Wedding Registry Round-Up

It’s a bit of an understatement to say I have no idea where to begin when it comes to creating a wedding registry. The trend seems to be towards registering at three different stores, but that seems a tad excessive to me. Who knows, though? Maybe in the end, I’ll cave (a la diamond engagement ring).

In any case, I promised myself I’d hold off on registering until we were one year away from our wedding, and though we’ve still got over a month to go, I’ve realized that I’m really quite lost. Don’t get me wrong, I know the basics: Kitchen stuff. Living room stuff. Bedroom stuff. Bathroom stuff. Fun stuff.

But something tells me that our guests are expecting us to be a bit more specific than that. If you’re at all like me, and are feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of running around a store with a laser gun, zapping everything in sight, read on! I’ve found several super helpful checklists, tips and tricks to aid in guiding us through this crazy-exciting process. Some will probably not come as a surprise, but maybe, like me, you too will learn something new!

Who doesn’t love lists? I sure do, and even I have to admit that The Knot has a fabulous Wedding Registry Checklist. What can I say? I’m a sucker for functional sites that provide advice and suggestions on what items to register for, that keep track of quantities of items needed, and that update your lists with a simple click of the mouse, all in one place!

Even better, they have an article that contains some offbeat suggestions, which is great if you’re the type of couple who already own the basics (or if you’re just looking to add a bit of fun to your registry!).

If you’re a more visual person, check out Martha Stewart’s Wedding Registry Adviser. Are you desperate to add more pewter accents to your life? There’s a registry gallery for that. Are you taking your beloved’s last name (or is your beloved taking yours?) and you just can’t wait to monogram the crap out of every item in your home? There’s a registry gallery for that. Pinterest fans, this is also an excellent resource for you!

If you’ve been there and done that, check out Building (and Pondering) A Wedding Registry. Be sure to have a steamy mug of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate ready, because this post is cozy like catching up with one of your best girlfriends. It’s catered towards kitchen-ware specifically, but there is a wealth of good information that can be applied generally, both in the post content and within the comments.

Finally, there’s a fantastic Wedding Gifts and Registry Etiquette and Advice over at Brides.com.

When the time comes, we’ll be registering at Pottery Barn (they just introduced their new Rustic Luxe line. I KNOW) and Macy’s. If we do treat ourselves to a third option, it will most likely be Bed, Bath & Beyond or Williams-Sonoma, two true registry staples. My issue here remains that I just cannot imagine Pottery Barn and Macy’s not covering our every need, and if that’s the case, why bother with a third option? Obviously this will not be the case for everyone, and we all have our own reasons for registering the way we do (if at all!).

And so I turn to you, gals and guys: Where did you/do you plan to register? What sort of quirky, non-traditional items did you include? What is your Ultimate Top Tip for clueless brides-to-be like me?

{Photo Credits: Style Me Pretty, Bitmask on Flickr, Martha Stewart Weddings, Pottery Barn}