Wedding Gift Registry
For the Gift Giver
Isn’t it fun when someone you care about is getting married? There’s something inspiring about new beginnings, and a wedding is the perfect demonstration of this.
If getting a special gift for the wedding or even a bridal shower is on your list and you need ideas, you need look no further than the bride’s Wedding Gift Registry.
Almost every bride will have things on her wish list, especially those brides who have never lived on their own before or have been living with sparse or hand-me-down furnishings (such as happens when one is in a college dorm). A registry list allows the happy couple to define their tastes going forward, and perhaps to receive a few treats they may not have indulged in for themselves. This list will be made available to guests and friends at their place of registry, usually a major department store or specialty store. As items are purchased, this will be noted on the updated registry list.
Care is taken to include wedding gift suggestions of all shapes sizes and to fit any budget, so whether you wish to buy a set of the bride’s chosen crystal stemware or just a bit of tupperware, there should be something suitable on this list. Many wedding couples are even branching out to include items which suit their specific lifestyles (camping gear or digital toys, for instance), eschewing the very traditional lists which only took housewares and linens into account.
By choosing a gift from the bride’s Wedding Gift Registry list, you will ensure the happy couple will love your offering, and will help them start their new lives together in style.
FOR THE BRIDE: Making the Most of Your Bridal Registry
Of the many tasks you will undertake in the planning of your wedding, one that can affect your future more than most of the others, is your wedding gift registry, also known as a bridal registry. While your wedding day – exciting as it is – will come and go, the items you choose for your registry will be yours to live with for a long time to come. It is not often we have the opportunity to receive beautiful gifts we would not necessarily buy for ourselves, and to coordinate household items all at once. With this in mind, you can make the most of this wonderful opportunity by considering the following:
- Choose a store or stores with items that cover the whole range of household and luxury gifts. From small, inexpensive kitchen pieces to decadent gifts such as crystal and china, this allows your guests to choose from a range of items, and also allows you to get a good start on filling your new home with things you love.
- Further to the above point, be sure and pick items in a range of price points and sizes, as friends and family may wish to purchase both wedding shower and wedding gifts for you, and will need a variety to choose from. Also, different guests have different budgets and having smaller items allows these guests to buy you something they know you will love and not go over their budget.
- Take this chance to really investigate what your tastes are. You and your new spouse have an opportunity to express yourselves with your new things, and this may be your first time doing this together. Do some research in magazines and décor stores to discover looks, color schemes and pieces that express your combined personal sense of style.
- For the most versatility and longevity in household items, stick with neutrals for your major choices. For example, by choosing dishes, linens and towels in cream, white, chocolate or black, you can enjoy continuity throughout your home, and your decorating - both seasonally and through the coming years - will be a snap: just add and change individual pieces such as placemats, throw pillows and vases to inexpensively create a new, fresh look.
- Speaking of accessories, don’t forget to include lots of ‘extras’ in your bridal registry list. This is a great chance to enjoy decorative extras, and also possibly receive some towels, baskets, candle holders, vases, or whatever strikes your fancy. The more variety available at the store/s where you register, the more your choices.
- You may wish to consider branching out from the ‘traditional’ registry list items, as is becoming more and more common. If you and your spouse-to-be love traveling, consider adding suitcases and other travel gear to your list, for instance.
Never worry about putting too many things on your wedding gift registry list. People wanting to buy you a special something will really appreciate the variety of choice, and knowing that they are buying you something you will love. The worst that can happen is you don’t get it all, and in the meantime you have the added benefit of deciding on and refining your tastes by creating your wedding registry list with thought and care.
Enjoy your planning, and enjoy your special day!
TIP: Don’t forget to check out the special tips and money-saving ideas in our recommended Wedding Planning Guides, found in the upper right sidebar. You may also enjoy our Wedding Planning Checklist – click HERE for the .pdf version.
