What Should NOT be Included in my Wedding Gift Registry?

Creating your ultimate wedding wishlist is a fun experience and the perfect opportunity to ask for some unique gifts you wouldn’t normally request from your family and friends. But are there some things you should leave off your wedding registry?

Dear Cheryl,

I want to include non-traditional items in my wedding registry; are there some things that I shouldn’t include? What should I stay away from? Friends told me to register for anything I want, but I’m just not sure.

Dear Not Sure,

While it’s a short list, there are a few things that are best left off your wedding gift registry.

1. Personal items. Guests prefer to purchase something for you as a couple, something you will use together or that will enhance your new life together. Personal items, such as an IPhone, IPads or clothing, should be left off your list.
2. Anything Offensive. If anyone on your guest list might be offended, just leave it off.

A wedding registry is really for your guest’s convenience, so try to think about it from their point of view. What types of things do you like to see when shopping from someone’s wedding registry?

Wedding Registry Guidelines

To put you at ease, here are some additional guidelines to help you create a wedding registry that will make both you and your guests happy.

1. Give your Guests Choices when creating an “alternative” registry. 

With so many unique registries available, it’s easy to get excited about the idea of creating a honeymoon or experience registry, active lifestyle registry or even a wine registry. And while those registries may create a lot of buzz and excitement among your friends, a traditional registry should also be included for those guests and family members that are more comfortable giving more traditional or “practical” gifts.

2. Include your future spouse in the process.

It may be tempting to consult a friend instead of your future spouse, especially if he/she doesn’t really seem interested. It’s important that both parties have a say when it comes to selecting registry items. After all, these are the things that will be in your home for years to come. If there’s a difference of opinion, listen with an open-mind so that there are no regrets or hard feelings in the future.

3. Register for enough items to cover your guest list.

People prefer choosing from a large selection of gifts. If you have too few items on your registry, early birds will wipe you out quickly, leaving other guests playing the guessing game. A good rule of thumb is to register for two gifts per invitation mailed. As the wedding date draws closer, you can add and subtract if needed.

4. Register at more than one store.

I recommend creating a wedding gift registry at least two different locations. While you may love everything about one particular store, if that store is local or regional, it’s nice to give out of town guests other options. Make sure at least one (but preferably all) of your registries offers an online option. Check out our comprehensive list of all the benefits and perks for wedding registries at some of our favorite stores.

5. Create a Balanced Registry.

Don’t hesitate to include your dream items of $200 and more, but your registry should also have a good mix of gifts in the under $50, under $75, and under $100 range. Each guest’s budget is different. The best registries have a mix of both prices and types of items, so that all of your guests will feel comfortable finding something they will be excited to give you.

6. Don’t register for the same items at different stores.

Adding the same things to multiple registry will result in two things – duplicate gifts and confused guests.

7. Check on your Registry…

It’s important to review your registries every few weeks, more often as the wedding date approaches, and update if needed. There may be items that are suddenly out of stock, or that don’t excite you as much as when you added them. Or you may have received a shower gift that you included on your registry, but your guest purchased it from another store.

While a small percentage of couples prefer not to register (and that’s perfectly acceptable), wedding guests have come to rely on the convenience of a gift registry. They want to feel confident that they are buying you something you need and will truly enjoy. And RegistryFinder.com makes it so simple for guests to find all of your wedding registries in one convenient place.

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If you have questions or comments about gift giving or wedding etiquette, please comment below or email [email protected].

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