Maddie Gets Married: Time to Register

The Save the Dates have been mailed, the design plan is in motion, and several other vendors are on the books!

But before the Save the Dates could go out, Becca and Betsy made sure we completed two important items on our to-do list: creating a wedding website and gift registry. The wedding website is included on the Save the Date so that guests can access necessary information about the wedding, including your gift registry, hotel room blocks, etc.

I’ll share more on the wedding website in a later post, but for now, let’s talk about the important (and fun!) registry process. Queue visions of wandering department stores, scanning place settings like I’ve seen in all of my favorite wedding movies (My Best Friend’s Wedding, 27 Dresses, Bride Wars, the list goes on)!

I’ve heard of several approaches, and I don’t believe one is better than the other, but this was mine:

I did a lot of online shopping before going to any physical locations to get an idea of inventory, design, and feel for each store. I also perused my “Home Sweet Home” Pinterest board for inspiration.

Once that was more or less exhausted, it was time to see everything up close and in person! I knew I wanted Nate to be a part of the process, but I also knew I wanted him to enjoy the experience. So instead of dragging him around the mall all day, I went to the most experienced shopper I know - my mom! She picked me up for an afternoon of registry shopping, without the actual shopping. Not only was this a fun mother/daughter outing, but being an interior designer, she also happens to know a thing or two about what I need to register for, and her input was invaluable.

I also think it’s important to note I have two sisters - one older, one younger - who have already gone through the registry process, and they helped me formulate a list prior to even my online shopping. My older sister is the queen of the kitchen, and provided me with an extensive list of everything I’d need to make any dish imaginable. She even made sure to include items for a novice in the kitchen, as I’m still learning! My younger sister, on the other hand, while she may not be a chef extraordinaire, is the coffee guru of the family and provided me with every possible coffee and/or espresso item one may need!

From there, my mom filled in the gaps with what was and was not appropriate for a wedding registry, along with her go-to recommendations for bed and bath registry items, linens, etc.

Once I was able to narrow things down, I then went with Nate to create the actual registry. *Spoiler alert* for those who have yet to register, not every location still uses registry scanner guns, much to my dismay. Unfortunately, they have progressed with the times and moved most processes to digital platforms, with the registry scanner gun now in the form of an iPhone with access to your online registry. Still does the trick, but not quite as fun!

Pottery Barn

We started out at Crate&Barrel, where their associates were incredibly helpful amidst assisting several other registering couples that afternoon. They even gifted us a sweet take-home tote with celebratory wine glasses!

We haven’t quite finished the entire registry yet, but we’ve made a good dent. Nate is incredibly generous in trusting my taste, but it was helpful to get his input and opinion and confirm some of the items I’d previously selected. The afternoon was a blast and ended with a champagne toast and slice of cheesecake shared between the two of us. However you do your shopping and whoever you do it with, I do recommend that last part.

XO,

Maddie

Want to read more of the Maddie Gets Married Series? Follow along:

Week 1: The Proposal

Week 2: Engaged, Now What?

Week 3: Preparing for Our Creative Session

Week 4: My Biggest Takeaway from Our Creative Session

Week 5: Why We Chose Our Photographer

Week 6: When Decisions Get Hard

Week 7: Nate’s First Visit to the Merrimon-Wynne House

Week 8: Save the Date!

Week 9: How to Handle Late RSVP’s & A Free Guide to Creating Your Guest List