Ah, the wedding registry. Whether you’re putting it together online or going into the store and up and down each aisle before you and your beloved walk down the aisle, you know you need some practical items on your wedding registry list. What should you put, and what should you avoid putting on your list at all costs? Keep the wedding ring holder dish on the list for your wedding rings, but leave behind the fine china. Here are nine practical wedding registry must-haves, and our list of what you can skip.
[Also Read: 4 Exciting Ways to Use Custom Acrylic Numbers to Boost Your Wedding Decor]
1) Items to Avoid on Your Wedding Registry
As tempting as it might be to start making your wedding registry your personal shopping wishlist, don’t do it. Don’t put any items on your list that can’t be enjoyed equally by you and your partner. You shouldn’t put a new iPhone on the wedding registry, and you shouldn’t put your dream Christian Louboutins on the list.
2) Cookware and Bakeware
Cookware such as nonstick skillets and bakeware like muffin tins are must-haves for your new lives together. Even if neither of you is a good cook or you two don’t plan on doing a lot of cooking, it’s still important to have cookware and bakeware for your home together. You never know when you’ll need to whip out the whisk and mixing bowl.
3) Dining and Entertaining Items
When you two become an official married couple, chances are that you two will be doing a lot of entertaining. You’ll be inviting people over to your home for dinner parties, so be sure you have dining and entertainment items ready to go. Add everyday dishware and drinking glasses (about eight to 12 settings) to your registry. Don’t forget the cheese and charcuterie boards, too!
4) Linens for the Bedroom, Bathroom, and Kitchen
You don’t have to go overboard with the linens. A few sets for your master bedroom and any other guest rooms in your home will do just fine. You may need extra sleeping pillows or additional hand towels. You’ll need sheets for the bedroom, bath mats for the bathroom and placemats, and nice linen napkins for the kitchen.
5) Home Decor
Now that you have some practical items on your registry, don’t let your home together be all work and no play. Have some home decor that will add some life and personality to your home. These can be decorative items like bookends and throw blankets. If you have a backyard, you can put grilling gear and patio furniture on your registry as well. Have them get you a wedding ring box that doubles as a place for you to hold your wedding ring sets and also as tasteful home decor.
6) Personalized Stationery
After the wedding is over and you start to take inventory of everyone who gave you gifts and attended the wedding, you’ll want to send out personalized thank you cards. Consider adding personalized stationery to your registry list. Get enough stationery that can last beyond the one-time post-wedding thank you notes. You can use stationery for other big events you two have as a couple, like holidays or a baby shower if you two plan on having children.
7) Personalized Wedding Art
If you’re looking for a really special gift for you and your partner, add a request for personalized wedding art to your registry. They can be illustrations of you and your partner. They can be drawings of details from your wedding like your bouquet or wedding rings to commemorate the joining of your love.
8) Meal Subscription Services
In lieu of physical gifts, you can also ask for things like meal subscription services or money. That way, people can contribute significantly to a fund or service that actually matters to you. Try a honeymoon registry or a fund for a just-married dinner at a fancy restaurant you two have always wanted to visit. Having someone gift you a meal subscription service is a great way to cut down on cooking time for you and your partner so you two can enjoy more bonding time together. If you prefer to do cooking together as an activity, there are subscriptions for meal kits for cooking as well.
9) Wedding Ring Holder Dish
Looking for a place to hold your beautiful engagement rings? Once you two are in wedded bliss, you’ll want a designated spot to hold your wedding rings so they don’t get misplaced. Add a wedding ring holder dish to your registry.
10) Donation to Charity or Support a Cause
If you feel like you already have all the stuff you need or don’t need yet another pile of linens you’ll never use, have your guests donate to a cause that matters to you or them. According to The Knot, 17 percent of couples registered for eco-friendly gifts, and 21 percent gave eco-friendly favors and gifts at the actual wedding. If you’re an environmentalist or at least looking to be more eco-friendly, ask your guests to purchase gifts with zero-waste packaging.