Brides spend countless hours choosing items to make their wedding day memorable. Painstakingly, they chose the perfect dress, interview countless photographers and sample menus from a variety of catering companies before making their final decision.
All of these elements must blend together perfectly to make this one day the most exquisite day of their lives. Family and friends will come bearing gifts to help the new couple set up their new home and begin their new life together. It is these gifts that remain after all of the fanfare of the wedding day slowly fades away into memories. “Oh, we got that for our wedding,” will be how they proudly refer to these possessions decades down the line. But the question is, should couples register for these gifts or let the guests decide what they’d like to give for themselves?
Oftentimes couples are worried that registering for their wedding makes them look “greedy”, but in reality, these couples are making life a whole lot easier for those who want to wish them a happy lifetime together. In reality, the bride and groom are not close, personal friends with every single person on their guest list, and no one wants to show up at a wedding empty handed; a registry is the perfect way to combat both of these problems!
What happens if couples don't register?
If a couple decides not to register for gifts, they are left with an inevitable pile of duplicate gifts, items that don’t match their existing décor and things that are just plain…well, ugly. Most times these gifts do not come with a gift receipt or a clue as where to return them. Before their eyes, their table full of wedding gifts will become the fodder for their next yard sale.
Where do couples begin?
It is best to register at a national chain, such as Bed Bath and Beyond, Crate and Barrel or Target. This will make it convenient for all out-of-town guests, and these retailers can also ship gifts to the bride and groom as a service for guests that are unable to attend the wedding. To appease all guests, the bride and groom should register for a wide assortment of gifts in varying price ranges. As an added benefit, these retailers offer gift packaging as well, which also passes on added savings to their guests.
How will guests know about the registry?
Word of mouth is the best way to spread information about where a couple is registered, and most retailers do offer, for free, small cards with information about their store and how to purchase a gift, which can be put inside shower invitations.
Planning a wedding is hard work! Registering, however, is an incredible amount of fun. Brides and grooms should most definitely register to ensure that their guests have the opportunity to know what to buy them so that their gifts will be enjoyed, not set out on the lawn with a sticker reading “free”.
