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I wasn’t even sure I wanted to register. Together, we pretty much have everything we could need. Total millennial mindset, huh? Keep reading.
We’ve been engaged now for about six months and have eight to go, but as time has gone on, I realized it was silly not to register. Bob knows I always complain about that stack of plastic cups he’s saved from beers at past sporting events (and he insists on keeping them), and the other beverage holders we have are wine glasses and coffee cups. See, we have an emerging item to register for, so we might as well go all-in.
Where we registered (+ why)
I did most of the thinking around where to register because that’s also a pretty big deal. We chose to register at three places: one that’s easy to shop online and two that you can shop in-store or online.
Our guests are from many places in the U.S., including some very rural places, and didn’t want to assume everyone loves online shopping (they don’t).
We also chose places with the opportunity to purchase items that are not fulfilled by wedding guests on our own, at a discount. In the end, these are items we want and saving money on them after shelling out all of that money for the wedding is helpful.
What we registered for (it’s not a list; promise)
There are some things in our house that work, but ultimately need to be replaced (hello, pots and pans). We both cook a lot at home and didn’t want to have to continue to replace our set of pots and pans every 10 years. Cooking matters to both of us, so we registered for a really nice set that costs a bit more but is also something that we’ll be able to say, “we got that as a wedding gift from so-and-so”. My parents say that all the time and those are treasured memories. It’s something I want for us, too. Don’t be afraid to register for things that are quality and will last you forever.
Don’t be afraid to ask for what you really want. My registry has fabric cubes on it and no cube organizer. My guests are probably saying “huh?! That’s weird”. It’s actually not. We keep telling ourselves we really need to organize our linen closet, and this would be a great way to do so. We enjoy doing mundane things like organizing together! Point being: think about things that matter to you and your fiancé and add those types of tangible things and experiences that you’ve been wanting to do.
We have two dogs, about once a week, our floor looks like one of them should be hairless. Gross. We need to vacuum a lot. I have been stressing out because my vacuum is awesome, but the wand has stopped suctioning, and my carpeted stairs can’t breathe if we don’t vacuum them regularly. Needless to say, we registered for a nice vacuum because our house is nearly all carpet. Nice vacuums are spendy! Don’t be afraid to register for more expensive items you really want or need. People sometimes like to pitch in with a group of people to get more expensive gifts. I’m totally one of those people! 
You do you.
Don’t overthink it, but think about it enough. What I mean is, don’t go in blindly. The scanner guns can get dangerous because it’s fun and you’re basically in a scene of “Supermarket Sweeps” where you can scan anything and everything (but you don’t have a time limit). You’ll end up with a very discombobulated registry this way. You don’t need to spend 3 hours pondering the right flatware design, either. It’s flatware, after all.
Going with my gut with input from Bob really helped the process. Then, when we got home, I looked through everything to make sure we had registered for enough of certain items, hadn’t left anything off, registered for two comforters, or anything like that.
What are your registry tips? In hindsight, is there anything you would’ve done differently or something you did that you would absolutely do again and recommend to others?
Hi Heather! I found you on the 10KChallenge! I am also engaged and we have about 6 months left until the wedding. We just registered and I had the same feelings as you did! I registered for a shoe rack and a lot of closet organizers, which my fiancé thought was strange, but we actually need it! I also chose retailers that offer discounts at the end – that way we can complete the registry if we wanted! Great post with awesome tips!
This is reassuring to me. I am getting married this time next year and am beginning the process and totally lost on if I should do “traditional” registry things we already have, or something different (that idea of a group pitching in for a bigger item sounds SO appealing, we need a couch lol).
Good to read things like this!
Hi Lindsay, congrats on your upcoming wedding! I struggled so much with the traditional wedding registry stuff, too. Mostly because I don’t want to seem snotty, ungrateful, or unrealistic. I totally hear you on the new couch! That is on our wish list after the wedding is over, too. Congrats again and good luck with the registry process — have fun with it!
Great list, thanks for sharing.
Thank YOU for reading, Angela!