Mar 31, 2014 >> Wedding Registry 101
One of the many perks of getting married is going into stores to scan away at any and every item you may—or may not!—need. Wedding registry strategy often gets thrown out the window as you imagine enough gifts for 300 plus potential guests to purchase and often times, the whole act of registering is so overwhelming that you end up scanning a bunch of, well, crap. At the time, it seems like a sure bet that you and your newly betrothed will get into pickling and canning after the wedding hustle settles down. To combat wedding registry angst, we asked the Kitchen Whisperer and Founder of InspiringKitchen.com, Julie Gordon, for her expert tips on building the most pragmatic and stylish wedding registry.
Inspiring Kitchen is a consulting service that helps newly engaged couple assess their needs and build a registry that will truly serve them for many, many years. Maybe you’re already an avid cook with great pieces, but need to fill in the gaps? Or maybe you have doubles of college-quality appliances and cookware? InspiringKitchen is here to help! We love Julie’s practicality, like forfeiting the bread machine on you’re registry, because going to the bakery on the corner for a baguette is more fun and quite frankly, more convenient. Or if you really are the couple who have everything, opting for people to donate to your favorite charity or cause. So step away from the scanner and read on to see if you’re registry has a balance of wants and needs.
TIP #1: REGISTER FOR THE FUTURE
“If you currently live in 500-square-feet and can’t imagine what you will do with a 20-pound turkey roasting pan, you need to consider your life down the road. Square footage of your home also plays a part in how couples determine the number of place settings for dinnerware and flatware that they register for. You may want to consider the size of your families to determine the number of settings you may need. I recommend between 8-12 place settings of your everyday dishes as a guide but if asked directly, would say 12 place settings.”
TIP #2: WHEN IN DOUBT, REGISTER FOR WHITE
“Think about how restaurants showcase their food: white plates! But, if you love color, why not register for colored salad plates, bowls, or chargers as well? That’s the fun thing about using white plates, you can easily change the look of your table by adding these colored pieces. This is also perfect for holidays as you can add Christmas plates to the table settings or bright red plates for Valentine’s Day. White dinnerware is just the framework.”
TIP #3: THINK ABOUT SIZE & SCOPE OF GUEST LIST
“Use the number of guests as a guide to the number of items to have on a registry
A small intimate wedding: register for the items you really want rather than listing every item on your wish list. Give a range of prices as some guests may individually purchase a gift while others may want to go in on a group gift. So, offering some larger price point items like a cookware set, electric stand mixer or cutlery set is not unreasonable.again at all price points. I suggest that a couple register at two stores.
A large wedding: Make sure you identify enough gifts for your guests to choose from…if your registry is completed before all your guests have been able to purchase a gift for you, they will go off the registry choosing items from stores that may not be convenient to you or your taste. It may even be to your advantage to register at several stores instead of just one or two to accommodate this number of guests.”
Want more out of your registry? Visit InspiringKitchen.com.