By: Alexandria Baker
Registries: One of the first things people will ask about when you get engaged. Did you pick a date, what is your venue, do you know where you are going to register? Picking all of those things can be hard enough, and now you also have to put together a list of items that you may or may not use for years to come. The Divas are hoping to take some of the stress out of this step for you. We scoured the internet to find the best advice, and even asked some recent brides about their experience to get you all the info in one easy read.
Let’s start with the basics: What should I include on my registry?
The short answer: WHATEVER YOU WANT! Making a registry is about curating a list of things that you actually want and think you will use, after all it is about filling you and your partner's future home. One way to think about this is going through your day to day life: What do I use most in the bathroom to get ready in the morning (towels, blow dryer, etc.), what would make my life easier in the kitchen (Keurig, better utensils, etc.). Thinking like that will help you add items that you will make use of on a regular basis. If you are already living with your partner and are established in your home, take the opportunity of a registry to replace some of your favorite things with a newer version. Again, filling your registry is all about your personal taste… one of the current Diva brides even included a soccer jersey because she is a huge fan!
Next up: Where do I register?
There are so many choices in the world of houseware that you can choose to use for your registry. This really is also up to preference of the type of things that you are looking for. With the increasing use of wedding websites, more brides are finding it easier to register at multiple places and give their guests access to each in one easy spot. Common stores include Target, Amazon, Macy’s, and Crate and Barrel. These stores are said to allow brides to create their registry with ease as well as allowing guests the flexibility to shop in-store or online. Something to keep in mind when selecting where to register is that some stores offer kickbacks. For example, if you still have items left on the registry after your wedding, places such as Target will give you 10-15% off of the remaining items as an incentive to complete your registry. Other stores even offer gifts or future discounts for registry completion.
Each store offers similar yet different items, and they all have a wide range of price points. Putting items of all price points allows guests with varying budgets to find the perfect gift! Some guests may load up on all the small items, where others may be more inclined to make a larger purchase on a big ticket item. Having the variety allows you to make sure you get the things you want as well as giving your guests ample options. Which brings us to the next thing that brides tend to struggle with…
Registry Guilt
“I don’t want to put anything too expensive on there because I don’t want my family and friends to be put out over purchasing a gift.” Many brides have this feeling, and we’re here to say, that’s totally normal! Grandma Jane may be pushing you to put the $400 KitchenAid stand mixer on your registry but you know it’s something that you will never use and don’t want anyone to “waste” money on it. That is your prerogative! Like many things regarding your wedding, people will always have opinions, and you do not have to listen to them. On the other side of that, if you want to register for that $700 Dyson Vacuum, go for it! One of the brides we spoke to said it best: “yo
u never know who may feel generous to buy you that big ticket item you have been wanting.” Best part is if someone does buy it for you, that is money
that you save and can use elsewhere, whether it be in house purchases or towards a honeymoon fund.
Honeymoon Funds: Should I do or is it tacky?
Let’s say you are already fully established in a
home and really don’t need or want anything house related – you can create a Honeymoon fund instead of registering for items. Some of the older generation may find this to be tacky and that you are just asking for money, but we are in 2023…times are changing! Most wedding websites have the option to set these up when you set up your registry. It allows people to donate cash or gift cards for you to use on your honeymoon. Some people even include the option to give an experience on their honeymoon. For example, if you are going to an island resort you can have the option for someone to give you a snorkeling excursion while you are there! Snorkeling is not your thing? That’s okay, you can put a couple’s beach massage on there instead. If you are conscious of your audience, framing things in that manner may be better. This way they feel like they are still giving you a gift instead of just money. Either way - this is about you and what you want! So pick what is going to be best for you and your partner!
Now that we covered majority of the basics, we asked a couple of our Brides about their registry experience, here is what they had to say:
What was your favorite part about registering?
Picking out specific items for our home,upgrading items we’ve had for years that were second hand, being able to decorate our space to make it feel like our home, and finding new items that we would never buy ourselves; like a towel warmer! Game changer
Any advice for future couples and putting together a registry?
Just add it - it’s never too much stuff. You can always return it if you feel it's unnecessary or unneeded down the road (as long as it's unopened, of course). People want to buy you things so let them! Also, it's better to have your registry up early as some family members gifted items from their registries for birthdays and Christmas that fell before the wedding. If you don’t own a home together yet, it’s a perfect time to stock your dream house with items like dishes and small kitchen appliances..
We hope you found this helpful in the process of building your registry. To recap, put whatever YOU want/need on there, it’s okay to pick multiple stores, there are ways to make it easy and keep everything in one place, registry guilt exists and it’s okay to have it, but don’t dwell and do what is best for you! And lastly, honeymoon funds exist for a reason, jump on and do it if you want to.
To end, here is a list of items that our Brides loved and skipped on their registries.
Loved:
1. Food Saver - good for those bulk food shoppers, and meal preppers!
2. Cordless Vacuum - good for those small spaces in your home, usually lightweight, portable Brands: Dyson, Shark, Tineco
3. Quality Cookware Brands: All-Clad, Calphalon
4. Potato Peeler (Ro-tat-o) - makes life easy for potato lovers!
5. Quality bed sheets (brands with natural fibers like bamboo or cotton) - Brands: Boll & Branch, Wamsutta, Silk & Snow
6. Quality Bath Towels (anything with Turkish cotton loops) - Brands: Wamsutta, Madison Park, Threshold(Target)
Skipped:
1. Wine Bottle holder - who only keeps a singular bottle of wine in the house?!
2. Fine China - Will you actually use it? This is an item that is much more sentimental when it's passed down in the family!
3. Seasonal items - You don’t know what you are going to use until you are in your home! Are you actually going to host Thanksgiving or are you just dreaming about it?
4. Small (cheap) appliances - Farberware toaster oven (cheap college kind of brand, add something that will last), electric can openers (what if there’s no power?!)
5. Flatware that’s not stainless steel - Does it pass the ice cream test? Can I use it without it bending or breaking?