If the first time you stepped into a store with one of those pricing guns used to create a wedding gift registry you felt overwhelmed and unsure of what to do, you are not alone.
Creating a registry is a daunting task and in modern times, it is not always the most useful thing to do.
Take heart though because there are ways for brides to offer their wedding guests the convenience of a gift registry without being inundated with nineteen porcelain place settings and a dozen crystal vases.
There are a number of useful things you can register for and in many cases the registering itself can be a lot of fun.
So if you are engaged and planning a wedding, grab your fiancé and head out for a day of scanning price labels, making choices, and looking forward to your new life together.
Start with practical items first.
A lot of couples live together and even own their own homes by the time they make it down the aisle, so there is a chance little will be needed for a traditional registry.
However, if you are buying a home and just beginning life on your own, weddings gifts are a great way to start your life with the items you need.
There will be plenty of occasions for gift giving like the engagement party, the bridal shower, and the actual wedding, so be sure to register early.
Next, consider how practical your registry is for friends and family.
Are you having a wedding attended by people who are mostly on a budget? Young couples should now expect their young friends to be able to afford expensive gifts.
Be sure to include some inexpensive items on the registry so everyone has something they can purchase available to them.
You may want to register at a few different stores that offer items in a variety of prices.
Department stores often sell only luxury items, so start a registry at a discount store in addition to building your collection of finer items.
An option for those who have been living on their own is to create a honeymoon registry.
If you do not need china and stemware or you know you will never use it, there is no sense in registering for it.
If you know you and your new spouse would enjoy a luxurious trip away following the wedding, create a honeymoon registry.
Guests will contact your travel agent and their wedding gift to you will be contributing to the cost of the honeymoon.
In some cases, guests can even purchase you specific items on the honeymoon like a romantic meal, a spa treatment, or an adventure excursion.
If you are a bride planning a destination wedding, you may want to forgo the registry completely.
Wedding etiquette recommends that destination brides not have wedding showers, so this cuts into the potential for wedding gifts.
Because destination weddings are much smaller, and because it can be difficult for guests to travel with gifts, many couples request that there be no gifts at destination weddings.