What belongs on a wedding registry?

Question

I need to register for my wedding soon. I have made a list of things I need to register for, but I want to be sure I am not missing anything obvious.

Please post what you found most useful on your registry

or

What someone might overlook, while registering.

BTW: I (we) have nothing. Both of us live with our parents, so there is nothing we already have.

Answer 1

Most people only spend $20-$50 on a gift. When I did my registry we just walked about and scaned everything. But that did not get us any where...we got a lot of things that were good but not that we could use right now.

Before you start, go to those places and look at the things that you would need. If you start at one place in the store and don't skip sections that may help.

In our target it goes:
Kitchen plates, silverware, glasses...
Look at the different kinds and pick one write it down(what it looks like and price and maker)
Kitchen appliances...blender, toaster, toaster oven, crock pots, coffee maker, sandwich makers, waffle iron, juicers...
What do you need...if you don't drink coffee skip the coffee maker. (ours just sits on a shelf collecting dust)
Storage containers and baking stuff...
choose one kind and stick with just that kind(other wise you will have different containers all over) We like our set...it all fits in a rack that doesn't take up more than one square foot. All the container use the same size lid so you don't have to look for the right one. One disadvantage is we need one set that is for taking to work meals, and large left over stuff. Have a salad bowl with a cover.
Cookie pans, bread pans, muffin pans (for us just take up space) We use one cookie pan (large) but we got six.
Pick a bathroom set...put all the goodies that go with that set on there...than
Towels...just pick one or two colors that match your set. Don't go crazy we got so many towels that we had to buy a storage container to put them away until we have to throw out the old ones.
Bed sets: pick one that you like that is a "bed in a bag" then pick two sets of sheets(fitted, flat, & pillow cases) each seperate and then maybe a set(all three included)

Be very picky about what you want. Don't just scan the whole store. I found if the list is too long, people don't even look at it.

If you don't have anything you could even put things on there like rugs, entry way rugs, decorations(be careful that the season doesn't change before the wedding or shower...a lot of people do last minute gifts) picture frames, clocks, alarm clocks, movies, CD's, board games, zip lock baggies, garbage bags, garbage cans, laundry baskets, hanger, shoe racks, storage bins(totes), lamps, couch pillows, bed pillows, fans, end table, night stand

Make sure that at each store you register at everything matches. If you need a bed and couches kind of stuff...ask for gift certificates for one of those stores, ask the person sending out the invitation to include it...

Bride and Groom registered at:
Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Home Depot(don't forget the man)
Walmart, and Macy's

they would also enjoy the help
purchases funiture at:
Home funiture or Slumberland(just pick one place)

Answer 2

I think this is a big mistake that alot of brides make. When you ask someone what you should be getting, you are really shopping for them, not you. I learned this the hard way when I registered, I knew nothing and also had nothing and the registry woman knew this and I wound up registering for things that SHE liked.

Start with each room, Kitchen, Bath, master bedroom, guest room, office, dining etc. Then think of each piece of equipment in the room and go from there. You will need everything so dont leave anything out. After you cover your basics, then you can add on some fun things, like magnets, art, clocks, etc.
Browse some websites to look in the different departments and see what you need and like. Like on Bed Bath and Beyond's site everything is put into categories, so you can go down the list room by room.

Good luck and remember, you will live with these things for years, so be absolutely sure you like everything you pick and wont mind using on a daily basis. Also, it should just be you and your fiance that register for gifts, when you start mixing in others like moms, sisters, friends, you will begin to get into trouble. Make it a fun day fr the two of you and go alone.

Answer 3

I started with china, flatware, and stemware, then got some casual plates and everyday flatware, then I moved to the kithcen stuff where we got
pots and pans,
a toaster,
blender,
george forman grill,
coffee maker,
canisters,
a knife set,
all the measuring cups and spoons,
utinsils,
oven mits and pot holders,
pyrex dishes and corning wear,
baking sheets and muffin pans, that sort of thing,
cake stand,
pitcher and glass set,
tupperwear type stuff,
mixing bowls,
vacumn cleaner,
sheets,
towels,
bath mats, stuff like the toothbrush holders,
and then we went and got fun stuff...


My best advice is
1-do what you are doing and make a list and make sure you get everything on their zapped.

2-Decide what china patterns you want as well as your flatware and stemware, their are a million options to choose from, and its really overwhelming. I went and scouted out the patterns a few months before we registered and I'm so glad cuz I changed my mind a million times on what i wanted, and now I'm sure....lot easier than being stuck with some stuff you end up not liking!

3-despite what people may say to you, judge if you will actually need the fine $30-$50 per plate china. I think we are about in the same boat, we just bought a house and I still live at home and we have NOTHING! My aunt has pitched a fit becuase I decided not to register for really fine china and just got casual china because I would rather have the stuff we will actually need than have a $50 plate I might eat off of once a year, because we are not formal dining people! Don't get suckered into registering for something you really don't want cuz some of its not worth the trouble to return it!

good luck and congrats!

