How a Wedding Registry Works?

After you are engaged and you begin your wedding planning, one of the main things that you will want to do is start your wedding registry. It's common for couples to start their own registry to let attendees who will be attending the wedding know what gift to get for the couple. A registry is helpful because it helps to avoid more than one wedding guest purchasing the same gift for the couple.

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It also helps to organize the wedding so that the guests don't need to guess what gifts to purchase. It saves time and stress for both the couple and for wedding guests.

How to Make a Wedding Registry?

To make a wedding registry, begin by thinking about what you need, would like to have, and want to have to begin your new married life together. This is important to know what you truly need before you start thinking about where you want things from. The best thing to do before you get started is to purge all of your belongings that you know you won't need or that won't be useful.

This will save you and your spouse time so that you don't receive a gift that you placed on your registry and then have a conversation about what you intended to do with what you're replacing. If you take stock from the beginning it will make your process much more smooth.

When To Register?

It's a good idea to have your registry prepared before you share it with your friends and family. This might sound obvious but you want to have the majority picked out before making the registry public. Sure, it's common to update your list as you get closer to your wedding but you don't want to share the registry with just a few items listed and have your guests waiting to purchase an item that you will add later.

It's thoughtful and considerate of their time to have your list mostly completed so that they don't need to do any waiting or checking back for items to be added.

Go ahead and create your registry sometime after your engagement announcements and well in advance of your wedding shower. The wedding or bridal shower will be the first big opportunity for your friends and family to purchase items for you and celebrate at this gathering.

They will need plenty of time before the party takes place to choose and purchase their gifts for the party. It's a good goal to have your registry completed well ahead of this important and enjoyable event.

Research Your Picks

It's important to think about what you will put on your registry. For example, you don't have to put every single thing you want and need on your registry. Place items on your registry that you would appreciate someone purchasing for you and that you think someone might enjoy purchasing for you to begin your married life together.

There may be items that you don't necessarily think someone would enjoy purchasing for you and you can make up your mind to purchase those items on your own. That way you know before your registry goes "live" what you will purchase and whether someone will purchase for you or not.

When you research your registry items, in addition to thinking about needs, would like to have, and wants, think about who might purchase those areas of items for you. It's ok to be ready and map out who you expect a certain family member to purchase, especially when it comes to parents, close family members, and those in your wedding party. It's not presumptuous to think about which items on your registry they might purchase. It's good planning.

Think about the items that you will want to keep for a very long time such as small furniture, a stand mixer, or something similar that you expect to keep long term.

Shopping Together

Enjoy the process of shopping for your registry together. It can be easy to get stressed thinking about what you should place on your registry, whether you have enough items, and ensuring that choose what you need but rest assured this should be an enjoyable experience.

Remember, this is a blessing and privilege to have the opportunity to receive in this way, perhaps more than any other time in your life. Be grateful for all that others are willing to give to support you and remember to send your thank you cards!