Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Tips for Setting up a Bridal Registry, Wedding Registry

10 Tips for Creating a Wedding Registry

He finally popped the question and you, of course, said "Yes!" Now the hard work (and fun) begin. One of the first things is to set up a Bridal Registry or Wedding Registry.


Registries are easy to set up, but not reading the fine print or researching your choices could cost you later on. Hidden fees, poor quality items, strict completion packages and other registry caveats can give you a large financial headache.

Before you say "I do" on the big day, say "I do" to these registry tips:

1. Register with two or three different merchants. It gives your guests more options, especially if one or two of your selected stores aren't familiar or appealing to your guests.

2. Register at physical, as well as online, stores. The last thing you want to do is register with just one web-only retailer and confuse someone who has never shopped online. Pick a combination of merchants that will accommodate the web-savvy and the traditional, in-store shoppers.

3. Read FAQs and check hidden fees before setting up a registry. Read the fine print very carefully, and be aware of what you're signing up for.

4. Remember your general retailers. Unlike some department stores, you can register for fun items such as Rollerblades and things for your pet.

5. Register for items to fit every budget, but don't shy away from big-ticket items such as that nice luggage set. A big trend among wedding guests is to pool money and buy expensive gifts as a group.

6. Check for a completion package. Some retailers will offer a discount of 10 percent or 20 percent on unpurchased registry items. Some will even let you add last-minute gifts before you close the registry, so be sure to ask before you sign up. Also, add things as you go so you can get more items at a discount and keep gifts in everyone's budget.

7. Become a connoisseur of household essentials. Read up on information about thread counts, knife tang and silverware chromium-to-nickel ratios before you make selections or you might end up with items that feel rough, break or rust easily. A rule of thumb: If a product's description involves jargon you don't recognize, conduct a simple web search on the unfamiliar terms. It could save you from buying replacement items sooner than you'd like.

8. Ask that your address remains hidden from guests but on file. Guests don't need to know your mailing address to send you a gift, and that way strangers can't find out where you live.

9. Appoint a reliable person to check on your house while you're away on your honeymoon. You don't want to come home to find that your home was broken into.

10. Consider keeping some of the duplicate gifts. That second set of dishes might come in handy when some start breaking.

P.S.
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