Registry advice for BIW''s from former BIW''s

[Gypsy]

What was your registry experience? What did people seem to really WANT to buy, and what did they avoid?

Only one person bought us a knife (and that was because she was a friend who ''heard'' me say something about the lack)... everyone else avoided them like the plague. Oddly enough, no one wanted to get us vases (registered for 3 got none), or our stemware (this one really surprised me-- we got two of our champagne flutes, that''s it).

Popular items were: small appliances (got ALL of those, plus ones we hadn''t registered for), flatware (we registered for 2 48 piece sets, not individual place settings), candlesticks (registered for 3 sets, got them all... surprised the heck out of me).



I know all of this is dependant on your social group, etc. But I thought if a few of us posted we might be able to see patterns, or whatever.

 

[Haven]

I''ll play! (Hi Gypsy! How are you, dear?)

We received all of the towels, table linens, bed linens, serving dishes, flatware, small appliances, and glassware for which we registered.

We only received four out of 12 sets of China. Hmmm, I think that was it! We received nearly every single item on our registry, but we were also given a lot of generous checks at the wedding, and lovely things for which we weren''t even registered, too.

We had two bridal showers before our wedding, and we were given a lot of the fun items as gifts at the showers--cheese knives and dome, muffin tins and cookbooks, that sort of thing.

 

[Gypsy]

Hi Haven! I''m okay. I''ve got two weeks off I''m smack dab in the middle of and enjoying that quite a bit... and in denial I have to be back at work next Monday. How are you, honey?


I had one shower and got a mix of tasteful lingere and small appliances (and a couple of puzzling items including a shoe spatula with a removable magnet kitten heel)... linens weren''t a big mover for us, but not bad either. We got about half cash, half gifts and we did have our family put the word out that cash was preferred.

 

[Cleopatra]

Hi Gypsy

DH and I registered at 3 places (BB&B, Dillard''s, and our local China/Jewelry Store)- we received all 12 place settings of our china, all 12 place settings of our flatware, and about 75% of our crystal - apparently, they were a hit with our guests.

We also received all of our small appliances - we did NOT receive many of our towels or bed sheets. But we did receive plenty of kitchen gadgets - many people liked to make a big gift basket of the gadgets we had on our registry.

All in all, the majority of our gifts consisted of: china, flatware, crystal, cash, appliances, and gift cards!

 

[October2008bride]

Hi Gypsy!

I think it depends on the group/social circle maybe.

We received all of our china, all of our stemware (but not the lowball glasses), none of our flatwear (it was pricey, but about the same as a china place setting), and all of our linen/small appliances/etc.

So really the stuff we didn''t get was the silverware and the really expensive china serving platters.

 

[zoebartlett]

We registered at Macys'' and Crate and Barrel, and we had a positive experience at both stores. We upgraded a lot of things like pots and pans, and we replaced sheets, towels, and glass ware. We added a few home decor pieces as well, but we live in a small condo (1000 sf) we just don''t have the space for much. We didn''t get everything from our registries, and we''re fine with that. It was pretty much a wish list anyway. We did add a set of steak knives and a butcher block knife set kind of at the last minute, and we didn''t get either one. Oh well. We ended up going to C&B after the wedding and we got two things that we realized we really wanted but didn''t put on our registry: a butcher block island and a wall mounted pot rack for the kitchen. We love them! We spent way more than we wanted, but I wouldn''t have put the butcher block island on the registry anyway -- it was too expensive and I would have been embarrassed to ask for something like that.

I think people stuck to the registries for my showers for the most part but we got quite a few things that weren''t on the registries for wedding gifts. Maybe we didn''t have enough listed -- I don''t know.

 

[CrownJewel]

We got a lot of dinnerware from our registry - like serving platters, chargers, and sets of china. The wine glasses and champagne flutes were also popular.

Our family and friends know how kitchen-centric we are, so we got all of the pots and pans we wanted. Small appliances were also fulfilled.

