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Four Bridal Registry Rules You Need to Know

Registering for wedding gifts is fun, but most brides have questions once they actually start the process. Here are some of the questions that might be the most pressing:

1. When Should You Register?
   Your bridal registry should be one of your first tasks after your engagement. You want close family and friends to have plenty of time to “get the word out” about your registry. Also, guests will need gift options for both your bridal shower and your wedding. Complete your registry at least four months before your wedding date. That means that your registry can be a work in progress – start it right away and finish it later.
2. Where Should You Register?
   Beware! Not all registries are the same. First, pick a company with products you love. (And yes, you CAN register with more than one company, but it’s best to limit your registries to two.) Second, look at the registry benefits. The best companies will offer you:
   • Personal service throughout the registry process. Usually direct sales companies (the ones with sales consultants, like Princess House or Tupperware) will give you better service than retail. That’s simply because having a consultant is similar to having a personal shopper.
   • Online purchasing capabilities (a “must” that makes your registry more convenient for guests). A completion discount. This allows you to buy remaining items on your registry (after your wedding) at discounts of up to 20%.
   • Free products. Some companies offer you free buying credits based on the purchases made from your registry. This is even more convenient than you think, because there will almost certainly be “must have” items left on your registry that you’ll want.
3. What Should You Register For?
   This is pretty simple – register for what you need! No two couples will need exactly the same thing. But there are some general rules to follow:
   • Go from room to room in your house, creating a list as you go so you’re less likely to forget something.
   • Don’t hesitate to register for multiples of items like casserole dishes, sheets, etc.
   • Most guests will spend around $50-$100, so make sure there are lots of items in that price range.
   • Bridal couples traditionally register for 12 settings of formal china, but registering for 16 is becoming more popular. And yes, you SHOULD register for formal china. If you don’t, you’ll be sorry when your first dinner party or holiday get-together rolls around.
   • Register for everyday dinnerware, too. Stoneware is a popular and durable material to choose for your day-to-day dishes.
   • Everything else is up to you. Register for what you need, and don’t hesitate to “over register” so guests will have plenty to choose from.
4. How And When Do You Let People Know Where You’re Registered?
   • There are several notification methods you can use:
   • The most formal method is word of mouth. Make sure close friends and family have your registry information, because they will almost surely get calls about it.
   • Put the information on or with your save the date cards. Most companies will provide pretty bridal registry inserts that you can include in save the date card mailings or with your shower invitations. (If your budget only allows for the wedding invitation, then you could add an insert into the invitation, or if you have a “wedding web site” include the URL at the bottom of the invitation and have your registry information on your web site.)

StrictlyWeddings.com Bridal Registry Partners

Tips for Guests Buying Wedding Gifts

Wanting to make sure your wedding gift will resonate with your friend? Here are a few suggestions before you make your purchase.

• Find out where the bride and groom are spending their honeymoon and give them gift certificates to the hotel’s spa or arrange with the hotel to have your gift waiting for them when they arrive, such as a bottle of champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries.
• When in doubt, a gift card to their favorite nursery (if they like to garden); a certificate to a romantic restaurant (budgets will be tight when they return from that honeymoon); a season ticket packet or tickets for two to their favorite theatre, opera or symphony (season tickets are a gift that keeps on giving) or maybe they’re big sports fans.
• If a couple has registered for 12, 16 or 32 sets of flatware (maybe they’re planning for a big Utah family?), don’t feel like you have to buy all the pieces for them. Just buy as many of the sets as you would like and other guests will fill in the rest.
• Keep in mind what you do know about the couple’s interests – maybe she loves to collect unique serving bowls (don’t laugh, it’s possible) or they are the cocktail and hor d’oeurve type, so look for fun cocktail glasses and a few unique “cocktail recipes,” as well as unusual serving plates. If they love to grill and sit by the pool develop your gift around that theme.
• Your friends might have everything they want or need or are just very down to earth people, if so, think about honoring them with a gift to their favorite charity.

 
Crystal and china are important, beautiful and wonderful to give, but you know your friends best, so give them something they will use often (and hopefully think of you with appreciation for thinking of you during this special time in their life!).

Last thought, if you’re attending a “destination” wedding, ship your gift to the bride or groom’s home instead of bringing it to the wedding. Bring a card with a description of what your gift is to give to the happy couple so they’ll know.

Whatever the gift, it IS the thought that counts.

StrictlyWeddings.com partners – Spas

Everyday China Basics

Getting Started

In addition to registering for fine china most couples pick out a set of dishes that they’ll use every day. Choose a midprice pattern that you won’t tire of and isn’t likely to be discontinued. If you fall in love with dishes from a seasonal line at a mass-market retailer, ask if you will be able to purchase more later on.

