Getting It Right: Wedding Style

Getting married is so fun. For those of you who are dreaming of that day, I wish you every second of joy when that comes. Be patient. Singleness is a gift, maximize it (I relentlessly clung to that statement before I wed). For others, you may be far from that.

Regardless of where you’re at, I hope you agree with me that there is an endless amount of special things that surround weddings. One of those being the lovely bridal showers and gifts you receive. It was the one time in my life I could ask for anything I wanted and could hope for most of it. (So cool!) It was fun to choose what we both wanted/needed for our new life together.  Looking back, I’m thankful for most of my choices.

These were all questions that I know funneled through my mind and maybe yours too:

Where should I register?

 How do you know what to register for? 

What if I change my mind on what I like?

How do I get the future Mr. to care about choosing items?

How do I prioritize?

 In my case, my man was a little older but didn’t have matching pieces. (Thank goodness for starting fresh!) I tried to think basics. 

What do I need? 

What colors do I like most?

Tidbits for fiances and fiances to be:

Make sure to register for those things that you will use everyday but don’t forget about your garlic press (if you’re crazy into garlic like us), baskets, fun napkin rings, and shower curtain and liner (you never know when you’ll need that). Be smart on what you choose and it’s price. You do have to think about your audience. What type of people are buying the gifts? Sometimes I’m shocked when I look at registries and see the $800 chair the newlyweds want from Crate and Barrel.  Choose realistically but make sure to have diversity. Don’t forget, you can always return BUT try to not keep that mentality.

Answering the Big Question…Where do I register?

Pros and Cons from what I know or have heard….

	Pros	Cons
Pottery Barn	Beautiful and timeless items.	Higher price points. May not get everything you want.
Crate and Barrel	Reasonable priced items and super cool gifting. No “household” items.	Will gifters pay for shipping if they’re not near one? In my case, they did.
Bed Bath and Beyond	Awesome return policy. Coupons galore! Many locations.	uh.......
Target	Many locations. Great price points.	Crappy return policy. Make sure you have your receipt and I.D. Inventory changes often.
Kohls	Many locations. Great price points.	I don’t think quality is as good but that is just my own opinion!
Macy’s (department stores)	Many locations	Limited selections
HomeGoods/T.J. Maxx/Marshalls	Perfect place for gift cards, lots to choose from and you get more for your money.	Sparse locations
Pier One	Gift cards… cha-ching!	They no longer do registries but have a well-rounded inventory.
Ikea	Gift cards baby! People give them! Don’t doubt.	Location

ooh la la- gift table at our wedding

Personally, The Mr. and I chose Crate and Barrel, Bed Bath and Beyond, and a few things from Target (only things we knew we would keep). A fun part of receiving the gifts were those wedding gifts that were shipped to my house the week or two before. I would run to the door to meet the UPS man and the lovely white Crate and Barrel box. It made my day! Overall, it was such a fun addition to our wedding. Thank you to the lovely people in our life who blessed us with things for our home. (Boy, did we feel SPECIAL!)

the day after...ha...couldn't wait to see our new lovely gifts

For all you married kiddos out there…what was your best item you registered for and your worst?

(This post is in honor of my girls who are tying the knot in T-130 days or so. Bring on the bliss! I'm already thinking about what I'm gifting!)