One of the pre-wedding activities that is quite popular is creating your gift registry. This allows you to select things ahead of time that you know you and your groom will use in your future home, so your guests know exactly what to get you.
Here in the states, I most often hear the following stores as good places to register: Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, Macys, Crate and Barrel. They are well-known chains so anyone can get you a gift or gift card online or in-store, and they have a ton of inventory so most things won’t go out of stock (unless you set it up too far in advance prior to the big day.)
Before you set up your registry, talk to your partner about the things that you would like to have in your home. What type of style? What color scheme? What are the must-haves, and the nice to haves? Aligning on this BEFORE you’re in the middle of a department store is highly recommended! But know that you will not both agree on everything and will need to find a middle point to meet on some items….this is where that word “compromise” comes in!
Remember that your home needs to reflect you BOTH so make sure you select items that represent you both as individuals and a couple. You will want to make sure you get the basics like bed sheets and plates, but don’t forget about the things that will make your house feel like a home. Some of my favorite registry items that we received were pieces of wall art and some unique bed side tables that matched our color scheme.
Also remember that whether you ask for them or not, you will likely get a lot of gift cards (and some from places other than where you register which isn’t always a bad thing.) I recommend saving them up until you have a batch big enough to make a big run to the store. My husband and I saved all of our gift cards until after the wedding and then we used those cards to purchase the rest of our registry lists (and more!)
There will be some people who will not buy from your registry, and that’s ok. You WILL get multiple picture frames (that may or may not be your style). And you’ll probably get a few kitchen gadgets that you have no idea how to use. Some of these can be super special additions to your home, since you never thought to purchase them.
Creating a registry can be a lot of fun and these days store apps make them super easy to manage. Many stores will also let you know if an item runs out of inventory or has been removed from their stock. So keep an eye on this and then don’t forget to write your thank you cards to the people that give you gifts!
With love,
Girl with a diamond ring
GIRL WITH A DIAMOND RING 