Bridal Registries

Imagine getting five four-slice toasters and six frying pans for your wedding… What are you supposed to do with them?! How much do they want you to eat?!! Or are your friends and relatives expecting to live at your place?!

To avoid this dilemma it’s a great idea to use a bridal registry, which is basically a list of items you need or want. Guests will use the bridal registry when purchasing your wedding gifts. Apart from avoiding duplication, bridal registries make it easier for your guests, who might be worried about giving you something you’ll hate or already have. Each time someone buys something from your bridal registry it is updated so that there is no risk of anyone else buying the same thing.

Many stores offer bridal registries, with some also letting you organise your bridal registry online. There are also a number of specialised online bridal registries available. Using an online bridal registry is great for people who can’t get to the physical store (e.g. people coming from overseas) or just prefer shopping in the comfort of their own home.

Start registering for gifts about six months before the wedding. This will give your guests ample time to purchase their gifts. It’s a good idea to register in more than one store. Two or three is better so there is more choice and it will make it easier for your guests to do their shopping if they’re not limited to one store.

Setting up a bridal registry is easy. All you have to do is go to your selected store, meet with one of the personal consultants, and choose your gifts, which will be recorded on the list. If using an online bridal registry you’ll pick out your gifts from their online catalogue. You may be given a username and password and your guests will find your list by searching for your name and wedding date. (It may differ a little from registry to registry, but something similar.)

Choosing wedding gifts should be easy! The most common items to register for are dinnerware, cookware, bedding, kitchen appliances, and any other items necessary to set up a home, e.g. vases and lamps. But if you already have these items, why not register for something different, such as CDs, DVDs, books, clothing, or anything else you want? Honeymoon registries are also a good idea. Guests can chip in and pay for that really expensive four-month trip around the world.

Remember to check your bridal registry every now and then to see what has been purchased and if it needs to be updated. You may want to add items. Make sure to register for more gifts than guests so there is more choice, and don’t forget to register for some cheaper items too.

A note about bridal registry etiquette… Don’t write any details, such as where you’ve registered in, down on the actual invitation. Instead, include a little card with such details in the same envelope.

Once you’ve received your wedding gifts, make sure to send thank-you-cards. You should send them out no later than three months after the wedding. If you receive any gifts before the wedding send the thank-you-cards no later than two weeks after you get the gifts.

Have fun shopping!

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