Bridal Registries

Bridal Registries are something brides and grooms still have and are doing it more fabulously then ever. At the start of a marriage, most couples have either not lived together and/or cannot afford much. They need all the help they can get, and this has not changed and probably will not change in coming years. It is also exciting for most couples to go to a couple of stores and pick out items that they will share and remember for the rest of their lives. We have created an updated list of tips for you and your fiancé to remember when registering for your possible gifts from your loved ones. 

1. How to Tell Your Guests About Your Registry Tastefully

Telling your guests about where to shop for your wedding presents can be a pretty awkward moment. Timing and how it is told are two important factors you should remember to announce tastefully where you will be registered. In today’s society, most couples create their own wedding website for guests to look at and be updated on the upcoming nuptials. When creating your website, create a link that shows where exactly you are registered. This way you are not directly telling them and they will still find out where and when to go. Pinterest is also a popular way to place your registry items on a website for your guests to search what you are hoping for. This is also a great method, because you can directly link each item to the website where they may purchase it. Your guests will really appreciate this because of the convenience of having it right there in front of them and they can purchase this item without leaving their house. Other ways we suggest is word of mouth and/or showing your registered stores on your bridal shower invitations. We do not recommend however to tell about your wedding registry in your initial wedding invitations. Today, this would be considered improper etiquette and we encourage you to wait a while to tell your guests in a different way. However, if you would like your guests to know right away, you could post your wedding website on your invitations to sneak around this.

2. After the Engagement, When Should You Register?

We recommend that you wait around one month or longer after you announce your engagement to register. This also depends on when you are planning on getting married. If you want a short engagement, we would recommend waiting about one month or so. If a year or more engagement is something you are wanting, than we recommend waiting a couple of months, so it does not feel like you are rushing your guests and you can also ask for more up-to-date items that might not have been in stores earlier that year.

3. Shop Ahead of Time

We recommend that you go to the stores you would like to register at before the appointment to not only save you time but headaches as well. By going before your appointment, make sure you like what they have and browse their items to have an idea on what you would like to register for. Registering can be very time consuming, so by having an idea of what you would want can help save you a lot of time. Also, we already know most men hate shopping (especially for items like glassware and decor), so by cutting the time down registering, will be something he will truly appreciate.



3. Make An Appointment

Believe it or not, registering for your wedding day can be very time consuming and might last more than one day at a single store. Calling ahead of time to make an appointment will ensure you personalized attention and will guarantee that you know everything there is to know about the store and the item you are registering for. Also, when you arrive there will be some paperwork to fill out in order to ensure your guests will know that it is you they are purchasing for.



4. Make Sure to Register With More Than One Store

This is mostly important because you will be saving your guests a lot of possible travel time and stress. We recommend that you register with 3-5 stores. By doing this you can make things easier for your guests because they will be able to at least access one store since they might not live near certain other stores. By registering with one department store as well, you can almost guarantee that your guests will have one that is not too far away from them. Registering at different stores such as boutiques, shops and department stores will also allow you to have a variety of different gifts that other stores might not have in stock. All around, it may be a headache to register at more than one store, but you and your guests will appreciate the variety to choose from.

You and your fiancé are just starting off life together, so having a registry is very important and is still very relevant in today’s society. Your friends and your family want to help you two out in any ways possible, and by having a registry, they can see exactly what the two of you want and need. Having a registry not only takes the stress away from you and your fiancé, but it also takes the stress away from your guests because they know they are spending money on something you truly want and need in order to start your wonderful and happy lives together. 

BBFN (Bridal Bliss For Now),

Olivia

Modern Wedding Registry Tips

We are SO excited to welcome our friend Jennifer from Foodie Registry to the blog today to chat with all of our lovely brides about the Modern Wedding Registry.


It goes without saying that traditional wedding registries and etiquette don’t always apply to couples living in the 21st century. These days, couples are waiting longer to get married, and many decide to cohabitate together before marriage, which results in less of a need for the nest-building housewares that have traditionally graced wedding registries.

When my husband Ben and I got engaged, we had already dated for 7 years, and had most of our household necessities. Still, we felt pressured to register for traditional items that we didn’t need, but that we thought people would want or expect us to register for. After looking over our registry at a list of things we were sure would end up gathering dust on a shelf, in a fit of inspiration and rebellion (and being the foodies we are), we created a list of restaurants we loved or wanted to try. The “restaurant registry” was a great success with our guests, gave us date nights for months, and made us realize that ultimately, doing what was best for us as a couple was the best thing to do.

The wedding registry process can be tricky, especially when trying – as all of us do – to please everyone. In the spirit of the independent and diverse modern couple, we thought we would share some of our favorite modern wedding registry tips.

DO register online. This is almost a given for modern couples. Online wedding registries are infinitely more convenient for both guests and receivers. It’s fine to provide a few pick-up options for older or more traditionally-minded guests, but just keep in mind that most of your guests will prefer to purchase their gift online.

DON’T include your registries on your invitations. This is one registry rule that stands the test of time. The main reason is because you don’t want to take any emphasis away from the primary purpose of the invitation – to ask that your friends and loved ones be present at one of the most specials moments in your life.

DO make your wedding registry easily accessible. Word of mouth may be the traditional way of telling guests where you’re registered, but in modern times it is all but impractical. Instead, link to your wedding registry on your wedding webpage, which we highly encourage you to create. Most wedding webpages are free to create and serve as a central online hub of information for your wedding guests. You can also include the URL of your wedding webpage on invitations.

DON’T forget to update your registries on a regular basis. Often times, certain items will be out of stock or get discontinued. Try to monitor them at least once a month to prevent any inconveniences for guests.

DO register for items that reflect you as a couple. If you and your future spouse are avid rock climbers or amateur chefs, why not register for rock climbing gear or cooking classes? In other words, don’t feel pressured to register for things you don’t really want or need. There are many exciting alternative registry options available now, from honeymoon and charity registries, to our own Foodie Registry. You can also go the DIY route and create your own wedding registry!

DON’T wait until the last minute to register. Complete your wedding registries up to 6 months, and no later than 2 months in advance of the wedding, in order to give your guests plenty of time to choose and purchase their gifts.

DO provide a variety of options for guests. That includes a variety of price points, items and registries. We advocate doing what’s best for you as a couple, but we also think it’s polite to think of your guests. If you know your friends will have to travel far for the wedding or have smaller budgets, or if Aunt Edna has always wanted to give you a set of flatware, consider these things accordingly while shaping your registry.

DON’T be afraid to register for what you want. If you already have your towels and spatulas, don’t be afraid to register for things (or experiences!) you actually want and will use. You’ll find that many guests will not only love having some fresh or unique items to choose from, but will appreciate knowing their gift will be truly enjoyed.

DO read FAQs and check for hidden fees before setting up a registry. Unfortunately some registries have added costs, either for you or your guests. Make sure that you are not choosing registries that will charge your guests a service fee.


Jennifer a.k.a. @mrsfoodiereg started Foodie Registry with her husband Ben in 2010, after eschewing the traditional registry at their own wedding in 2008 and creating a “restaurant registry” instead. The registry was a huge hit with guests, and Foodie Registry was born.