Wedding registries are a great and useful tool for planning out wedding gifts. They provide the couple with an idea of what they will need to buy on their own and allow guests to gift something that the couple will be able to use for years to come. One question that many couples wonder is how to maximize the value of their registry. Here are some tips to get you on the right track.
- Ask for what you need.
It may be tempting to ask for a bunch of luxuries that you normally wouldn’t be able to purchase on your own, but to get the most out of your bridal registry it is more prudent to ask for what you really need. In other words, your gift ideas should be things that you are going to need to buy for yourself anyway. It may be nice to get a few decorative items for your home, but it will be more useful to get the cookware or dish sets that you really need. - Avoid decor.
Similarly to asking for needs, try to avoid asking for too many decorations. While they can be nice to have in your home, they really amount to fluff in your registry. It is usually better to buy your own decorations anyway so you can make sure to match with your style. - Watch your price.
While a bridal registry can quickly turn into a wishlist, try to limit the expenses on your gift ideas. Adding a few expensive items can be alright, since some guests may want to spend more money on you anyway, but limit these options. The reason for this is that expensive gifts can quickly eat through the gift budgets of your guests, or even be above their budgets in the first place. Limit the expensive items and more guests will be able to give you items, increasing the value from your registry. - Ask for too much.
Over-registering is one of the best ways to get the most from your registry list. You need to make sure all of your guests have something they can give you that matches their personal budgets, and the best way to accomplish this is by asking for more than you will realistically receive. This prevents guests from running out of registry items to choose from and therefore coming up with their own gift ideas, as these unregistered gifts may be things you don’t want or need. - Set up your bridal registry quickly.
Try to at least set up your registry as soon as you can, even if it’s not complete. Some couples try to start their registry as soon as they announce the engagement. This will give your guests plenty of time to decide on what they want to give you, and avoid any hastily chosen gifts that may not be useful or even practical. A quick registry will also help eager friends and family whose enthusiasm about your upcoming wedding may cause them to want to buy a gift as soon as possible.
