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I often get emails from brides wanting advice on how to save on weddings. Planning a wedding can be both exhilarating and exhausting, but one part of the wedding process that many brides get excited about is conquering the infamous wedding registry. Wedding registries can be a wonderful tool to help friends and family keep track of what you need and want, and while part of the goal of a registry is for family and friends to be able to bless you with gifts for your new life together, there are also ways for you to save as you create your registry!
Top Wedding Registry Tips
Choose Your Registry Carefully
There are several stores that offer wedding registration, but make sure to choose your stores wisely. It can be easy to want to register at many different stores but consolidating your list to about three or less stores makes it easier for both you and your family and friends to keep track. You can even make a wedding registry on Amazon, which can be a more frugal option for your internet savvy guests.
See my post on wedding registry incentives for more details about all the registry options as well as perks and bonuses.
Understand How the Registry Works
While registries are a great way to keep track of gifts, some stores tend to have trouble marking gifts as purchased on the registry, so every once in a while, it is a good idea to look over your registry and make sure everything has being marked off as purchased once you have received them. Most registries allow you to manually change the purchase history of items so you can change the items to purchased when the store does not mark them off. This will help to avoid duplicates and make for an easier return process.
Know the Return Policy
Different registries have different limits on how long you can return items. Also, pay attention to when the clock starts ticking. Some registries count from when the item is purchased (which, depending on how long you’re engaged, could be many months before your wedding. Others count from the date of your wedding.
Know the Exchange Policy
Store exchange policies are different for each store so make sure you know the specific policies for the store you are returning a product to. Bed, Bath, and Beyond allows you to return almost any item for cash as long as it’s on your registry. Target will take back items listed on your registry, but will give you gift cards instead of cash for returns. Also keep in mind that registries expire after a certain amount of time, so you’ll want to make any exchanges early.
Add Items at Various Price Points
Make sure to add items at several price points. Your friends and family have different amounts they would like to spend and it is helpful for them to have a range of prices to choose from. Don’t be afraid to put a few of those special splurge items on the list. If the item is a little more expensive than you think most will be comfortable spending, remember friends and family might go in together and purchase a larger gift for you. Some registries have options for group gifting where people can just contribute an amount to a certain item.
Think About What You Really Need
You don’t have to have the most expensive items for your new life together. It is nice to have new things, but I would err on the side of practical instead of pretty. You might want to choose really nice bedding for your bed since it’s something you’ll see every day, but when it comes to kitchen items, choose durable items that will last!
The process can be overwhelming at times, but remember to have fun! You are picking items for your new home with your significant other, but whether you choose the red or green cookware, will not be the end of the world.
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