Congratulations on your recent proposal! Chances are, you’ve already started planning for your big day, which includes creating your wedding registry. For those who got engaged or are planning to propose in the fall, this article on fall wedding proposal ideas can provide some great inspiration and tips to make your engagement even more special.
For newly-engaged couples who haven’t lived together before, creating a wedding registry is often straightforward. However, cohabiting couples who already have a well-established household may find it more challenging to identify items for their registry. For such couples seeking unique and meaningful additions to their wedding registry, Etuhome offers a variety of options, from elegant home decor to functional kitchenware, that can enhance any home. To help you out, I have provided several hacks to help you through this process. You’ll also find answers to questions like:
- What is a registry for a wedding?
- Is it necessary to have a wedding registry?
- When should you create a wedding registry?
- What goes on a wedding registry if you already live together?
- Do older couples have a wedding registry?
What Is a Registry for a Wedding?
Also known as a bridal registry, this is a curated list of gifts that you and your partner-to-be wish to receive on your wedding day. For a wide range of options to build your perfect registry, you can visit Crate and Barrel. They offer a diverse selection of items that can suit any couple’s needs and preferences for their special day.
Creating this list is a service that’s typically offered by a website or retail store. The main concept is to make it easy for you to communicate your preferred gifts to guests. So once you’ve compiled the list of items on the vendor’s website or retail store, it’s then shared with all the guests.
Is It Necessary to Have a Wedding Registry?
A wedding registry isn’t mandatory. However, I’d highly recommend one given the benefits it offers, such as:
Avoid duplicate gifts
While it’s nice to get a brand new cookware set, you don’t want to end up with 10 such units. You’d just end up regifting them to someone else.
With a wedding registry, guests choose specific items they’ll buy from your curated list. This ensures that no two people will buy the same item.
Get what you actually want
Most guests have the best intentions when buying wedding gifts.
Unfortunately, some of these items won’t be beneficial to you while others are just outright absurd. For instance, imagine getting a pet on your wedding day. Regardless of how adorable it looks, the pet will need a ton of care and financial commitment.
Enjoy discounts
Chances are, not all the gifts you list down will be purchased.
Fortunately, most wedding registries allow you to purchase these items at a discounted price. So if there’s any item that you really wanted and didn’t get, you’ll have an opportunity to buy it later.
When Should You Create a Wedding Registry?
One of the most important things to consider when creating a wedding registry is timing. You’ll want to allow your guests ample time to research and look for ways to buy the wedding gifts. In that regard, create the registry at least 4 to 6 months in advance.
What Goes on a Wedding Registry if You Already Live Together?
If you’ve been living with your potential partner long before the wedding, then you might find it slightly challenging to create a wedding registry. That’s because your house is already well-furnished and stocked with appliances.
For couples facing this dilemma, consider including items in your registry that need an upgrade or luxurious items you wouldn’t normally purchase. Think about upgrading your patio pillows, bedding, or even adding a fancy door camera or a smart trash can to your list. Additionally, if you prefer experiences over material gifts, you might opt to have guests contribute towards your honeymoon. To explore honeymoon destinations and make bookings, check out Expedia, where you can plan and book the perfect honeymoon getaway.
Do Older Couples Have a Wedding Registry?
Sure, they do. There’s nothing wrong with older couples creating a wedding registry. If anything, they’re relieving guests a ton of stress.
Sometimes, older couples about to wed are in the process of blending two families. And this means, they already own a lot of stuff. So the more precise they can get about the gifts they’d like, the better.
Despite all this advice, you might still be feeling a bit lost or overwhelmed when creating your wedding registry. So to put your mind at ease, here are 10 hacks that are sure to help:
10 Hacks for the Best Wedding Registry
1. Start as Soon as Possible
As started earlier, creating a wedding registry is something you should do pretty early. If you wait too long, your guests will have looked for other gift ideas, and perhaps even purchased them. Or, they might not have sufficient time to save for the gifts you’ve proposed.
2. Consider a “Hold” Registry
Some guests might want to buy your wedding gifts early, and that’s totally fine. For such occasions, it’s good to have a hold registry that helps you stay organized.
Planning a wedding is already so much work. So the last thing you want is to start keeping track of gifts in the middle of the planning process.
With a hold registry, you’ll be notified when an item is purchased, but the product is only shipped when you’re ready to receive it. Additionally, to make the process even smoother, consider using this wedding registry checklist available on Amazon. It’s a handy tool for keeping track of purchased gifts, allowing you to update your registry list efficiently and avoid duplicates.
3. Adhere to Wedding Registry Price Range Guidelines
Another point to keep in mind is the price of your wedding registry items. Look for reasonably-priced gifts that range between $50 and $200.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you shouldn’t include big-ticket items (I see you contemplating that $500 espresso machine). Some guests might want to splurge or contribute towards a group gift. However, such pricey items should make up just a small proportion.
4. Register for Multiple Gifts
One mistake that couples make is to register for just a few gifts. The best thing to do is to register for numerous gifts so guests have a wide range of options to pick from. Ideally, your list should contain more gifts than there are guests.
5. Write Thank You Notes
Your guests went through the trouble of getting you exactly what you want. So the least you could do is to send a thank you note. You don’t have to do right after your wedding as you’ll probably be resting from all the planning. But, try to send these notes a few weeks or a month after the event.
Five Best Wedding Registry for Modern Couples
Part of creating a good registry entails choosing the right service provider or vendor to work with. So, here are 5 top-rated wedding registries:
6. Amazon
This giant retail site lets you register for just about everything under the sun. Couples can take advantage of the 2-day free shipping on valid items, and a 20% completion discount.
7. MyRegistry
This is one of the most diverse wedding registries. It allows you to register for unique gifts, such as skydiving lessons, cooking classes and more.
8. Wedzee
Wedzee allows you to not only shop for wedding gifts but also resell any items that you don’t need after your big day.
9. Hitchd
Couples that like to travel will likely appreciate a contribution towards a travel experience more than tangible gifts. It doesn’t have to be an expensive affair either. It could be something as simple as paying for a flight, dinners or poolside cocktails and Hitchd is the perfect registry for this.
10. Bloomingdales
Boasting years of experience under their belt, Bloomingdales is another wedding registry site worth considering. One thing that sets it apart is the no-strings free shipping policy for guests who shop on this registry.
Conclusion
Creating a wedding registry doesn’t have to be stressful. With a couple of tips, this process should be a piece of cake. These hacks include creating your wedding registry early, registering for multiple gifts, listing gifts at different price-points, and choosing the right registry platform.
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