Answer 4

Lamps. My big shock when I moved into my first apartment was the lack of lighting fixtures. The kitchen had a light, and the bathroom, but the living room and bedrooms had no lights at all. I had to use a flashlight at night until I picked up some lamps. You will also have to supply ALL of the garbage cans.

Some obvious things: pots, pans, dishes, tableware, glasses, kitchen knives and a cutting board towels, blankets, sheets, a shower curtain.

Nice to haves: Food processor, electric mixer, massaging shower head, clocks, a water pitcher, frames and photo albums for the wedding pics, a step ladder (I'm 5 foot nothing), a snow shovel (needing that caught me by surprise) etc.

You can put anything you want on that list. I had a friend who put a chain saw on the list because they were buying a house with some old dead trees in the yard. The nice thing about the list is they are suggestions. It's not like you're demanding anything so no one can be angry about what's there.

Good luck!

Answer 5

We just got married, and so did the whole wedding registry thing. Here's what I recommend:

* Get registered at no more than 3 places.
Bed Bath & Beyond is a great place to register for both cookware and linens, although their tableware selection isn't that impressive. The cool thing with BBB is that anything you get from them on your registry (or even off your registry) and don't want - you can return for cash, not store credit. When we registered, Bed, Bath and Beyond gave us a BIG CHECKLIST of pretty much everything most couples can register for:
* Fine dining ware (china and silverware, and glasses)
* Casual / everyday dining ware (plates/bowls/etc, and flatware, and glasses)
*Serving ware (vegetable dishes, pitchers, casserole dishes, teapots, etc.)
*Cook ware (from skillets and stock pots to spatulas and pizza cutters, knife sets, garlic presses)
*Kitchen stuff - perhaps you might need some food storage stuff like tupperware or rubbermaid, or things like trash cans, paper towel racks, dish towels etc.

Bedroom: sheet sets, blankets, comforters, etc.
Bathroom: towels for you and your spouse, guest towels, shower curtain and bath rugs.

for the house: some furniture if you need it, luggage for travel

We also registered at Crate and Barrel (for our flatware and glassware) and Macy's (for our fine dining and casual dining ware, and some luggage). All three places have websites that allow for easy online ordering as well as store registry options. Target is also a good place.

Be sure to have lots of items on your registry, at a variety of prices. Some relatives and close friends of either family might be willing to spend a couple hundred, while other friends and relatives might prefer to stick in lower ranges - or pick up a bundle of low-priced items like cooking utensils. The more stuff you put on your registry, the more options you are giving your guests to get you things that you actually want and match your tastes, rather than leaving things open for them to choose the gift.

Don't be afraid for going for quality stuff - you want it to last!
At the high end, we had some china sets and a good vacuum cleaner, and at the low end, some glass photo coasters and cooking spoons.

Plan to spend some time registering at each place. We shopped around several stores before deciding which places to get our dining ware at - after all, you'll be using this stuff for a long time!

With most registries that are available online, you will be able to manage them (see what has been purchased, and add new stuff that you forgot the first time around). The online registries also make it easy to remember thank you notes.

Answer 6

What ever you need to start a home, Just keep it short. Also I would register at a few different places and National chains. Like you could register at Target and then at a high end store like Dillards. That way people in any budget can get you something off the registry. I like the national stores, because iif you have family from out of state, then they can purchase you something beforehand and bring it, or at least they can look at the registry before hand and have some ideas of what to get.

Answer 7

It is VERY poor etiquette to include registry information in the invitation. It is implying that they better be bearing gifts, not just that you want them to share your special day. Registries are for showers, which were given for the purpose of giving gifts to help set up the couple's new home. It's best to just spread the word to family and the bridal party as to where you are registered, and let wedding guests ask for that information! Please don't do something tacky! Best of Luck!

Answer 8

Setting up a household is expensive. Even buying things like toilet paper, paper towels, laundry soap & cleaners can add up quickly.

Go to a bridal site to take a look. Then register with several places and on-line too. Places like Kohl's, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Crate & Barrel, Sears. Even places like Meijer's & Target have registries. And register in all kinds of categories & price ranges.

One of my most treasured gifts was from one of my students, when I taught. He'd saved his allowance to buy us matching salt & pepper shakers.

Answer 9

Humm..... I was just doing mine this is what I put.

pan/pot set
dishes
china
silverwear
blender
toaster
food processor
mixer
coffee maker
luggage set
bed in a bag
extra nice sheets.
vases
picture frames
serving dishes
wine/beer/margarita/and martini glasses
everyday glasses
I put a wine cooler.

I'm sure there are a few things that I forgot to put but I hope this helps. And I actually started both of mine on line, so that's a good way to get started.

Answer 10

All the things needed for a kitchen...dishes, utensils, silverware, pots and pans, etc.

Don't forget your bedroom, register for linens, etc. And towels for the bathroom.