Wedding Registry

The purpose of a wedding registry is to give the engaged couple a way to tell their potential guests what they need. The couple chooses from the items the retailer offers, and creates a listing of the items they would like to have in their future home. The bridal registry was first developed by the Marshall Fields department store in Chicago in 1924. This world-famous store wanted a way for engaged couples to share their china choices with their friends and family.

In 1993, William J. Veeneman invented a way to track and prepare a list of wedding gifts electronically. Target was the first retail store to provide this service to customers. After Veeneman patented his design and began offering it to other retailers, most major retail chains began offering this service to their customers. The electronic gift registry is powered by a service called the Gift Certificate Center. Even hardware stores are now offering bridal gift registries to couples. Large retailers are now offering gift registries for other occasions, such as graduations and baby showers. With services such as a baby registry, anyone can tell their potential gift-givers what they really need.

There are many benefits for a couple creating a wedding registry. First, most wedding guests appreciate having a list of what the couple needs. No one wants to be the one to buy the couple their fifth toaster. With electronic wedding gift registries, when a guest buys something for the couple, it is automatically removed from the list.

Registering for wedding gifts also gives the new couple the ability to keep track of the items they have for their new life as a married couple. For example, when the bride sees towels on sale that would match her bathroom perfectly, she can check her registry quickly to see if towels have been purchased. If they still need towels, she can purchase the towels at the sale price, and remove them from her registry. This eliminates the problem of having too many of one thing, and none of another after all of the gifts are opened.

Finally, having a wedding registry saves the couple from the embarrassment of answering questions about their needs. When a well-meaning friend or family member inquires as to what a couple wants as wedding gifts, many brides-to-be feel uncomfortable answering truthfully. The blushing bride may wonder how much the guest wants to spend, and how to offer some gift suggestions without sounding selfish or greedy. Having a bridal registry to direct the inquirer towards eliminates a potentially uncomfortable situation.

Every bride-to-be knows that every aspect of wedding planning involves etiquette rules, and registering for wedding gifts is no exception. Most of the etiquette rules involve how to tell your guests about your registry, without seeming demanding or rude. Before you head out to register, you should know the ins and outs of wedding registry etiquette.

The store where you register will likely give you cute cards to put inside your wedding invitations, but this is considered poor etiquette. Placing cards inside wedding invitations to direct people towards your bridal registry is viewed in the same manner as directly asking for a gift. But don’t worry, your guests will ask where you are registered, unless they already have a more personal gift idea in mind. Be sure to tell your close family members, particularly your parents, where you are registered, as they are likely to be asked by potential guests.

New types of gift registries are popping up across the country. Many couples wonder if it is proper to register for non-traditional items. While older guests may find this practice strange, it is considered perfectly acceptable to register for non-traditional gifts, such as honeymoon registries or mortgage payments. Many of your guests will enjoy buying these non-traditional items, which have more lasting value than a set of measuring cups or a package of towels.

Another aspect of creating a bridal registry is keeping your guests in mind. Registering for expensive items that you know you will not have to pay for is fun, and many couples find it tempting to register for items they could only dream about owning. Remember, however, that you are going to have a wide variety of guests at your wedding, each with their own unique budget needs.

Here is a scenario for your consideration. You have only registered for larger end items, with the idea that you will be able to purchase the less expensive items as a couple with the money you receive as wedding gifts. Your grandmother wants to buy you something you can really use, but she is living on a fixed income, and cannot afford to buy a larger cost item. When she goes to the store to check your registry, she is going to feel frustrated and discouraged because she cannot afford something off your wedding registry. Or she may feel obligated to buy the two of you something she really cannot afford.

Another reason to consider your guests’ budgets when registering for your wedding gifts is the impression you build about yourselves as a couple. If your registry only contains expensive items, some guests may get the wrong impression that you are greedy. To avoid building a negative rapport with your guests, register for items in a wide variety of price ranges.

In today’s society, most new brides face a wedding with family and friend scattered across the country. This means that the conscientious bride will register at retail locations that are nation-wide. Talk to friends in different parts of the country to find out what major retail chains they have in their towns.

The bride might find that she has to register at a few local stores, especially if she wants to add fine china to her wedding registry. The “big box” retail stores do not usually have fine china. This is not a problem for most out-of-town guests, provided the couple also registers for a gift registry at national stores as well. The guests who do not have access to the local store will either choose to buy a gift when they arrive in town for the wedding, or they will choose to shop at the national retailer.

