HOW TO GET WEDDING GIFTS THAT YOU ACTUALLY WANT

Okay, this is probably one of the MOST FUN tasks of wedding planning… BUILDING YOUR WEDDING REGISTRY! If you’re like some people, you probably have a specific list of exactly what you want and need as you start your new chapter of life. Maybe you don’t need a new set of pots and pans but maybe you do need some extra cash in your savings account.

Most of your guests are going to get you a gift to celebrate this new chapter in your life, so they might as well get you something that you want and will use!

Have you truly thought about what you want on your registry? There are a ton of different ways to set up a wedding registry. Here are a few examples –

Physical Gifts & Housewares –

Pick your favorite stores and set up your registry online or in-person at the nearest locations. Some popular ones are: Target, Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond and Crate & Barrel.

CASH –

Even if you communicate that you prefer only cash gifts, we still encourage you to set up an online cash registry fund solely for the convenience of your guests (helps them avoid a trip to the ATM).

Honeymoon Fund –

Similarly to the cash fund, you can set up an online honeymoon fund for convenience. This is a great option for those couples who feel like they already have the necessities. Even if you have already booked your honeymoon, some extra spending money never hurts! Some sites even have options for your guests to put money towards excursions and activities while you’re on your honeymoon. There are a lot of great sites out there for this, so you will want to do your research to find the one that’s best for you.

A MIX –

We see plenty of couples who choose to open up all of these options for their guests to make it accessible to all different budgets.

Let’s talk Physical Gifts & Housewares –

It’s important to first take a mental inventory of what you and your fiancé will have combined. Be sure to talk about the things that you have but may need to replace because of wear and tear.
If you are moving right before or after your wedding, it’s important to factor in the size difference of your new home! Will you go from a one bedroom to a two or three bedroom? If your new space will be larger, don’t hesitate to add in a few of those big ticket items like bed frames, larger pieces of furniture, etc. There is no pressure for your guests to choose that, but you never know when someone will!
On the opposite end of big ticket items, be sure to make sure that you have a wide selection of cheaper small budget friendly items.

Think about new habits and hobbies! Are you and your soon-to-be-spouse planning on picking up any new hobbies when the wedding is over? Your guests will love seeing those items on your registry and they will probably be the first ones purchased. Will you set up a garden after your wedding? Gardening tools are a very popular registry gift!
Only double up if you truly want duplicates! For example, if you see two different brands of blenders that you like but only want to worry about storing one, then only put one on your registry. A common exception from this is comforters! Never hurts to have multiple comforters for a change of season and of course for laundry day!

Add your selected items to your registry by key areas such as bedroom (more than 1?), living room, bathroom, dining room, kitchen, dining room, etc to ensure that nothing is missed.
Don’t expect all of your registry to be purchased by your guests. That doesn’t happen often. Start with your “must-haves” and add from there.
Don’t forget about the fur babies! We love seeing pet toys and supplies on registries!

A few important tips:

Are you doing a wedding shower? Have your registry locked and loaded before then so that your shower guests can knock a few things off your list!
Don’t forget to communicate where you are registered to your guests. If you have a wedding website then be sure to list it there and on your wedding invitations.
Keep an eye on your registry! If you see that a lot of your registry items have been purchased then don’t hesitate to add on to it! Keep plenty of sensible options available for your guests to choose from.
If you are using a 3rd party wedding website such as Zola or The Knot then be sure to link your new accounts on there to make it easily accessible for guests.

Take your time with your registry, but don’t hold back from making one! Your guests will even thank you for it because no one likes guessing what gift to get for someone!