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Jun
2008
You’re a very busy bride; planning a wedding, showing off your ring and engagement status, spending quality time with your man; as busy as brides are, somehow the registry needs to be done. Here are a few tips on what to register for, what to avoid, and how to register for enough gifts for your guests.
What to register for
That is a question I heard a lot. When I worked for a department store’s wedding registry department, brides and grooms would ask me every time, without fail, what they should register for. I gave them the good store expected answers, but I couldn’t resist throwing in a few tips. The biggest one being…
Register for whatever you want!
Really, this sounds like a no brainer, but when you have that scan gun in your hand and you see all of the possibilities before you… your mind literally goes crazy. You either become scan happy (grooms have this problem, probably because most scanners resemble guns) and scan everything you can, or your stand there, confused, staring at the same china pattern for 10 minutes or more.
Let’s put some clarification on that tip to reign in the trigger happy and to encourage the gun shy.
Register for what you need, but choose what you like.
Now here is where most couples would come back to me and ask for help. “What do I need?” “Do I need China?” “How many place settings do I need?” Don’t panic brides, calm your grooms. Registering is fun, and you can choose to listen to your wedding registry consultant (they do know what they are talking about, usually).
Your registry can include so many things, so you may want to split your registry trip into two days. Therefore, this article will be split into two articles: dinnerware (including crystal and flatware) and everything else (including…everything else).
Fine China
Do you need it? That depends on you. Couples starting out don’t usually have a place to store their china, but when parents come over to share holidays, braking out that china is satisfying. Very satisfying.
- You can choose to begin small, with four to six 4-piece or 5-pice place settings. Place settings include a dinner plate, salad plate, cup and saucer and in 5-piece place settings, a bread and butter plate.
- You can also spread out your china and purchase open stock. This means you are selecting only the pieces you need (how often will you use the cup and saucer?), and this way guests can purchase what they can afford, instead of an expensive place setting. (And you have more to choose from this way.)
Casual China
This is a deceptive name. This is your everyday dinnerware. With this, I recommend you register for 8-12 place settings or, if you are absolutely sure you will never ever have guests over and you will always do your dishes right away, you can register for 4-6 place settings. These place settings won’t include tea cups, although some patterns do. Instead they will include a dinner plate, salad plate, soup or cereal bowl and a cup or mug. Your dinnerware may also be available as open stock.
Stemware and glassware
If you and your groom know you will have a place for crystal stemware, go ahead and register for some. Be sure to pick a pattern that complements your dinnerware.
Here are a few of the basics of stemware and barware that you will want to consider; the store will recommend you register for 8-12 each, but you should be fine with 6-8 each at the beginning of your marriage:
- White wine glasses: these are narrow in shape to prevent your hot little hands from warming the wine
- Red wine glasses: these are larger and wider than white wine glasses so your nose will be inside the rim as you tip the glass and enjoy the red wine’s flavor.
- Highballs or double old fashioned glasses: these are more for your hard liquor drinks.
- Cocktails: these glasses are fun, but not totally necessary.
For your everyday glassware, pick up a set that includes at least 8 glasses, either all tall glasses or a combination of tall and shorter glasses (in this set you will want at least 12 glasses, 6 of each size). (Register for as many glasses as place settings or dinner plates you chose.)
Flatware
It is recommended that you register for formal and casual flatware. This really is a personal choice. You can register for silverware or goldware and flatware (your cool stainless steel) or you can register for an everyday pattern that can be both casual and elegant. Here I totally recommend registering for a heavy feeling flatware (18/10).
Continued in Wedding Registry Tips Part 2.
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Topics: Utah Wedding Planning |