Bridal Registry....oy vey

[Pomlover2586]

Man oh man........ok so DF and I went to Bed Bath & Beyond today and set up our registry. We were there for 2.5 hrs and only got through the kitchen section!! I felt so out of place and lost We don't have our own place yet [won't until shortly after the wedding] so it's even harder to pick items out because we have no idea how much room we'll have, or what decor ideas we want to use....... Not to mention that I don't have a lot of domestic experience as far as being the "woman" goes......i've done laundry but I can't cook........DF picked out most of the kitchen stuff because he's the cooker. I looked at sheets and thought whats the difference between Sateen Egyptian cotton and regular egyptian........oy........Did any of you feel this way or do feel this way? Or am I the only one who's clueless?

 

[superdiz]

I remember feeling overwhelmed at first with the sheer size of the store, but the minute they put that gun in my hand, I was trigger happy

We looked at it as our wish list. We knew we'd never get everything on the registry so we figured why not give people a wide variety of ideas with a wide variety of price ranges so that they don't have to feel forced to buy something ridiculously expensive (like the Kitchen Aid Mixer).

Sheets are a preference. Higher thread counts mean softer, more silky sheets. I registered based on what matched our bedding. We liked the feel of the sateen and it wasn't overly expensive.

The good thing about BB&B is that you can return anything for cash - so if you change your mind after the fact, you can either exchange or get cash. So you really can't go wrong.

Relax, registering is supposed to be FUN!

 

[Kristen14]

Superdiz is right... your registry is like a wish list. It can be stressful because you dont normally throw everything in your cart when you go shopping... its hard to break out of that habit and it's normal to feel bad for registering for so much. Dont think, just see something nice and click it! When people are buying you gifts, some will want to spend around $20, some $50, $100, $200 or more... so have a variety of things in each price range.

We registered for way more than we ever expect to get, because after your wedding you get a discount on anything that wasnt purchased. If you've never lived on your own then you probably need everything in the store! The employees at BB&B are also VERY helpful... I worked there in college. If you're confused, track down an employee and ask! They may even be willing to escort you thru the store and help you register... I did that a lot when I saw couples who looked confused.

Also, you can edit or complete your registry online, from the comfort of your own computer... may be a lot less stressful! You can see pics of everything on your registry, and by going thru all the categories on the website you can pick a few things from each area. Good luck!!

 

[zetalove08]

You are not the only one who felt that way! I was completely overwhelmed... still am! I think the main thing is though don't feel like you HAVE to get something, just because that's what "married couples are supposed to get" if that makes sense.

Also, with BBB you can change things online so that takes some of the pressure off because if you forget something or what to take it off, you can do it from your home.

Good Luck!

 

[Pomlover2586]

Thank you all so much!

DF and I went back and finished our registry at BBB on Sunday. The second time was definetly much easier and much more fun then the first encounter! I tried to take your advice and "have fun" with it and I did! Although I still felt guilty putting that $400 dollar down comforter on there!! Oh but it was soooo soft!

Since we arn't sure how much room we're going to have or what decor we wanted to use we stuck with fairly neutral colors. The kitchen items are an olive green and brown/creme and the appliances are black. As for the bathroom we chose bamboo brown and light blue. It all looked really nice so hopefully we'll get lucky and get some stuff off of there!

Thanks again for all your help! It's a bit over whelming but I think in the end everything turned out really nice!

 

[Bouncy bounce]

I felt the same way. I had originally done target. i had everything on there. But then realized how crappy the return policy was. Good thing you get a $20gift card.

So i went to BB & B, the woman there basically told me that i can put anything on and return it for cash and get what i really need after. So if i have no clue what the color of a bedroom or bathroom is going to be. So right now anything that i had on target registry that they have at bb&b i put on their registry and kept whatever i couldnt get at BB&B i left on target.

Another good thing the woman told me was for example. say you wanted pots and pans and the set cost 500 well put the items on separtely then return them get the cash and then use the 10 % off or 20% whatever it is and then buy the whole set and then with the money you saved buy whatever you need that you didnt get.

I have also done pfaltzgraff for dishes because i couldnt figure out which dishes from target or bb&b.

I had went to macys but i hated that the sales person walked around with me. It made me mad because she was basically telling me what to get. I dont plan on getting fine china and she was making me put it on.

I also talked to my maid of honor. She said she wishes that she put more on there because you would be surprised with what people will buy you and how much they will spend.

 

[LisaZee]

Ah, the registry... I'm an old married lady, but I was bridal registry consultant for 3 years at Carsons, so I thought I may be able to help anyone with registry questions. Here are a few things I learned:

1. Keep in mind that your guests want a choice of what to buy you. However many people you are inviting to the shower, put at least double that number of gifts on the registry. And that's gifts in the $40 range. If you have 20 items on your registry and they're all $2 apiece, one guest will clean your registry out! Also remember that some guests believe in giving gifts at the wedding, not cash. So make sure there are extra gifts on the registry for those folks, as well.
2. Register for the future. Maybe you're in a one bedroom apartment now, but put 2 bedroom sets and 2 bathroom sets on the registry. If you get a partial set of both, return the pieces for one set and finish up the other. Also, you may not be a gourmet chef now, but if you're EVER going to want something like a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, now's the time to ask. You'll never convince someone to drop $200-300 on you again! Don't forget, people may go in on a big gift they know you'd like, so don't feel too guilty putting some "dream gifts" on there.
3. Now is the time for seasonal changes in the stores. Don't count on flannel bedding that you pick out now to be in the stores in February when your shower invites go out. If you do want something seasonal, don't be crushed if your guests can't get it. A good store will notifiy you when something in a pattern or grouping gets discontinued. Also, keep an eye on your registry prices. If you see something go clearance and you must have it, snap it up and call it a present to yourself!
4. Be prepared to get duplicates. No matter how good your stores are at taking things off your registry, your guests can be "funny". Some buy the same gift for every girl cousin/sister/grandchild in the family. If they bought your older sis her wok and your cousin her wok, you're getting the wok. If someone already bought it, you're getting it again. Or, I used to hear "I just want to get a gift and be done." Too bad for you if you have 3 blenders already purchased, you're getting a 4th. Or the folks that want to spend a particular amount of money, and just get one gift. If they want to spend $100 on your gift, and you have one $100 item on your registry that was already purchased, you're getting it again. These people used to kill me!

Anywho, I hope all that helps. If you want registry horror stories, I've got 'em! hee hee. Good luck to all the brides registering!