Lemon & Lime Event Design

So it’s time to set up your wedding registry, very exciting! After you decide which stores you’re going to sign up with I definitely suggest putting together a mini game plan. It took my husband and I a few trips to each store before we really finished everything up. Mind you, everyone is different but trust me when I say the registering process can get really overwhelming REALLY fast…especially if you have a groom who hates shopping! I’m lucky to have a lot of friends who got married before me and have fabulous taste and style so I checked out all of their registries before I hit the stores. They also suggested that I download one of the “helpful tip” documents that many of the stores have available on their websites. The guide ended up being way more helpful than I originally expected, it gave us an idea of how many of each item we should purchase and why (example: 12 glasses instead of 8 or 10 in case some break).

Some stores also offer special registry events at their stores which makes for a fun time. Crate & Barrel runs one of these about once a month and they have some light hors d’oeuvres and drinks while you shop along with staffers who specialize in assisting couples with their registry. I also suggest talking about what the “big items” are for the two of you. For instance, if you cook a lot (like us) then you’ll want to register for a really nice set of pots and pans that’ll  last a long time. We had also just moved in together and went through all of our household items that we know had double off, plus the items that were old and we wanted to replace.

So, with our guide in hand, we trekked off to our first store – welcome to the magical world of Bed Bath and Beyond. Let me tell you, when they say “beyond” they really mean it! We could have easily registered for EVERYTHING here but we wanted to give our guests some variety especially if there wasn’t a store close to them. Definitely something to keep in mind. Anyway, we were there 2.5 hours and didn’t even make it past the kitchen gadgets. So we decided to take a break, refuel, and go back later (I think Frank appreciated this a lot!). It’s important not to get too sucked into the moment, I had heard horror stories of couples going through this process and arguing the entire time, that was not something we wanted to deal with. Registering, as cheesy as it may sound, is just another step for couples to start their life together. You’re basically making a giant Christmas list of items for people to buy you…it’s great and should really be a happy time. I also wanted to make sure I wasn’t taking full control over the picking of items (which I sometimes do) so I made sure to keep Frank involved, ask his opinion, and get him to pick out items on his own. For instance, Frank loves his indoor grill which is great but really…we’re not in college anymore. So I suggested we look at a more “adult” version of what he had. He ended up picking a really cool and sleek grill top pan for our stove that gives him more control over how the food is cooked. This worked out for both of us in the end.

Remember that registering for your wedding should be fun and effective at the same time. Take a deep breath and go for it! In the end..who doesn’t like presents?! Take an inventory of what you already have, make a list, and have a game plan (plan for lunch breaks) and you’ll be ready to rock! Happy shopping!