Happy Saturday Bridal Bloggers,
As a former bride myself, I recall that planning a wedding was incredibly stressful. Between working full- time, picking out attire, guest list, flowers, food, invitations, linens, music, venue, etc. and hearing everyone’s opinions on your selections it became a challenging task at times. Thanks to my amazing bridal staff at Gearys, the registry process was one of the least stressful and most enjoyable parts of the wedding planning experience. Although I am in the store (aka “my office”) at least 5 days a week, my fiancé and I felt like kids in a candy store with the plethora of selections. We greatly appreciated the guidance of our bridal guide, Lorelei, during our registry appointments.
Here is a little bit of registry advice from our bridal staff while you are preparing for your big day:
“Don’t bring the cast of your 4th grade school play”- Too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the soup, and you don’t need 9 different opinions. It’s your china. You are the ones getting married. Ultimately it is you using it in your home.”
“Don’t register for things that you KNOW are too expensive.”
“Think about what you are registering for, and if it was your best friend from high school’s registry, would you purchase that for your friend? Is the price point too high or just right? That is a good way of determining an appropriate price level for your china pattern.”
“Don’t register all over town…”
“Pick 2 stores to register with, but certainly no more than 3. When you register from 4 or 5 places you will be spread too thinly. You will end up with partial sets and gifts all over the place and will find it difficult to make it all happen.” “Aunt Gertrude will have purchased 2 of your casual cereal bowls at Macy’s, and Cousin Esther will have given you one 5 piece place setting of your sterling silver flatware from Gearys. Your bridesmaids will have given you half of your barware from Pottery Barn and your grandparents will have purchased all of your Placemats from Target. See! You have bits and pieces of gifts from all over town.”
“Include all price points starting at gifts for $25 and go up to what you feel comfortable with”
“Don’t fight about it…”
“Be patient. The more you do, the more it will come to you.”
“It’s OK to take a break mid registry, get a bite to eat or a quick afternoon cocktail, and come back later.”
“If you can, don’t try to do it all in one day. You will become overwhelmed and will be selecting things just to get it over with.”
“Register at least 6 months in advance. You will be having engagement parties and bridal showers, and people will want to be able to select from your registry”
“If you make a mistake its ok… just take it off your registry! Don’t stress.”
“Plan your day ahead of time. Plan on having a relaxing day in the store, knowing that you might be overwhelmed, and come in knowing that it will be a fun experience and an exploration. It should be a relaxing experience. Bring a cup of coffee or snacks if you need a nosh.”
“Take pictures of product, and ask for brochures”
“Prepare. Know what your style is…casual v. formal, your price range etc.”
“Make an appointment to come in for your registry”
“Don’t try and register during your lunch break… you will be too rushed.”
“Bring your fiancé!”
“Come in with an open mind”
“Let us help you… we provide personal service. No scanner guns here!”
“Come in two or three times. Do it in shifts. It can be overwhelming. Make preliminary choices, think about it and come back again to add on, or make changes.”
“When there is going to be an engagement party, you need to be sure to have a variety of gift items. People prefer to give gift items during an engagement party, as opposed to dinnerware items, which will most likely be given at bridal showers or for the wedding gift itself”
“Try to gently inquire from your family if they are planning to pass down silver or china to you… so we can build on those patterns with your registry, or get a different set to fit your more intermediate entertaining styles”
I hope this advice has been helpful! Please feel free to ask any questions about registering or the registration process. Let us make registering an enjoyable and relaxing part of the wedding planning experience. We will guide you through it all, and make this process as easy as possible!
XOXO,
Annie
