The time that you spend planning your wedding is part of an exciting and likely stressful part of your life. There is so much to think about and plan for this monumental event that will include your closest friends and family. One of the aspects of wedding planning is putting together a wedding registry so that your guests will be able to purchase items of your needs and choosing to celebrate and support you and your spouse in your new chapter in life. A wedding registry assists your loved ones with getting you exactly the right items and removes the mystery of the gifting process. It also reduces the chance of receiving duplicate items. (You don’t need three toasters, do you?)
If you are ready to get started with putting together a wedding registry, you may be wondering when you should set up your wedding registry, as well as a few other questions. There are some dos and don’ts for establishing a wedding registry that you want to follow both as courtesies to your guests and to help facilitate this phase of the wedding planning process.
Some wedding registry questions we will cover with our tips:
- When should I create a wedding registry?
- What should and shouldn’t be on a wedding registry?
- How many items should I have on my wedding registry?
- What should I put on my wedding registry if I don’t need anything?
We have put together a guide packed full of tips that will help you get started with creating your wedding registry, as well as some common items that you will want to include on it.
Tips for Your Wedding Registry
When should I create a wedding registry?
You will likely want to create your wedding registry 7 to 9 months prior to the wedding. This timeframe is, of course, dependent on the timeframe in which you get engaged and the date you have set for the wedding. The general rule is the sooner, the better, especially if you have other wedding-related festivities planned during your engagement, such as an engagement party and a wedding shower. Having an established wedding registry early in the game takes one thing off your plate as you plan a million other pieces of these celebrations.
What should and shouldn’t be on a wedding registry?
Some things to include on your registry are home goods like kitchenware and linens, which we will expand on a bit below. Things that shouldn’t be included on a wedding registry are personal gifts that are not for both you and your spouse, things that you don’t have space for or won’t end up using, and too many expensive items.
How many items should I have on my wedding registry?
The simplest way to figure out how many items to include on your registry is to calculate about two gifts per guest on your guest list. So, if you plan on inviting 75 people to your wedding, having about 150 gifts on your registry is standard.
What should I put on my wedding registry if I don’t need anything?
If you have everything you need, you can consider listing newer gadgets and appliances on your wedding registry if you think it may soon be time to upgrade. You can also register for experiences, like a cooking class or theater tickets, or register for donations to your favorite charities.
What to Include
Kitchenware and appliances
There are plenty of kitchen-related items that you can include on your registry, such as cookware sets, a toaster oven, a new blender, glassware, and more! Spend some time in the kitchen to get a feel of what can be replaced and what would be helpful to have as you start this next chapter.
Linens and bedding
Linens and bedding are other great items to include on your registry. Towels, blankets, and comforter sets are excellent options to have listed.
Home décor
Home décor will likely include some of the big-ticket items on your wedding registry. Furniture, art, a TV, and other electronics are good items to include as you begin to create a home with your spouse after the wedding.
Charity, cash, and experiences
If you are already living with your fiancé, it is likely that you have a lot of common items recommended to include on your wedding registry. If upgrading to newer appliances, linens, décor, etc., doesn’t seem like a good option for you, you can always consider registering for non-physical items, like charity donations, cash, and experiences. At the end of the day, your guests want to get the best things that you and your spouse will appreciate. If it turns out to be donations to your favorite charity, a cash registry, or a couples’ cooking class, your guests will be more than excited to contribute to that!
