When you start planning your wedding you're generally thinking about the wedding day and sometimes forget about what life will be like after the honeymoon is over. Such as what you will need for your new home. Making your wedding registry can be so much fun but also very overwhelming as you try to imagine things you can't live without and what you just want. I know from my experience 16+ years ago I was so excited to click away and register for items. I quickly realized how much stuff we actually needed because we got married young and didn't live on our own before getting married. When we got married we literally had the the basics and really started from square one. And because of this I didn't really know what I would need on a daily basis and what was a luxury item. I also didn't want to add a burden to our guests by registering for very expensive things. I was extremely concerned about making sure that our guests didn't feel the pressure to purchase a gift for us that they couldn't afford. So I purposely registered for simple and basic things. Most of them were exactly what we needed and others were really poor quality because I focused too much on price rather than quality. Looking back I would have registered for slightly better / more expensive and much higher quality pots and pans as well as cutlery. We had to replace those items with in the first year of marriage because what we had registered for was such bad quality because they were so cheaply made. We also registered for a few things that we were told "you must have this", for example a crockpot and a rice cooker. For our daily lives we don't use either of those. So looking back we could have benefited by registering for more practical things that we use in our daily lives. Not sure what to register for? Here a few ideas of things that I find extremely useful for everyday life as well as tips for when you are setting up your wedding registry.
IDEAS ON WHAT TO REGISTER FOR
1: High quality pots and pans.
This is one that I HIGHLY recommend, especially if you cook on a daily basis like we do. You don't need to get the industrial size and restaurant quality stuff, but skip that $50 set and go for the medium range. Believe me this one thing you will use for years to come if you have the right set!
2. High quality cutlery set and flatware
Inexpensive cutlery sets will become dull after a short period of time. Registering for a higher quality set will keep your knives sharp longer! Remember to take good care of them and sharping them on a regular basis. This also applies to your flatware, I've seen some very beautiful and cost friendly sets at Bed and Bath Beyond, and Target but make sure you read the reviews on the set before adding it to your registry.
3. Coffee machine
Now days there are some amazing coffee and tea machines to choose from. I personally think the Keurig is the best invention ever! I mean you have so many more options than just making one giant pot of coffee. They are more expensive that a traditional coffee maker but you can make tea, espresso, and cold brewed coffee with it, not to mention you waste WAY less coffee if you're a one cup kind of person.
4. Sheets
Bedding!! This is so important for a good nights rest and soft comfortable sheets are something I can't live without. You don't have to go for the crazy expensive 800 thread count sheets, there are lots of really good sheets in the 400 thread count for half the cost but still really good quality.
5. Bath towels
I suggest registering for the extra long towels, it's so much more comforting when you get out of the shower and the towel actually wraps around your whole body. Skip the super cheap $3.00 towels, believe me they won't last!! However, I do think that it's okay to go cheap on the washcloths, the basic ones "get the job done" anyway. haha And you can easily and cheaply replace them when they need to be thrown out.
TIPS FOR YOUR WEDDING REGISTRY
1. Have several price points to choose from.
As I said before to avoid burdening your guests with the prices on your wedding registry, make sure to have a nice selection and a wide range of price points to choose from. However, there is nothing wrong with having a few luxury items on the list if your guests are feeling extra generous.
3. Look at the return and exchange policies.
Having a registry means that more than likely you will love all the gifts you receive. However, there may be times where you get multiples of the same item or you might even decided you really don’t need that item after all. So plan ahead to make sure that the stores you choose register at offers exchanges and refunds, be sure ask what their policy for returns and exchanges is.
4. Register at two or more stores.
Give your guests a few selections to choose from, both online and and in store. This will make it easier for them to shop for you, especially if they live in a town that does not have one of the stores on your list. That will give them the option to purchase on line and maybe even have it shipped directly to you!
5. Register early.
This will make it easier for your guests when it comes to your showers and wedding day. Don’t wait until the last minute because your guests might be frustrated and buy you something you don’t want or need only because you didn’t have your registry available for them to purchase from.
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