We registered for things that we thought would really last, so that in 30 years or so, we can look at the crystal rose bowl on the mantle and say, "that was a wedding gift from so and so..." When I buy gifts for others off their registry, I tend to think along those same lines like, "What would I like them to remember me by?" For this reason, I don''t buy or register for things like, a toilet paper holder.

 

[brightstone]

What are the rules about what to put on a registry anyway? Is it a big no-no to put furniture too? On one hand it seems embarassing asking for something so expensive, but on another hand you never know....some famiyl member might be excited to help with something like that and how would they ever know what you would have wanted unless you list it....hmm.

 

[meresal]

Date: 12/30/2008 1:48:19 AM
Author:Gypsy
What was your registry experience? What did people seem to really WANT to buy, and what did they avoid?

Only one person bought us a knife (and that was because she was a friend who 'heard' me say something about the lack)... everyone else avoided them like the plague. Oddly enough, no one wanted to get us vases (registered for 3 got none), or our stemware (this one really surprised me-- we got two of our champagne flutes, that's it).

Popular items were: small appliances (got ALL of those, plus ones we hadn't registered for), flatware (we registered for 2 48 piece sets, not individual place settings), candlesticks (registered for 3 sets, got them all... surprised the heck out of me).



I know all of this is dependant on your social group, etc. But I thought if a few of us posted we might be able to see patterns, or whatever.

Gypsy, vases are the FIRST thing I look for on registries!! ITA with CrownJewel, I want to give them something that is going to look flawless for years to come.

 

[sap483]

From our registries, we got all of our everyday dinnerware, flatware, bakeware, gadgets, and everyday stemware. We got a few place settings of our china and crystal as well as a couple of our pots and applicances. Most of the gifts off of our registry were purchased for us for either our engagement party or bridal shower so most of the things purchased were in the $150 and under range. We got mostly checks and gift cards at our wedding.

We also didn't get any knives. We noticed that our guests seemed to want to give us more of the necessities and less of the frivalous (i.e napkin rings or chargers). Some of our friends told me that when they shop off of a registry, they buy items that they themselves like and would want to receive. While they realize that since the couple registered for it, they obviously like all of the items, they still only purchase items that they like.

A tip that I would offer to current and future BIW is add things to your registry before your wedding that you would like to purchase on your own after the wedding- especially high end items. The completion bonus is very nice, because sometimes it's one of the only times you can get a coupon from some stores. We put dining room furniture on our registry, and when the furniture went on sale, we were able to get a further discount with the completion bonus and use gift cards we received. Another tip is to look out for special events for those with a registry- again they sometimes offer you the chance to save an additional amount. I know Macy's has a 20% off event twice a year for those registered with them. It applies to everything, including all-clad and fine china which their normal coupons usually exclude.

 

[karasue91]

We got kind of an odd mix of items from our registry, but we also got a TON of gift cards, so I''ve been picking up the remaining items over the last few months. We got all of our champagne flutes but only 7 out of 14 china place settings. All our flatware but not the blender, which I thought would go quickly.

One problem we had was that the registry would show the item had been purchased, but we hadn''t received it. I went to the store to ask them if they could tell me if it was on back order or what, and found out they had been hoarding our presents in their back room!!! This happened at both the Bay and Home Outfitters (owned by the same company but different stores).

Our coffee maker was one of the first things to go, and we kept waiting and waiting for it to come or to get the call that they had it. Finally I went and bought it because they told me that sometimes people buy stuff and end up keeping it for themselves and it WAS a pretty sweet coffee maker (Cuisinart Grind and Brew) so I just went ahead and bought it with one of the gift cards. I go back a few weeks later when they call to tell me I had another gift. They told me I had a tablecloth and I didn''t even register for a tablecloth!! While the lady is arguing with me that no I actually did register for a tablecloth (no, I didn''t lady!!!) they discover that the tablecloth actually did belong to another bride and oops!! my coffee maker and 3 other gifts have been sitting in their back room for a month!!!!!

Very irritating.