I have registered and un-registrered and registered again at 6 different store websites. I have signed up and deleted my account at several Universal Registries. I am completely convinced there is a science to creating the perfect registry, and I will not rest until I have found the formula…
I should register for a life.
BUT, my OCD quest will only help you, my fellow brides-to-be. Because I’ve been keeping copious notes, let me fill you in on what I’ve observed in the land of free shopping…otherwise know as The Wedding Registry.
Observation #1:
Universal Registries suck. Yes, the idea of them is brilliant. Register at ANY store you want, no matter how large or small, thus making your gift list unique and totally “you.” The problem is this: As a guest viewing your registry list, they are not able to select several smaller items to create a gift “package,” as many people do. Say your Aunt wants to buy you every baking gadget you’ve registered for…well, the problem is when viewing your Universal Registry list, you cannot check-off every item you want to give without it being considered a separate transaction. Yes, you can pull in your entire Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn registries into the Universal one, but if Cousin Bobby sees one gift he wants from PB, and another one from CB, he has to pay for two different shipping costs, which is a real pain in the ass. Also, most of the Universal Registries are designed so poorly, most people can’t even figure out where to send your gift to once they select it.
If you HAVE to have a Universal Registry, the least retarded one I used was MyRegistry.com. Though don’t say I never warned you.
Observation #2:
The Registry is Where the Home Is. In other words, you should only register at stores where you live. Having just moved from NYC, I happen to love Crate and Barrel and Bloomingdales, which had several locations in the city. However, now that I live in Nashville we have neither of those chains. While I can easily order from them online, if I want to return something I have to ship it back. Neither of those stores offer free returns, so I’ll end up paying money on the items I don’t like. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be schlepping back and forth to the post office. I’d much rather have to go to the mall.
Observation #3:
Be choosy. If it were up to me, I would be registered at 6 different stores. But a) it’s too confusing for guests, b) there’s that whole Universal Registries suck observation, and c) too many store options means some of the items you REALLY want/need will be overlooked. You should ideally keep it to two different stores, with a max of three. Deciding which two or three stores you want to include is the biggest decision…WHAT you want to get is the easiest part. After all, you know how to shop!
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