As you know, I’ve been blogging about mother of the bride etiquette and other wedding related topics for years at this point, and one thing that stands out is the fact that most soon-to-be married couples do not give enough thought to their wedding registry. This is understandable, as there are so many tasks and nuances associated with the overall wedding planning process that it’s easy to overlook something seemingly so insignificant.
However, the problem with not planning out the wedding gift registry is that you’ll very likely end up with a bunch of useless wedding gifts. Simply put, people will not know what to get you. And to me, that seems silly. I mean, if you’re going to set up the registry any way, why not tag things that you really want and more importantly…really need? Thus, in order to get your creative juices flowing, what follows are some of the most important categories of gift that you probably will need.
First and foremost, you will absolutely need dinnerware and cookware. Yes this is one of the more standard categories on any gift registry, but everybody’s tastes are different so you really need to provide some guidance here. Do lots of research online and tag specific styles and items that you want and need. Itemize specific dishes, glasses (including wine, shot and drink glasses), silverware, pots, pans, kitchen tools, etc., including sizes, colors and brands if these attributes are important to you. This will allow you to avoid the problem of getting ugly dishes and/or useless kitchen items that’ll ultimately end up in the Goodwill bin.
The second category of gift that you ought to think long and hard about is furniture. Unless you and your partner plan to rent a furnished apartment, you will need furniture items like sofas, chairs, one or more desks, one or more tables, dressers, an entertainment center, etc. Do not be put off by the thought of including such bulky items on your wedding gift registry, as this is definitely an acceptable practice in this day and age. And even the higher-ticket items are ok to include, as people can go-in on group-purchases (which is better than getting a bunch of small knickknacks anyway).
The third important category to consider is the appliance category. Much like the first two, this category includes things that you will truly need – such as a microwave oven, toaster oven, conventional oven, washer and dryer, dishwasher, garbage disposal, refrigerator, and even a television set. And again, like I mentioned above, although many of these items might be pricey and/or bulky, many people are more than willing to make group purchases.
So there you have it – the 3 most important categories of wedding registry gifts to think about (in my opinion). If you incorporate these 3 tips into your registry planning process, you’ll do just fine. Of course, there are other categories as well, such as tools & household maintenance equipment, bedding items, home improvement items and general electronics, but I truly believe that the 3 listed above are the absolute “must-haves.” And the great news is that nowadays you can set up your wedding registry right online via such websites as theknot.com, weddingwire.com, and even Amazon. Just make sure you do a little homework before you commit to any of these services, as each one has pros and cons. Good luck!
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