Popular retailers for many couples to use to create their bridal registries include Wal-Mart, Target, Kohl’s, K Mart, and Bed Bath and Beyond. By creating gift registries at several of these stores, the couple can ensure that their out-of-town guests have a variety of stores to choose from. This ensures that there is a store on the registry that is in most towns where their friends and family live.

Many new brides are so excited about creating a wedding registry that they leave their grooms to be out of the equation. Registering for wedding gifts is a fun activity to do as a couple. Even if the groom opts out of going on the registering outing, he can help make decisions in regards to what to register for. After all, your groom will be living with the items you register for as long as you will!

One reason to include your groom is to help control your registering fever! Your future spouse will often have a cooler head about the gift registry process than you will. Also, two heads are better than one when creating a bridal registry. Your fiancé can help you remember items that are easily overlooked

Remember to ask your fiancé’s opinion about the items you are registering for. You may love the rose and gold china pattern, but if he hates it, the two of you will never use it. Choose patterns and silverware designs that both of you like, because you will both be receiving them as gifts.

You may be surprised with the ideas your future husband has about the gift registry! Make a date out of registering for your wedding gifts. You can spend the day perusing department stores registering for gifts, then go out for a romantic dinner and talk about your future together.

Before you and your fiancé head to the stores to start your wedding registry, do some planning. Registering for wedding gifts is fun, but it can be draining. You will be visiting many stores, thinking about the items you need for your home, and walking up and down aisles looking for items. Remember to pack water and a snack to have when you start to feel tired. You will be surprised by how quickly creating a gift registry can drain your energy.

Make a list of the items you need for your home. Be practical, but remember to include fun items as well. Take this list with you to the stores, and check off items as you register for them. This checklist will eliminate the problem of registering for the same type of item at multiple locations, creating the five toaster scenario.

Dress for the occasion when you are going out to create wedding registries! This is the time to wear comfortable shoes, because building a registry requires plenty of walking. Plan your route so that you do not do too much backtracking going from one store to the other. If you are unsure as to which store you want to use for which items, consult the Internet before leaving. Most stores will have a list of the brands and products they offer on their web sites. A little research can save you time while shopping for your gift registry.

Now you are finally ready to create a wedding registry! This is where it gets fun! Head to the first store on your list, and walk straight to the customer service counter. This is where they will either have the registry information, or will be able to direct you towards the registry department.

Explain to the registry department that you are looking to create a bridal registry. They will likely give you a bridal packet. In this packet you will receive a checklist of common items that brides register for. Before you head into the store, compare this checklist to the one you already created, and add any items you forgot. Then, it is time to shop!

Most modern registry systems equip the bride and groom with a handheld scanner. They use this scanner to record the items they want added to the registry. The computer then tabulates the registry in the store’s mainframe, and guests around the country can access it and shop for wedding gifts.

Be sure to ask about online gift registries. Most stores offer their gift registry services online. This is the perfect way to edit or share your gift registry. You can e-mail your friends and family the details about your registry, and you can add to it or change it online. Your guests can also shop from the online wedding registry, and many times the store will ship the items to you for free. This service is also available for many baby registry services.

As wedding registries are becoming more and more popular, some couples are learning that they can register for less traditional items. Most couples will include standard items on their wedding registry, such as household supplies, linens, china, appliances, crystal, and silver. But the wedding registry world is changing rapidly.

One type of non-traditional wedding registry is a home improvement registry. The groom-to-be will love creating this gift registry! A home improvement registry is a registry at a hardware or home improvement store. The gift registry will include tools and supplies that most new couples need to spruce up their homes. This is a great way to get your future spouse the power tools he needs.

Other couples find that registering for mortgage down payments helps them buy their first home. Many times family members want to help the couple purchase a home, but are concerned that if they give them a check it might go towards another purchase. Couples can create registries through mortgage companies that friends and family can use to contribute money towards the couple’s down payment on their home.

If both the bride and groom are planning on working, housekeeping often goes by the wayside. The practical couple may want to register for housecleaning services. Another non-traditional bridal registry option is vacation and honeymoon travel arrangements. Many guests will enjoy knowing that they contributed to a vacation for the new couple.

The wedding registry is an excellent way to give friends and family information about the things you need for your new life. They are fun and easy to create, and help with the organization and planning for the new home. If you are getting married in the near future, it is time to get out there and register for wedding gifts!