Long gone are the days when you and your new husband open your wedding gifts and find that you have received ten different types of toasters. No longer will Aunt Maggie get you those odd unnecessary gifts she is so prone to giving. Wedding registries have changed the face of gift-giving forever. In a nutshell, an engaged couple will choose a store or stores from which they would prefer to get their gifts. To make the gift-giving even easier for guests, before the wedding, the couple has walked through the store hand-selecting the specific items (including quantity, color and style) they wish to adorn their new home and life with. Guests then visit the store, get a copy of the couple’s wish list/registry and shop for those specific items. As technology has advanced, couples can now create their wedding registries online which guests can view, guests can then order the gifts online and the couple can get a real-time view of their wedding registry which will show which items have been bought and which are still pending. In essence, all phases of the gift selection and purchase can be done online without ever having to step foot into the store itself.
Choose Your Store or Stores
The first order of business is for the couple to choose the store or stores they wish to create their wedding registry with. There are a few things to consider. Not everybody on their guest list will have internet access to view the gift registry, so they must make sure that the store/stores are physically accessible to most guests. In other words, if there is a great Mom and Pop specialty chef store in the city you live in, but most of your guests will be coming from out of town, you may not want to create a registry with that specific store. It is absolutely fine to choose multiple stores, as long as you do not pick similar items from each store. You do not want to be met with the above scenario of ten different toasters.
Create a Diverse Registry
While many couples would love to have big-ticket items paid for, including furniture and electronic equipment, you must create a registry that includes all price ranges. While many parents may wish to buy pricey gifts for the new couple, you can’t expect your Uncle Ben, who lives on a small pension, to buy you a $200 present. Include many small ticket items on your registry. You will have a wide array of guests, all with different financial backgrounds. Consider this when creating your registry.
Do Not Get Too Eager
For many couples, choosing items for their gift registry is a fun experience. It is akin to a shopping spree where the couple can choose from thousands of items. However, you must not create your registry too early. It is best to create your registry up to two months from the date of the wedding. The reason for this is that many items are seasonal. If you choose items for your registry a year ahead of time, many items may be unavailable or out of stock as you get closer to the actual wedding date, which is when guests will begin purchasing gifts. Also, while creating your online gift registry, it may be helpful to actually visit the store, as well. Not all items may be available online. Finally, if you can help it, try your best to avoid looking online everyday to see which items have been purchased. It’s nice to have some element of surprise where your wedding gifts are concerned.
