When should we create our registry?

[goldenstar]

When should I start our registry for our wedding in April or May 2009? Some things I''ve read suggest no more than 9 months before the wedding, others say as soon as you get engaged, and there is everywhere in between.

I want to attend one of the Crate and Barrel registry parties this Feb. Is that too early? If I wait till next year it will be too close to the wedding already.

 

[cara]

You could attend the party this year, but I wouldn''t actually register for much until about 9 mo out UNLESS you are expecting a large, formal engagement party sooner where gifts will be given.

Especially at a place like Crate and Barrel where much of their stuff is seasonal/cyclical.

Even at 9 mo out, you will get cancellations on some items over the course of the engagement.

I did find it useful to START the registry early (early being 9 mo ish), and then add on stuff later as FI and I agreed on it. I was certainly very glad not to be registering 3 mo out, with all the other things going on then. We would have ended up with a much less well-thought-out list.

 

[Pandora II]

I signed up for the John Lewis (big UK department store) registry last week to get the info (my wedding is July 0 - they said on the site that the registry doesn''t go live until 9 weeks before the wedding ie 3 weeks after the invitations go out.

I was surprised it was so late, but 90% of our friends have registered there in the past, so I guess it''s normal.

 

[scm1012]

I got engaged in December and we are looking at a Fall wedding in 2009. I set a tentative date of 9/21/09 and I registered this past Saturday!!!

I don''t care what the rules are, I wanted my registry asap! That way, everyone can buy from it from now til 2009.

I registered at Macy''s and next weekend I''ll hit up Williams Sonoma and possibly BB&B.

At Macy''s, the saleslady did suggest that we not register for bedding and bath since styles change or can be discontinued. She said to wait until much closer to our date. So I will probably get that started this coming Christmas season.

Oh and also, I''ll be attending that Crate&Barrel event too even though I don''t really plan on registering there!!

 

[partyjewels]

No matter when you decide to start it, it''s important to keep up with things that come and go from the store. Our date is 09/13/08 and while we''ve started our registry, theres not very much on there, and though my mom knows where it is (So far it''s just amazon.com) we''ve asked her and anyone else who knows to not say anything to anyone as we don''t really want people looking at it till we work on it a bit more. We have about 35 things on it, and I just feel kind of silly I guess. I don''t want people looking at it now and saying hmmm, they don''t have this this and this on there, I think I''ll buy that since everyone should have it! My FI likes to do research for appliances and stuff to get the best bang for the buck, and he doesn''t want people who choose to buy us gifts to have to spend more on us than we would, so it''s a slow process. I''m sure you have people thought who have already been doing searches for your name since the day you got engaged, I do it all the time to friends and family! hehe. It''s weird how I look for peoples right away, but I''m really hoping no ones bothered to find ours yet!

Sorry for the ramble, it''s what I do! The main point is, start whenever you want, if someone happens to look at it and say ooh, I''ll buy it now, you might get things that will later not be in the store anymore..... but make sure you keep up with it! We''ve added things to the registry and then taken them off because we decided we didn''t want to wait to see if someone was going to get it for us, we wanted/needed it sooner!

 

[sumbride]

I was surprised by how much seasonality there is in housewares and such. Especially at Crate & Barrel. You like this set of mixing bowls? Well, they only come in THESE colors in the fall. In the spring they''ll be pastel. In the summer they will be bright colors. Blew my mind. And no, I didn''t get that set of mixing bowls...

But even things like glasses and silverware can be discontinued before you get all of them. They can be phased out, and you may have one place setting, but what will you do? Buy the rest yourself really quickly before they''re all gone? Ebay the one setting and pick new ones? These are all things to think about. Even the shower curtain I wanted was phased out before anybody bought it.

Registering is really fun, BUT doing it too early can take some of the fun out of it. You''ll have to monitor and swap stuff out for MONTHS, and that''s not really all that fun. Especially if what you have to take off is something you really want.

 

[partyjewels]

I don''t mean to threadjack, but was just wondering , and hopefully sumbride or someone else who has registered there will check this thread!!

Do you think for a crate and barrel registry that it''s too early for us to register there for our September 13, 2008 wedding? We''re not 100% sure yet, we had planned on just doing one on amazon, but the Main thing we absolutely NEED and would like as wedding gifts if people plan on getting them, is dishes, and I haven''t found dishes that we like for our kitchen on amazon, as well as a few other things that crate and barrel seem to have.. but I remembered what you said about them switching things out all the time and I''m concerned about registering for things and then only being able to get one or two things out of a set before it''s gone!

 

[tberube]

Date: 1/25/2008 11:05:21 AM
Author: partyjewels
I don''t mean to threadjack, but was just wondering , and hopefully sumbride or someone else who has registered there will check this thread!!


