Crate and Barrel is one of THE most popular stores to register at, and we can see why. Like Pottery Barn and West Elm, a Crate and Barrel registry makes it easy for guests to get you a gift either in-person or online since there are 90 stores in the U.S. They have a pretty great selection of classic homewares, too, which means there’s something that will fit just about every couple’s style.
But with so many choice out there these days, why should you create a Crate and Barrel registry? We list the pros and cons, below, along with the tips every couple should know before they set theirs up.
Click Here to Start a Crate and Barrel Wedding Registry
Step 1: Create a Crate and Barrel Registry
As I set up my new account to test run Crate and Barrel’s registry, I was happy to see that their technology has been updated since my last review. Though there is still room for improvement!
The process to create a registry was still fairly simple. Once I got past a few questions and missed password attempts as well as an “Is this the correct address” prompt, I was taken to my wedding registry screen. You can personalize your Crate and Barrel registry with your names, a photo, your wedding date, and a personal greeting. In your registry settings, you can also choose to make your registry public or private, meaning they will display it in search engines, on their site, or only make it shareable to those guests who have your registry link.
There’s not a ton of bells and whistles here in terms of what you can display, but it gets the job done.
Pro: Easy to set up. Straight forward for guests.
Cons: The features feel a little limited.
Step 2: Add Your Gifts
Overall, this process is pretty easy, but there are a few confusing parts to note.
Once you set up a registry, it’s easy to add gifts from anywhere on the site without having to go into the actual product page, which is a big time saver. Instead, there’s a + button on upper right of a product’s picture that you select and a popup comes up that allows you to customize the number and color, size, etc. of that product, then just click the “Add to Registry Button.”
You can search for products to add from their main navigation (just like anyone else would) or go to the Wedding Registry tab and you’ll see some fun options under “Tips and Advice.”
Pros: If you love Crate and Barrel products, you can register for basically everything you need for your home.
Cons: Unlike Universal registries, you can’t add products from other stores to your registry here.
Step 3: Get Inspiration
From there I was able to easily navigate to options such as “Real Registries,” “Top Registry Picks,” and “Registrant Favs” to get an idea of what kind of products I wanted to add. (You can also browse the Crate and Barrel Registry checklist here if you want to figure out how many of each item you want here). I also liked that they added a new section called “One-Click Registries.” There, you can browse through registry bundles for different categories such as Cookware, Entertaining, Bedding and Bath, and Tabletop. Though, it does have its issues.
To test these bundles out, I went to the “Bedding and Bath” one-click registry. In the right corner there is an option to “Add Individual Items” or “Add All.” I love that option, but what happens is because there are multiple options for duvet covers, pillows, comforters, etc., if you select the “Add All” option you’ll end up with 4 duvet covers, 4 bedding sets and multiple quilts. Same with a category like Tabletop Essentials. You won’t need 4 different styles of white wine glasses and multiple plate collections. So this is a bit of a bug.
They should just have the appropriate number of checklist items in these bundles, so one-click really means one click and you don’t have to go back and delete all the product duplicates from your registry. Because of that I would instead choose to use these sections as inspirations, and just add the individual items you want.
See also: The Do’s and Don’ts of Setting Up a Target Wedding Registry
Pros: The dedicated registry features are helpful and fun.
Cons: They don’t always work.
Step 4: Add Group Gifts
After I added everything from flatware to bar essentials and outdoor furniture in my sample registry, I went back through my list and opted to make the more expensive things a “Group Gift” item. This is a great option that most wedding registries offer if you’re hoping to add larger ticket items such as couches or fancy coffee machines.
To do this you have to take a couple steps. You have to go to your main registry page (by clicking “Manage Registry” from the Wedding Registry dropdown), going to the item you want to make a group gift, and clicking on it. A popup will show on the right, where you’ll see an option to mark the gift as “Most Loved or a “Group Gift.” It would be nice if you could do this as you added gifts to your registry, but that’s how you can do it for now.
It’s also important to note that you can only add 5 items to your Group Gift section (which they call a Group Gift fund) and the group gifts are redeemable via a gift card.
Also Read: Here’s the best way to set up a Target wedding registry
Pros: Group gifts make it easier to register for larger ticket items.
Cons: There’s no cash fun option if you’re hoping to get cash for a honeymoon in addition to traditional gifts.
Step 5: Take Advantage of Crate and Barrel Registry Perks
In addition to wedding registry tools like an app as well as a Thank You Manager, where you can track who gave you what, a Crate and Barrel registry also offers the following:
- 15% Crate and Barrel completion discount for up to 6 months after your wedding date
- Guests get free shipping on eligible items over $49
- Price match guarantee
- Free design services
- Exclusive experiences with Kleinfeld
- Referral Program: Get $100 when you refer a friend to a Crate & Barrel registry
See all the Crate and Barrel Wedding Registry Perks Here
Pros: The completion discount is great
Cons: None, really. They’re perks!
Overall Thoughts
While the process was pretty easy to setup a Crate and Barrel registry and add items to it, I do kind of wish the website and registry section had a few more bells and whistles. I also think that some sections (like the one-click registry) can be improved. With that said guests will find it easy to use as will you, and with the various perks mentioned above it’s definitely worth considering if you love Crate and Barrel’s products. I also think Crate and Barrel is a great option because so many of their products (especially serveware) stay in stock. Which means if you registry for the Aspen dinnerware collection this year and break a plate 5 years from now (or several) you’ll easily be able to replace them.
The key takeaways from the Crate and Barrel registry experience are:
- The product selection is great, but because this is not a universal registry you’ll be limited to only Crate and Barrel products
- Their registry technology has improved in the past several years, but because they’re not a dedicated registry (like Zola), you’re not going to get as many features.
- Crate and Barrel’s 15% completion discount is among the highest (though other stores, like Macy’s, come in at 20%).
- There is no cash registry option, but you can add group gifts (up to 5) that will be given to you as a gift card.
- It’s easy to add gifts using the + button on each product’s photo. That way you don’t have to click into a product page and it will save time.
- You can make your wedding registry private so it’s not accessible to just anyone on the internet.
- It’s better not to use their ‘One Click Registry” bundles until it’s more optimized. Otherwise you’ll get multiple versions of the same product and have to delete manually from your registry.
Ready to set up your Crate and Barrel registry? We picked out a few of our favorite items to add to yours, below.
Read our review of the Best Online Wedding Registries Here!
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