7 Simple Bridal Registry Rules

1. DECIDE TO REGISTER

Some couples decide not to register because it is their second marriage, they feel like they are soliciting gifts, or they only want cash. Believe me, whether you register or not, you are going to get gifts for your wedding. A lot of people just refuse to give cash, so if you don’t register, they end up having to use their imagination to get you a gift. This can be tragic.
 

2. KNOW WHERE YOU ARE REGISTERING

to ask questions like what is your return policy? Do I need to make an appointment to come in and get started? Some stores have confusing return policies that will only make it more complicated after the wedding. Better to know about this and avoid it before it becomes a problem.
 

3. REGISTER AS SOON AS YOU GET ENGAGED

As soon as you start telling people that you are engaged they start asking you where you are registered. They will also use your registry for events that come between the engagement and the wedding, like Christmas, Hanukkah, Birthdays, etc…
 

4. TAKE YOUR TIME REGISTERING IN THE STORES

Give yourself a couple of hours to build the perfect registry. Most stores offer a checklist to help you save a few minutes, but don’t be afraid to veer off the list that you made. There are a lot of things at stores that you may never have thought about needing or wanting that would make great gifts.
 

5. THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WOULD BUY AS A GUEST

You want to make sure that you register for enough so all the guests have something to choose from. I usually recommend two to three items per guest. It sounds like a lot, but a lot of those items usually end up under ten dollars. You also want to make sure that they are in a wide range of prices. Some people want to come in as a group and buy one big gift and some people want to come in and buy a lot of little things. Make sure there is something on your registry for everyone, or else they might buy you something you did not want.
 

6. GET HELP

Some stores offer expert consultants that will help you throughout the registering process. If they offer this, take advantage of it. If they do not, take a recently married friend along with you. Their expert advice will come in handy.
 

7. SPREAD THE WORD

It is ok to let people know where you are registered. Most often this is done through the shower invites that your friends and family send out or through word of mouth. By letting your guests know where you are registered, you are saving them a lot of trouble of trying to figure out what to get you.