How to Create a Wedding Registry and Wedding Registry Must-Haves To Put On Your List
You’re about to be married! One wedding planning task that all couples should do, but might not be top of mind, is creating a gift registry. As a wedding planner, I have helped many couples set up their registries and carefully curate which items (gifts) to include one their list. Use this guide to help you build your registry!
HL Photo
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A wedding registry is a wishlist of items that an engaged couple creates to help their guests choose gifts for their wedding and other pre-wedding events. Having a registry makes the gifting process easier as the list is items YOU have compiled for what you want and need; it’s a win-win because you get items you actually want and your guests don’t have to guess for a good gift. When guests buy off the registry, the lists will update to show what gifts have already been purchased which helps prevent duplicate gifts.
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There are several different sites you can use to build a robust registry like The Knot or Zola, which allows you to add items from a variety of retailers plus cash/gift-fund options. You can also build store-specific registries such as at Target, Crate & Barrel, Williams Sonoma, and West Elm. One of our favorite sites to use is of course Amazon, which offers endless gift opportunities at a variety of price points.
For any store, you will create an account and build your “wishlist” of items from their catalog. Basically, you browse and add items to your list that you’d like!
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You should create a registry at least 8 months before your wedding, but we recommend creating your registry sooner in advance (right after you’ve booked your venue!) because guests will often look here for gifts for your engagement party or bridal shower.
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Many department stores like Macy’s, Kohl’s, JCPenny, and Target offer in-store kiosks for guests to look up your registry by using your names and wedding date. More commonly, guests will look up your registry online and shop from the comfort of their homes.
Be sure to put a link to your registry on your wedding website, which is the number 1 place guests will look for your registry information.
Pro tip: Traditionally, proper etiquette says you should NOT put your registry information on your wedding invitations. Leave the requests for gifts on your wedding website.
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Generally, your wedding registry should include items for your home like kitchen utensils, cleaning products, and electronics or items relevant to your shared hobbies like camping gear or electric bikes. There are several essentials all couples should have such as a nice coffeemaker, quality plates and silverware, and a basic drill and screwdriver tool set. Choose things that will benefit your household and life together, rather than registering for something specific to one of you (ie, you don’t need to put face care products or makeup on your registry).
Couples today often move in together prior to getting married, which means you likely already have a lot of the kitchen and home items other couples would request. Your wedding is a great time to upgrade your household products with higher quality, longer-lasting, or brand-name items. You can also add experiences and cash funds to your registry. Many couples include a honeymoon fund, home renovations fund, or a date night fund for a specific activity like attending a Wild game or a concert, or even going on a helicopter flight around St. Paul!
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We recommend at least as many items as your guest count, but the better rule of thumb is ~2 gifts per per invited guest. For example, if you are inviting 100 people, your registry should include around 150-200 items. Not all guests will purchase a physical gift (versus gifting cash) and typically you will receive 1 gift per household, but it’s always best to have more options for guests to choose from when picking out their gift to you. Think about when you are shopping for someone — you want to choose something meaningful to the recipient, while also picking a gift you are excited to give! Additionally, you should register for items at various price points to accommodate all guest budgets.
While it is unlikely that all items on your registry are purchased, something to keep in mind is that many registry sites will provide the couple with a post-wedding discount for you to purchase any items you weren’t gifted! So, add away!
Wedding Registry Essentials
To help you start building your list, here are several wedding registry essentials all newlyweds should have.
Ninja Creami — trust me, it’s way better than a blender.
Fire safety blanket — the easiest way to put out small household fires!
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