One benefit of hosting an amazing wedding is more wedding gifts! But what do you want and actually need? Read on for wedding registry advice to figure out where to get started and how to avoid ending up with unwanted items!
Wedding Registry Must-Haves
Five categories you must not overlook for your wedding registry include quality cookware, luxury linens, kitchen appliances, entertaining essentials, and home and decor!
Quality Cookware
Whether it’s a cast-iron skillet or an entire set of pots and pans, upgrade to cookware that will last!
Luxury Linens
What’s better than falling asleep to your new Husband or Wife in super comfy sheets! Or perhaps it’s time to upgrade those hand towels you still have from college?
Kitchen Appliances
This is it – now is the time to get a Kitchenaid! Or if you’re a caffeine addict, maybe you add a Keurig, Nespresso, or a fancy coffee maker to your registry.
Entertaining Essentials
Remember it’s your closest friends and family that will be buying these gifts. They are sure to be excited about the thought of you hosting them AND using something they gifted you! Add formal options to your wine, cocktail, or beer glass collection, or add in stylish bowls, boards, or platters to serve in style!
Avoid Unusable Gifts
Now that you have ideas on what to include on your list, we have some tips for you to help narrow down your choices. First of all, when choosing your items, keep in mind how much space you have in your living space. Do you really have counter space for that huge Kitchenaid? Evaluate your current living space before you head into a store or add items online to your registry that may end up in the donate pile.
On another note, if you get that item, how often will you use it? Is this something that you’ll have to make time to learn how to use? If so, don’t let us hold you back! Just be realistic on how much use you’ll get out of the item. Picking what you want to add to your registry can get overwhelming quickly. If you keep these tips in mind, they should go over a little more smoothly.
Cash Registries
Cash registries like Zola’s cash funds have become more popular over recent years. Sometimes couples don’t want new items for various reasons and would rather use that money for experiences or their honeymoon.
Whatever you decide to do with that money, cash registries can be a nice alternative to items. They allow you to decide exactly how that money is spent. If you can’t part ways with some items, some registries allow you to have both options.
Where to Create A Registry
Now you’re ready to make some choices! If you haven’t already, start creating a wedding website. It’s a one-stop shop for all things related to your wedding for your guests, and that includes your registry. Wedding websites like Zola allow you to create a registry right on their website templates. You can also link your registry from online stores like Amazon and Target. The added benefit of Target, Bed Bath + Beyond, etc is that you can go in person and get a better idea of what the items look like in real life.
Review It Once More!
Now that you’ve added all your favorite items to your registry (total quantity depending on how many guests you are inviting), you can sit back, relax, and watch them all be bought! Actually – nope! We advise checking in on your registry again at least four weeks before the wedding when a lot of your guests will be buying their gifts.
You might have filled it out six months prior and items could now be running slim from being previously purchased (perhaps for a wedding shower), or simply out-of-stock! Don’t forget to give your registry a small update around the time RSVPs are due.
Shop for the Life You’re Going to Have
It can be hard to realize that you’re needs are going to change, but trust us, they are and quickly. Once you’re married your life is likely to change, especially if you’re going to be moving in together for the first time.
If you’re coming from living with three roommates that keep the house messy and cleaning hasn’t been a priority then trust us, it will become a priority quickly. We can’t tell you how many couples get married thinking that a nice vacuum is unnecessary. Tell us how little you want a nice vacuum after spending a year going over your carpet for an hour only to make it look slightly better. It’s a good idea to add items to your registry with an understanding that your life is about to be different.
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