I’m not going to lie registering was so much fun but it was also a huge wedding task. First off, it is so amazing to be able to register and have our friends and family help us get up and running as we start our lives together as newlyweds! However, registering can be daunting. I know I felt a little stressed about it and about getting it right. To help get you on the right foot going into the registering process, I’m sharing a new edition of Wedding Wednesday: How to Register full of tips and tricks. Stay tuned for next Wednesday’s post all about my bridal shower! P.S. a very special thanks to my sister/Maid of Honor, Sarah, for keeping track of all the gifts at my shower!
Wedding Wednesday: How to Register Tips & Tricks
Pick Where to Register Wisely
There are so many wonderful options for where to register now. Most people register at between 2-4 places depending on what the couple wants and needs. Some cities have special stores that have been around for decades or are speciality boutiques or are family owned stores that you might want to register at. Edwin and I registered at Gearys, which is a Los Angeles store (they have one location only, in Beverly Hills), for our wedding china. My parents registered there so my Mom loved going back and registering in the store with me. Charleston also has a beautiful store called Vieuxtemps that is a great local choice for registering. Otherwise, here are a few retailers that I recommend registering at: Williams Sonoma, Anthrolopogie, Pottery Barn, Neiman Marcus, Sur la Table, Crate & Barrel, Target, Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Barneys, and more!
Pick Who to Bring to Register with You
Listen to your gut for this tip! When we registered, Edwin and I went with my mom. My mom is an absolute pro at this type of thing! I knew I needed her help when we went into a Williams Sonoma about a month or two before we registered. I pointed out a super cute set of cookware with pineapple handles. My mom said it was adorable but super hard to stack and store with the odd handle shapes… my mind was blown… I never would have thought of that… she had to come register! My mom also stays calm, doesn’t get overwhelmed or carried away, and gives very sound advice so we really appreciated her help. Edwin came along too and was a great sport! It was a full, long day so it’s definitely not up every groom’s alley (Edwin was thrilled when we got through the day). If your groom doesn’t want to go, then I’d suggest not pushing him to come. He might not be into it or won’t get it, which could feel like a disappointment and change the energy of what could have been a fun day. Other people to consider bringing along: your future mother-in-law, sister, future sister-in-law, or bridesmaids. I recommend keeping the group small though otherwise it’s too many people in a busy store and too many opinions.
Register In Store (if you can) and then Build Up your Registry Online
Living in Los Angeles made it very easy to register in store because every retailer has a LA location. It is so helpful to see items in-person so you can visualize their size and color and feel their weight and texture. It can be hard to visualize how big and heavy a wooden cutting board will be in real life when you can only see it in a picture online. However, when you are registering in-person, it is easy to get caught up picking out exciting things like espresso makers and crockpots while completely glazing over smaller necessities like strainers and spatulas. So, I suggest you go home after registering in the store and build up your registry online. It is so easy to add to your registry online for most retailers! This is when you’ll see all the holes in your registry and realize that you’re missing salt and pepper shakers, slotted spoons (for pasta), and ramekins etc.
Use another Registry as a Guide
Using another registry as a guide was so helpful for me! After we went to the stores to register in-person, we went onto the store websites and filled in our registry more (see above). However, I was still left feeling like we were forgetting to register for obvious items… well, we were! So, I pulled up 3 other registries for upcoming weddings we’re attending and used those as a reference guide for filling in our own registry. It was so so helpful to cross reference lists this way!
A Few More Tips:
– Think about what you need based on you as a couple… do you already live together and already have some items like basic kitchen supplies, do you two like to entertain a lot, do you love to cook or bake?
– Go back into your registry after every shower or party you have and add to your registry/clean it up.
– Create a spreadsheet for the gifts you receive from your registry along with a column that checks off if you’ve sent a thank you note yet or not.
I hope this Wedding Wednesday: How to Register post helped a few of you brides-to-be out there! For more Wedding Wednesday posts head on over here.
Photography by Elyse Hall