Assessing Your Needs

12 settings of informal china are adequate, unless you know you’ll be entertaining large groups. Think about what you’ll really use. Many couples register for four-piece place settings of informal china, including a dinner plate, salad plate, mug (in place of a cup and saucer, which are rarely used daily anymore) and cereal bowl (in lieu of a soup bowl).

Cost and Quality

Because the cost of everyday tableware is relatively easy on the wallet‚ you can afford to be more creative with the products you register for, and even integrate informal dishes with higher-end pieces.

Notes on Care

Consider registering for earthenware and stoneware, which are made of clay and often glazed or brightly decorated. Earthenware is susceptible to chipping, while stoneware is chip-resistant. Most clay-based china and glass, is ovenproof and dishwasher- and microwave-safe. Plastic, wood and bamboo pieces are attractive additions to the table but generally not heatproof.

Something Extra

Certain accessories (like salt and pepper shakers) look just as nice on a fancy dinner table as they do in the morning at breakfast. Register for such pieces (serving bowls too) that work in more than one setting.

Personalized Tableware

Always dreamt of doing it in style, with a vintage bug here is your chance. Say what you want, it’s your your bug.

Check out the gorgeous tableware at Jessica Rust Designs and latest creation, the Lovebug Dinnerware, is just perfect as a wedding gift!

The latest offering from Jessica Rust Designs is the introduction of a gift registry service which is a huge plus for any bride who wants to add this dinnerware to her gift list.

Popular Wedding Gifts

According to The Wedding Report, high-end kitchen gear and practical cooking items are currently popular wedding gifts for 2008.  Many modern couples prefer practical gifts such as barbecue tools and ice cream bowls as opposed to traditional items like china. Sur La Table offers a wide range of kitchen products including copper cookware, books, linens, bakeware, knives, kitchen electrics, and gadgets. Click here for more information.

Creating a Bridal Registry

In addition to the wedding and reception, many couples will also have a bridal shower. If not, many guests will bring gifts to the wedding itself. However, it is not always easy for guests to choose gifts for the happy couple, nor is it always easy for couples to come right out and ask for specific items. That is when creating a bridal registry is a good idea. Bridal registries allow the couple to ask for specific items that they will need when starting out their new life together, while giving guests options to choose from based on their personal budgets or wishes for the couple. Many larger department stores will offer bridal registry services, as well as local boutique shops.

What do you have already?
The first thing to do is go through what you and your fiancé already own before creating your bridal registry. Take a look at the items that you already have that are still in good condition, as well as items you will need.

What do you need?
If you are not living together prior to the wedding, then your living situation will definitely change once you get married. Even if you are living together, you may decide to purchase a home or move to a larger apartment once the union has become “official.” Take into consideration the items that you will need to live comfortably together. For instance, you both probably already own dishes, but a new set big enough for both to share, as well as guests, can be a useful item to add to your bridal registry. Pots, pans, and cookware are other common wedding registry items. Do not forget about the smaller things that you may need, even if they seem nonessential. If you really need a vacuum cleaner, add it to the list. Often this will give your guests a better price range for options so they do not have to feel pressured to spend more than they can afford.

What do you want?
Once the needs are out of the way, you can also add on things that you will like to have. This is one of the few times in your life where you can go all out and put big items on their wish list. Some family members or friends may choose to go in together on a gift, or decide to go a little over the top to help the new couple celebrate.

Some couples creating their wedding registry find that this is easiest to do while walking around the store they have chosen to register at, giving them ideas that they might not have thought of otherwise. Consider something fun for the two of you – like a new entertainment center, camping gear for two, or another activity that the two of you enjoy. You can also add items to the bridal registry that are just for the bride or the groom. For instance, if he wants a new set of power tools and she wants designer linens, you can add both to the list.

Make the registry
Many department stores will have an easy way for you to create your  bridal registry. Often, this will involve carrying around a hand held scanner or sitting at a kiosk to input items. The store may also have a checklist of “must have” items to get you started if you have not created your own list. If you are too busy or pressed for time to stop in the store and do the bridal registry in person, many of the larger stores will also allow you to create or edit bridal registries on line at their website.

Tell your guests about the registry
Tell your bridal shower host or hostess where you are registered. Many stores will also give you cards to stick in with the invitations to tell your wedding guests where your bridal registry is set up.

Creating your bridal registry is a fun experience! You get to shop, while all of the presents arrive at your wedding. Enjoy the wonderful time, which lasts from the shopping and planning throughout years of your married life together.