Come prepared
The biggest mistake couples make when registering is walking into the store unprepared. This will undoubtedly cause anger, arguments and frustrations as your fiancé insists that he already has a potato peeler while you are certain he doesn’t even know what one is. Additionally, already stressed brides have a tendency to forget the entire mental list of items they thought they could remember the minute they walk through the store’s doors. Don’t count on wandering aimlessly until you see the item you forgot; it will surely be hidden from you in the most illogical place in the entire store and you won’t recall it until you are home.
Nearly every bridal magazine has a blank list of popular registry items. Or ask the store where you plan to register if they offer such a worksheet. Use this worksheet to inventory your current households. Cross off any item you already have and don’t need to upgrade. Cross off anything you won’t use. If you cannot fathom ever using a 13-piece punch bowl set, don’t register for it. There is no rule that says you must register for everything on the worksheet.
In the weeks prior to registering, start thinking of items you have always wanted, but never remember to buy. When you lose your keys for the tenth time in one day, write yourself a reminder to register for a key peg to hang by the door. Have to borrow your neighbor’s wine key again? Write that down, too. Keep these notes in an envelope and store it in your desk drawer. Once a week, add these items to your worksheet.
If you will register for items that vary in size, like window treatments, be sure to measure your house so you know what will fit.
Know the product
So you need a blender, but your store offers 15 different brands. Those two on the top shelf look the same, so why the $100 price difference?
After you have completed your worksheet, get to know the available products through research. See if your local library keeps back-copies of Consumer Reports and spend a day learning the difference between your store’s available brands.
Ask friends who own products by these brands how they feel about their purchase. Do those $200 knives really never need sharpening? Is that skillet really as easy to clean as it claims? Was it worth the extra money, or would the cheaper version do just as well? Keep in mind what your guests can afford, and only register for higher priced items when you feel the difference in quality outweighs the risk that no one will purchase the gift.
If through your research you are able to decide on a specific brand, make a note of this on your worksheet, then stick to your decision when you register. If another brand is available that you haven’t had a chance to review, you will always be able to correct the registry later. However, if you discover that the new product is not as good as the original one you chose, you won’t have to go back to add your first choice.
But we can always use it later
Before registering for items you may not use immediately, ask yourself where you will store these things in the meantime. Do you already have three sets of non-matching everyday dishware from your college days? Is your apartment too small to hold a dinner table, much less a party of eight to feed off your new china? Then why register for these items now? True, this may be the only time other people are willing to buy for you something this expensive. But what good will their generosity do if your storage space is not sufficient to hold such delicate items? Can your closet fit several boxes of china until you move into a larger house, or will they just end up crushed and broken by other boxes full of items you can’t use yet?
There’s always tomorrow
Lastly, don’t stress out if you can’t make a final decision regarding an item. Handing back the scanner to the sales clerk does not mean your registry is a done deal. You can always come back in the future and change your items. Many registries are now available for change online. Just type in your password and you can switch dish patterns as many times as you like from the comfort of your own home. What could be better?
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