Do you think for a crate and barrel registry that it''s too early for us to register there for our September 13, 2008 wedding? We''re not 100% sure yet, we had planned on just doing one on amazon, but the Main thing we absolutely NEED and would like as wedding gifts if people plan on getting them, is dishes, and I haven''t found dishes that we like for our kitchen on amazon, as well as a few other things that crate and barrel seem to have.. but I remembered what you said about them switching things out all the time and I''m concerned about registering for things and then only being able to get one or two things out of a set before it''s gone!

I just started a thread on this very topic (sorry for the double thread!). My wedding is a week before yours, Partyjewels, and I wonder the same thing. I didn''t want to register in the spring but then have all the spring stuff switched out for the summer by the time people go to make purchases. I have also heard that you''re supposed to register right away when you get engaged, but I can''t see how that''s a good idea when you''re not getting married for 16 months.

 

[sumbride]

Date: 1/25/2008 11:05:21 AM
Author: partyjewels
I don''t mean to threadjack, but was just wondering , and hopefully sumbride or someone else who has registered there will check this thread!!

Do you think for a crate and barrel registry that it''s too early for us to register there for our September 13, 2008 wedding? We''re not 100% sure yet, we had planned on just doing one on amazon, but the Main thing we absolutely NEED and would like as wedding gifts if people plan on getting them, is dishes, and I haven''t found dishes that we like for our kitchen on amazon, as well as a few other things that crate and barrel seem to have.. but I remembered what you said about them switching things out all the time and I''m concerned about registering for things and then only being able to get one or two things out of a set before it''s gone!

I think now is a good time to start your registry for a September wedding, but keep an eye on it through the summer. Are you having any showers? People really like to use registries for showers so I would make sure you have it set before then. My wedding was early October, but my showers were in July. Dishes tend to have a longer shelf life than items that come in colors, like mixing bowls or linens. You can also ask the clerk how recently the dishes were put into stock and if they expect to discontinue them before September. Crate and Barrel will also contact you before they are discontinued if it is before your wedding. Which set are you looking at? I got the Eva Zeisel Classic Century pattern and I LOVE it. Even DH says "I really like these plates."

 

[partyjewels]

Date: 1/25/2008 12:17:43 PM
Author: sumbride

I think now is a good time to start your registry for a September wedding, but keep an eye on it through the summer. Are you having any showers? People really like to use registries for showers so I would make sure you have it set before then. My wedding was early October, but my showers were in July. Dishes tend to have a longer shelf life than items that come in colors, like mixing bowls or linens. You can also ask the clerk how recently the dishes were put into stock and if they expect to discontinue them before September. Crate and Barrel will also contact you before they are discontinued if it is before your wedding. Which set are you looking at? I got the Eva Zeisel Classic Century pattern and I LOVE it. Even DH says 'I really like these plates.'

I don't know if I'm having any showers! Is that weird? I suppose I'll probably end up having one, but I don't know of anything thats being planned yet. As far as the dishes go I'm not sure which ones I like best! Because there are the ones I really love the look of, but it would not go in our kitchen at all, and then there are the ones that'll look wonderful in our kitchen, but I'm not 100% on them, you know?

Those dishes of yours are beautiful! I hadn't really looked at any of the non colored/patterned ones.. I guess because at my parents house the past few sets of dishes my mom has gotten have been a color, so I'm used to it, but I do like the look of those ones you got, and they would be versatile for whenever we decide to change the look of the kitchen... add a few chargers and viola! I never thought about getting dishes like them, but they really are such classic ones.. and I like that they aren't WHITE white but more of a creamy color...hmmm.. now you've got me thinking!

ETA: Did you register for your dishes in the sets or individually?

 

[sumbride]

I know a lot of people don''t have showers, so it''s not weird to not have one, but they are fun. Are you having a traditional wedding with attendants and such? The maid of honor and bridesmaids usually throw a shower for the bride, but of course, it''s up to you. I had a great shower from my bridesmaids, and then my mom''s friends all got together and threw me one in my hometown, and that was a blast too. And then a small one at work. So I had 3, but they were different groups with no overlap.

I''m glad you like my selection! I picked those out before we even got engaged because Eva Zeisel is a personal favorite of mine and when these were released I knew I just HAD to have them. I didn''t even show them to DH right away... there was no room for negotiation! Fortunately he likes them too, but maybe not as rabidly as I do. They aren''t for everyone, of course, but they make me smile.

I picked the cream plates because I''ve had patterned plates for years and I just got tired of them. You get sick of looking at the same flowers for a decade, I think. Or at least I did. Plus my mom''s daily dishes had flowers on them but over time we had scraped some of the design off so they just look shabby now. and I read somewhere that with neutral plates, your food gets to be the star and you can always use fancy placemats and such. It just made sense to me. Our fine china is more colorful, but the everyday dishes are just a wonderful cream. The shapes of that particular line are just so organic... the plates aren''t perfectly round, but I only really notice when I''m trying to put them in the dishwasher or cabinet... you have to turn them so they match up. The small bowls fit PERFECTLY in my hand. They even have a place to rest my thumb! I haven''t spilled cereal yet.

