Creating a Modern Wedding Registry
These days, bridal registries go way beyond the department store. You can register for almost everything, from electronics to your wedding jewelry to your honeymoon. With registries scattered so far and wide, it can get hard for your guests to find them, which is why it is smart to include links to your lists on your wedding website. Never include registry details in a wedding or shower invitation, as that is considered to be quite rude. Limit yourself to two or three places maximum; anything more can come across as greedy, even if that is not your intention.
Every home needs beautiful things to fill it. While china might not suit your lifestyle, a great set of handmade pottery might be just the thing. This is your chance to upgrade the cheap chipped plates you have been using since college with something more durable and stylish. Or perhaps a set of dishes designed by a modern artist is your taste. Cool and unique place settings can be found at stores ranging from traditional department stores to discount shops to upscale home boutiques. If you opt for a store which is local rather than a chain, be sure that it will be easy for your out-of-town guests to order from them, lest your wish list sit unfulfilled.
Barware is a key component of many modern wedding registries. People love to give wedding gifts which are festive, so anything that can be used for entertaining is very likely to be purchased from your list. Request cocktail shakers and tools, stylish ice buckets, wine coasters, and heavy glasses. Both short and tall cocktail glasses are a must (also called old fashioned and highball glasses), as are red and white wine glasses. You will likely want a set of martini glasses for your bar, and possibly other specialty glasses like snifters, cordials, and dacquiri glasses. Stemless wine glasses such as those made by Riedel strike the perfect balance between modern form and timeless quality. When selecting barware, always consider the feel of the glass as well as its appearance. Heavier glass or crystal pieces will be more costly in the beginning, but will prove to be far more durable over the years.
Finally, don’t be afraid to think outside the box for your modern wedding registry. Why not ask for a piece of art or a very cool modern chair from an artist’s gallery? You may or may not receive some of the less traditional items from your list, but if nothing else it will give your guests a sense of your taste to help them select something that you will be delighted to receive. If that is all that happens, your registry will have done its job well.
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Bridal registries are a very convenient way to let your wedding guests know which particular items the bride and groom need. One big advantage to registries for the newlyweds is that they help to avoid duplicate gifts items and also make for easy returns. For the guests, the best thing about a bridal registry is that it eliminates the guess work about what to send as a wedding present.
There are two ways that the couple can establish their bridal registry: online or in person. Both have their merits, and often couples will do a combination of both. For instance, if you are registering for items like china or sheets, it would be nice to see them in person before making a selection. Then register for things like a toaster and coffeemaker online, so that you can read the customer reviews before making your selection.
Today, people sometimes opt for non-traditional bridal registries. Options include registering for the honeymoon, donations for a charity, or even a down payment on a house. While those are lovely ideas, what you are essentially telling your guests is that you only want cash. It takes away their ability to personally choose a gift, which lessens the pleasure of gift-giving.
Bridal registry details should never be included in the wedding invitation (it looks like you are charging admission!). Don’t worry; if people want to find out where you are registered, they will ask. And for the guests: it is fine to look at the registry, and then buy the item elsewhere if you can find a better price, but call up the registry and ask them to mark off that item. If the bride and her guests abide by these simple rules, the bridal registry will serve its purpose very well, and everyone will be happy.
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