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Spoils of the Day Preparing your gift registry is a multi-step process 
Wedding calendar countdown starts the moment you say ‘yes.’ Secure the date, location and officiant and let the fun begin. From food to favors, the bride and groom sit in the driver’s seat of decision-making, but one part of pre-wedding planning requires thinking of your passengers: selecting your registry. Where does registry fit on the timeline? While some might think the sooner the better, the answer to this present puzzler is unfolds in stages. Right now For Kristen Schoenfield, director of bridal and gift registry at Bed Bath & Beyond, Union Township, N.J, “It’s never too early to get started on the core basics. A blender is a blender and the styles won’t vary from season to season.” Today’s brides average walking down the aisle at age twenty-seven so for many, the concept of stocking a future home for a lifetime comes as a shock. Enlist wise friends and family for your first round of registering. Moms can be a great source of “what every home needs wisdom” as well as your bridesmaids who have walked these aisles already. Ironing boards and measuring cups may not scream must have, but it’s these basics that lay the foundation for your life together. And selecting now won’t leave you and your husband serving take-out on fine china. Four to six months out Now is the time to focus on more decorative and personal items. According to Schoenfield, “Four to six months from the wedding date, pencil in registering for these items,” Accessories for the bedroom, bathroom and living room find themselves more subject to seasonality, style changes and trends. Shift gears into wish list mode. Think variety, personal style and decoration. Get out of immediate mode and go for the long-term investment. Caught up in life changes, from moving homes and apartments to combining finances, Schoenfield sees today’s busy brides stuck in short-term selecting. Take on a register now mentality because you won’t buy it later. “You might not think you’ll ever host the family Thanksgiving, but you will and now is the time to register for the finer things in life, like silver serving trays and nice china.” Don’t pass on these items just because they don’t fill a right now need – they last a lifetime and become family heirlooms. One month to two weeks before Go easy on procrastinating guests. Most wedding goers purchase a gift right before the wedding. With all the engagement parties and showers leading up to the big day, nothing leaves guests more frustrated then a picked over registry. And Schoenfield observes enough shoppers to know that “guests want to be proud of what they are giving you.” Some may avoid the registry all together if they don’t feel good about sweeping up the leftovers. “Refresh and replenish your registry a few weeks before the wedding by going back to see what has been purchased and making adjustments.” Your guests are going to give you a gift regardless so it would be wise to have it be something you have selected. Your planning shapes the map of your life together. Taking these turns in your registry road make for a smooth ride for all involved. |
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