Creating your wedding registries (like most of wedding planning) is both exciting and overwhelming.
When Justin and I made ours, I went in so excited…and five minutes in to walking around the Bay with our little gun, it had quickly turned to overwhelmed!
If you’re like us, you don’t want creating the perfect registry to take over your life. It’s a tiny part of wedding planning that should be an easy box to tick off. Why does it end up being such a headache for lots of couples?
Once you get going on your registry, you realize there are a bunch of little details that you have probably never thought about (I know I hadn’t!). Avoid any accidental embarrassment or uncomfortable situations by following these easy tips.
Creating your registries really can be a quick box to check off, once you know what you’re doing. Join the other couples I’ve worked with and it really can be fun to make your registry and do it the right way!
Warner Bros. Pictures ‘License to Wed’
1. Less Is More
Three or less.
That’s where you should set your limit for registries. I know every one of your favourite stores has one, but remember this is a service to your guests, not your place to list every single item in your dream home!
Three registries leaves you with enough room to have both traditional and creative options.
Include at least one store that has a physical storefront in the city where your wedding will be. Some people are traditional and prefer to pick out a gift in person. Others are just forgetful and need to grab something between the ceremony and reception (been there!).
Also have at least one online option for those of us who don’t like to leave our homes (also been there!). There are lots of options now to create your registry from multiple stores all in one online location. If you have an eclectic taste, a site like MyRegistry.com can be a great option.
For your third option, feel free to go with something totally non-traditional. There are so many options now. This is where you can include a honeymoon registry or other sneaky ways to ask for cash instead of gifts (more on this below). Some wedding vendors have even started creating registries that allow guests to contribute directly to the cost of the wedding.
Here’s a few local options in Swift Current to get you started.
Sentiments | NuWest Interiors | Home Hardware | Bumble & Vine
Photo by Daniil Kuželev on Unsplash
2. More is More
Once you’ve decided where to register, feel free to fill up those lists to your heart’s content!
Just be sure to hit a wide range of price points and types of items. You’ll want to include lots of small items for shower gift ideas. You can always remove some of them after your showers are done if you feel there’s way too many left. Some big ticket items are great too, for those who like to do group gifts. Just keep these to a minimum so people don’t feel overwhelmed looking at your ideas.
Feel free to get creative by adding board games, camping gear, home renovation supplies, or whatever else you can dream up! Just remember to also include some home and kitchen items as for those traditional folks on your guest list.
3. Spread The Word
This is where most of us go wrong (guilty as charged!).
When we made our registries, we were given these cute little cards and told to put them in our invitations. Seemed like a great idea and super convenient right?
Wrong! But how was I (or you) to know any better? I’ve got your back…cuz now I’ve got training!
There are two appropriate ways to let your guests know where you are registered. The first is word of mouth. So tell your whole family and wedding party where they are and let it go from there. When other guests want to know, that’s who they’ll ask.
Your registries should also be listed on your wedding website, if you have one (and I recommend you do!). This method is less traditional, but is basically the modern day word of mouth.
Please keep your registries out of your invitations.
No matter how you feel about following traditional etiquette rules, this is one to keep! You do not want to be seen as greedy or expecting every guest to provide a gift. So resist adding this into your invitations or mentioning it on your social media feeds.
The exception to this rule is your shower invitations. Since these are set up as an event to give gifts, feel free to have the hosts include your registry information. If you really don’t want to see all those cute little cards go to waste, this is where you should include them!
A Note About Asking For Money
Traditionally, this is a big no-no. Thankfully times are changing and there are now totally acceptable ways to ask for cash without straight up asking for cash.
As I already mentioned, no matter what you’re asking for, keep it out of your invitations!
Now that that’s out of my system, here’s what you should do…
Register for things you would be paying for anyway. Instead of handing you cash, guests can contribute to something specific and it still feels like giving a gift.
For example…local photographer Candace Schwarts of Bumble and Vine Photography, allows you to register for contributions toward your photography package. Or many travel agencies and websites allow you to register for your honeymoon. Rather than just contributing a dollar amount, guests can choose a specific activity, restaurant, or hotel, (of your choosing) to give you.
This enables you to essentially just get cash, while your guests still feel like they’ve given a meaningful gift that isn’t just going to pad your bank account.
Win-win-win!
Photo by Random Eyesight Studio, with Bella Dolce Weddings.
Now that you’re armed with all the information you need, you can confidently (and quickly!) tick the box beside ‘create wedding registries’.
