How to Set Up Your Wedding Registry

You’ve picked a date and booked a venue. Now it’s time to get your wedding registry set up! Pre-selecting wedding gifts makes shopping easier for your wedding guests and will ensure you get exactly what you want and need. From traditional place settings to honeymoon room service, you can register for nearly anything these days. Read on to find out more about how to set up your bridal registry for in-store and online shopping.

Perfect your plan
Before you grab the scanner gun at the local department store, make a plan for your wedding registry. If you aren’t sure how to set up a registry, visit a neighborhood store and get advice from the clerks. They can advise you on which gifts to select so in-town and out-of-town guests will have an easy time shopping either in person at the store or online. Even if you plan to create your registry online, it’s smart to look at the products in the store so you can make sure the colors and sizes are exactly what you want.

When you give your wedding guests a wide range of options, you have a better chance of getting great gifts and fewer duplicates. Choose a mix of affordable and expensive items so individuals can pick up something small, like towels, while groups can pool their money for a bigger-ticket item, like a grill. If you want a set of items, such as cookware or knives, register for the entire set, as well as for individual items. Then, if you don’t receive the entire set, you can fill in the gaps with cash gifts or exchanges.

Be sure to set up your registry three to six months before your wedding so guests have plenty of time to shop. This time frame also allows you to include registry information in your invitation. You might also set up a custom wedding Web site and direct guests there for additional details about your different registries.

Provide creative choices
Wedding registries have traditionally been all about china patterns, crystal and flatware. Now the options have expanded to honeymoon packages, charitable donations and travel gear. Get creative with your gift selection and give your wedding guests a special way to buy unique wedding gifts that reflect their personal style and their good wishes for you.

Couples who have fully-furnished homes may not need as many household items, but might appreciate help paying for their honeymoon. Sites like Honeymoon Wishes invite guests to donate a dollar amount towards the honeymoon costs, or buy specific items like a bottle of wine in Italy or a massage at a Caribbean spa. Be sure to put some fun activities on the list like a scooter rental or breakfast in bed so shoppers can select a more personal gift.

You can also mix things up by registering at non-traditional stores. Of course, it’s great to have a least one registry at a large retailer likeTarget, Macy’s or Crate and Barrel. After that, try breaking the mold and registering at shops that suit you and your partner’s specific interests. If you just bought a home or are renovating, set up a wish list at Home Depot. Couples who enjoy the great outdoors can ask forcamping gear at REI. Philanthropic folks might want to share their big day with a favorite charity and select a donation registry.

Before you nail down your plan, brainstorm wedding registry ideas with your fiancé and surprise your wedding guests with a variety of places to shop.

Share your shopping
One final thought on how to set up a wedding gift registry — be sure to share the responsibilities. Sometimes one partner is more excited than the other about picking out patterns and finessing their flatware choices. Make an effort to get both of you involved in choosing the gifts and memories that will commemorate your wedding. If you and your partner have different styles, make sure that you both pick out items that you really want. And when you schedule a day of shopping, make sure to build in a reward at the end, like a nice dinner or a fun activity.

Getting married is a big step in life. Be prepared, take your time and have fun picking out a mix of traditional and non-traditional gifts to place in your registry so that, as a couple, you’ll get everything you want and need for a bright future together!