Blenders, Toasters, Vacuums, Oh My! Ready to start your wedding registry? Heck Yes! Starting a life with your partner becomes more real when you are looking at blenders, glassware, hampers, and vacuums. But where to start? There are so many options, and your well-wishers will be giving you these items to help you and your partner jump-start your life together. There are not many rules to making a registry, but there are a few tips and tricks to help with the process. To make the registry process easier I have created a guide to navigate your way through kitchenware, bedding, appliances, etc.
I have enlisted the help of a few newlyweds to help with this guide. They are fresh out of the process and know some tips and tricks for couples to know. Our couples are remaining anonymous and have been given a number next to their answers in the Q&A portion of the blog.
Before diving into advice from our couples it is important that we start with Registry Basics:
When: It is completely acceptable to start your registry as soon as possible to start receiving these gifts at pre-wedding parties. However, aim on having your wedding registry completed 6 months before you wedding to give your guests time to shop around.
What: Look at friends’ registries, print out this checklist and sit down with your partner and decide what items you want to register for and make a plan before going to stories and making decisions.
Where: The options for building your registry are endless, and many of them offer perks for registering with them. Some of the most popular registry options are: Bed, Bath and Beyond, Pottery Barn, William-Sanoma, Target, Crate and Barrel, Amazon, Zola and Dillard’s.
Q&A
Now let’s jump into the good stuff! Below are a few questions I asked each couple and their answers:
Where did you register?:
1: Bed, Bath and Beyond, Target and Dillard’s
2: Pottery Barn, Bed, Bath and Beyond, and Amazon
3: Bed, Bath and Beyond, Pottery Barn, Willam-Sonoma, MyRegistry.com
4: Bed, Bath and Beyond, Pieces of Eight, and The Kitchenary
What were your favorite items on your registry?
1: Personalized home items (registered at Dillard’s) and kitchen appliances
2: Probably my everyday china (gets used the most) and fine china (doesn’t get used often but so fun to pick out and to have a set of nice things). Also the pots and pans
3: All of our new bedding (sheets, duvet cover, etc) and everyday dishes
4: Dishes
What were your items on your registry that you were not excited about at first; however, became more useful then anticipated?
1: Kitchen Pots, Pans, and Baking Sheets
2: Good household esstentials – nice vacuum, stepladder, nice kitchen trashcan and our glass Tupperware
3:Toaster Over! We never thought we would use one, but we do all the time.
4: Laundry Hamper
What items do you wish you would have registered for but did not?
1: I wish we would have dreamed a little bigger kitchen-wise. A lot of things we said we “already had.” Dish towels, kitchen dish scrubbers, etc. I wish we would have registered for all the small kitchen things we already had. We ended up using some gift card money to refresh items in our kitchen.
4: Roomba / BBQ Pit
Advice for a couple creating their registry:
1: Start Big! You will be surprised at how many people you think will buy things from your registry. Even the most ridiculous or costly items. We registered for a KitchenAid mixer and thought no one would buy it due to the price. Low and behold, it showed up at our door one day. Put two vacuums on your list if you can’t decide. Don’t tell yourself “we have this” or “we don’t need another one.” You can return almost anything on your registry.
2: Look at friends’ or even random couples’ registries for ideas. Register for a few “reach”/expensive item – you never know! But not so many that your guests don’t have affordable options. If your man is handy, register for tools and stuff so he can fun with the process too and also build/fix stuff for you.
3: Definitely over register so there are lots of options for your guests to choose from. And make sure they are at different price points.
4: Functionality is key. Decorations are great, but don’t get caught up in that too much.
Advice for guests shopping for wedding gifts:
1: Stick to the registry unless you have something special/personal in mind. It can be awkward to receive a gift you don’t know what to do with or don’t like it. Of course, the gesture is extremely kind. However, some people need do not need certain things or do not have the space for them. If you have a personal or special item in mind that you think would wow the couple – go for it! We got quite a few of those.
2. Do Not Stray from the Registry: Even, if you can’t find something you like on the registry, just pick something or give a gift card/cash. If you give a couple something that is not from their registry, chances are they either registered for something similar or don’t have a need for it. Unless you are sure they’ll love it, just stay on registry.
3. A lot of people feel it’s not meaningful or it’s generic to shop from the registry, but you have to remember that the bride and groom registered for the times on their registry for a reason. They either want or need these items. Don’t feel bad about buying something off the registry.
4. Stick to the registry unless it is something sentimental
What are the most useful kitchen items that were registered for and received?
1: We registered for an Instant Pot and have fallen in love! We also got a Ninja Blender which we use pretty frequently.
2: Crockpot and rice cooker
3: Coffee Maker, NutriBullet, and Toaster Oven
4: Keurig
What is the most used household item that were registered for and received?
1: We love our Vacuum and cordless drill from Target.
2. Steamer, handheld vacuum
3: Vacuum
4. Vacuum
As you can see every registry is different to fit each couple’s needs and wants.
The biggest takeaways from their advice: Think Big, Guests should not stray from the registry and everyone loves their vacuum.
Registries are a big topic and throughout the next couple weeks I will be sharing top registry items and more advice from our lovely panel.
Thank you so much to the couples that participated! Your advice and tips are beneficial to all the couples starting their lives together!
If you would like to participate and share some tips on this blog series please email info@ashleighelizabethla.com .
Have a great day!
xoxo, Ashleigh
TOP REGISTRY ITEMS:
1. Nespresso Coffee Maker 2. Toaster Oven 3. Ring Bell System 4. Pyrex Mixing Bowls 5. Dyson Vacuum 6.InstaPot 7. Bedding 8. Kitchen Aid Mixer 9. Towels 10. Blender 11. Waffle Maker
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