We registered for 4 open place settings and then 2 sets of 4 because I wanted 12 place settings. This makes sense to us so that we don''t have to keep washing dishes constantly but can let our machine fill up. our guests were sort of resistant to buying dishes though, so we only got 3 place settings before the wedding. They were bought as a one place setting and then a pair. My mom bought the rest for us as a Christmas gift. I think it makes sense to put both sets and open stock on your registry depending on your guest list and the price points.

 

[partyjewels]

Date: 1/25/2008 12:56:02 PM
Author: sumbride
I know a lot of people don''t have showers, so it''s not weird to not have one, but they are fun. Are you having a traditional wedding with attendants and such? The maid of honor and bridesmaids usually throw a shower for the bride, but of course, it''s up to you. I had a great shower from my bridesmaids, and then my mom''s friends all got together and threw me one in my hometown, and that was a blast too. And then a small one at work. So I had 3, but they were different groups with no overlap.


I''m glad you like my selection! I picked those out before we even got engaged because Eva Zeisel is a personal favorite of mine and when these were released I knew I just HAD to have them. I didn''t even show them to DH right away... there was no room for negotiation! Fortunately he likes them too, but maybe not as rabidly as I do. They aren''t for everyone, of course, but they make me smile.


I picked the cream plates because I''ve had patterned plates for years and I just got tired of them. You get sick of looking at the same flowers for a decade, I think. Or at least I did. Plus my mom''s daily dishes had flowers on them but over time we had scraped some of the design off so they just look shabby now. and I read somewhere that with neutral plates, your food gets to be the star and you can always use fancy placemats and such. It just made sense to me. Our fine china is more colorful, but the everyday dishes are just a wonderful cream. The shapes of that particular line are just so organic... the plates aren''t perfectly round, but I only really notice when I''m trying to put them in the dishwasher or cabinet... you have to turn them so they match up. The small bowls fit PERFECTLY in my hand. They even have a place to rest my thumb! I haven''t spilled cereal yet.


We registered for 4 open place settings and then 2 sets of 4 because I wanted 12 place settings. This makes sense to us so that we don''t have to keep washing dishes constantly but can let our machine fill up. our guests were sort of resistant to buying dishes though, so we only got 3 place settings before the wedding. They were bought as a one place setting and then a pair. My mom bought the rest for us as a Christmas gift. I think it makes sense to put both sets and open stock on your registry depending on your guest list and the price points.

We are having that sort of wedding so I''m sure my sister (who are my b''maids) will probably plan something, if not my mom probably would... that sounds like a good idea to do it as sets and separately so people have choices.. if we didn''t get the full set of dishes that we want we''ll probably end up buying them for ourselves as a Christmas present Thanks for all your help! Now hopefully FI will agree on the dishes, cause we''ve really only been looking at the colorful ones, so it''ll be a change for him! I''m also a little bummed because I wanted to go to their registry even they''re having, but now we''ll have to wait till Feb 10th, it''s not too far away, but still.. it got me a little sad, darn being so emotional these days!

Thanks again so much!!!

 

[sumbride]

Happy to help! I wish I had gone to one of the registry events! I hear they give you a free gift when you go. FREE!

Plus they show you how everything works so you can make an educated decision. We just sort of went with gut feeling and desire.

Good luck in finding the perfect pattern for both of you, or in talking him into whatever it is you like! And report back with what you choose! I want to see!!!

Oh, and remember you get a discount after the wedding on whatever you didn''t get, so it helps to finish off your set.

 

[goldenstar]

Sumbride-- I LOVE your dinnerware!

Is that a design that will be around for a while? I want it too!

 

[sumbride]

Date: 1/25/2008 5:25:16 PM
Author: goldenstar
Sumbride-- I LOVE your dinnerware!

Is that a design that will be around for a while? I want it too!

I''m fairly certain it will because it is a best seller and was released exclusively to Crate & Barrel so they are going to want to sell it as long as they can. I noticed they raised the prices a little... like $4 a place setting. They are still worth it though. I LOVE them. The stoneware can chip rather easily so I make my DH be VERY careful with them. He had a bad habit of dropping plates into the sink but he doesn''t do that anymore because he actually LIKES these plates!

 

[Neveah]

We are getting married in 3 and a half months and have not registered yet. I don''t see the need as my first shower isn''t until March. (though we will hopefully do it soon) I was hesitant as I didn''t want to take all the time to do it and then find out things got discontinued, and then have to keep adding... Though every situation is different, in my opinion it''s WAY too early to start now.

 

[UCLABelle]

I am not going to register (getting married in about 6 mos)....but I "heared" 4-6 months was fine. However, friends of mine had the same problem of registering for things that were no longer offered closer to the wedding....