Wedding Registry Tips & Confessions From Real Women

City: Austin, TX
Age you’re getting married: 26
How did you handle the wedding registry process?
I chose to register at Macy’s and Crate Barrel. For Macy’s, I tried to go into the store, but the employees in the home department said they no longer have a dedicated registry person and that I needed to do it online. They didn’t want to help me pick out items at all. I wanted to go into a store so I could feel the towels and sheets and things and see the colors in person, but I was left wandering around and taking pictures on my phone. At Crate Barrel, they told me to get their app, and I could use it in the store to scan the items I liked and add them to the registry, but the app was down and had been for over a week. So I had to just take pictures of the items’ tags and then add them online at home, but at least the employees were a lot more helpful even though the app was down.

Did you ask for anything other than tangible household items?
I’m scared my grandmother is going to think it’s tacky, and I don’t know how to ask for those things, even though my fiancé and I live together, and I have a lot of nice kitchen items.

How did you and your partner decide how you would handle the registry?
I felt a little limited that I needed to register at a store that has a physical location near my family, so it would be convenient for them. And I’m super worried because I don’t know what price point to ask for. I don’t want to seem greedy by asking for expensive things. I’m trying to pick pieces design- and size-wise that fit in our current apartment, even though I know we won’t be there forever. Hopefully, we don’t move anywhere smaller.

Do you think it’s appropriate to ask for experiences, money, etc. if you already have all the household items you’d find on a traditional wedding registry?
I personally think it is appropriate as long as you have a clear vision for the money and a feasible goal. People want to know what they’re contributing to, and if you set up a fund for a lavish honeymoon then don’t receive enough money to cover it, what’s the plan?

Did you receive any gift you regret registering for? Have you gotten rid of any of the gifts you registered for?
Not yet. At this point, I’m second-guessing every choice! This process is hitting every single thing that gives me anxiety — family judgment, spending money, large purchases, design choices, and online shopping.