not only on the wedding registry, but as part of the honeymoon experience itself! We are going on a cruise for our honeymoon + our gift choices through HoneyFund are specific to our trip! For example: we have some spa services, airfare, + general gift card options for our guests to contribute to!
DON’T BE AFRAID TO CHANGE ITEMS ON THE LIST
As long as your wedding registry can be located somewhere online (which I think all of them are now), you can edit or modify your wedding registry even after you have created it! In fact, we were told to look online after we chose our items, because there are many items that are only available online + sometimes, you want to change the number of items or modify the items you initially requested. (This is where I went back + took away some of the kitchen utensils we definitely didn’t need). Also, if you choose seasonal items for your registry, they may go out of stock + you can remove them for your list or find other alternatives to the options you originally placed on there.
HAVE FUN!
Last but certainly not least, make sure you have fun with this process! Whether you opt for the in person selection or the online, enjoy it! You are asking for items for you + your significant other start a new aspect of life together. Be sure to include practical gifts but don’t be afraid to add some “just because” gifts also! Max added two luxurious robes from Crate&Barrel on our registry just because he wanted to. Make sure that both individuals have some items on the list + enjoy the process!
What was a must have item on your list? Leave a comment below!
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