7 Tips and Tricks For Creating the Perfect Wedding Registry

Awesome deal of the month! Woman Getting Married readers get a $50 Zola wedding registry credit when they receive $500 in gifts. Sign up here. 

So, you’ve signed up for an online wedding registry and are ready to pick out your gifts! But, um. Where do you start?! The key to setting up the perfect wedding registry (besides picking the right one!) is coming up with a plan. Here’s what we recommend for EVERY couple creating their dream wedding registry:

1. Make sure you have enough gifts.

This may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many times wedding guests go to pick out a gift and the only thing they find is an empty registry! But how many wedding gifts do you need based on your guest count? We love that the Zola planner tool helps you determine how many gifts you’ll need and at what price point to make sure you have a well-rounded registry. Just enter the number of guests you’re expecting and they’ll do the rest.

2. Don’t be afraid to register for big-ticket items.

Have your eye on that Mad Men-worthy Safavieh bar cart? Or those sparkling crystal Waterford tumblers to go with it? What about that rad Dyson vacuum you’ve never been able to afford? Now is the perfect time to upgrade your basics into heirloom-worthy finds. The group gifting option on Zola’s wedding registry lets multiple guests contribute to any big-ticket items on your wish list. (Now if only somebody else would do the vacuuming for you.)

3. Personalize it!

The more you can personalize your registry, the more guests will feel appreciated and involved in the process. Zola makes it super easy to add photos, greetings, and even notes on each registry item. Registering for that Kitchen Aid stand mixer? Let guests know why you love it by adding a note such as “I’ve wanted to learn how to bake ever since my Aunt Trish let me help make her famous apple pie when I was a kid!”

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4. Even if you only want cash, add a few physical gifts.

That Aunt we were just talking about? Well, in addition to making killer apple pies, she’s also kind of sentimental. Which means she might want the option to give you something besides cash for your wedding. Adding a few key products for your kitchen, bedroom, or living room in various prices points will save you from having to return a rando gift you DEFINITELY wouldn’t have registered for. If the thought of another kitchen gadget drives you crazy, consider adding a few experiences instead. (Hint: Guests love giving a Blue Apron meal plan or Winc monthly wine club.)

5. Speaking of cash gifts…

If you’re asking for cash gifts for your honeymoon, set it up so you are asking for specific honeymoon experiences, such as roundtrip airfare, a romantic dinner for two, a much-needed couples massage, or even a fun excursion (likes sailing!). Guests like to feel like they are contributing to something special, and it will make writing thank-yous with Zola’s thank-you note manager SO much easier!

6. Plan WHEN you want your gifts to arrive.

Getting wedding gifts in the mail is amazing. Seriously, it’s like Christmas every day leading up to (and often after) your wedding. But when work trips or wedding showers or destination bachelorette parties come up, it can be a scary thought to leave all of your wedding gifts sitting by your door for days at a time. Instead of guessing when your gifts are going to be delivered, we highly recommend taking advantage of Zola’s control shipping feature, which let you choose exactly when your items get shipped.

7. Virtual exchange will be your new best friend.

Pssst! We have a secret to tell you. If you change your mind about a gift later on but don’t want to hurt your guest’s feelings, you can always virtually exchange it on Zola and your guest will never know. (Just remember what they originally got you when you write their thank-you.) We won’t tell anybody if you don’t! 🙂

Ready to start? You got this. Sign up for a Zola wedding registry (and get a $50 credit!) and follow these tips and tricks for a seamless and fun wedding registry experience. We know you’ll love it as much as we do.

We’re super proud to have Zola be part of the WGM Guest List! Learn more about their amazing features and start adding gifts to your wedding registry at Zola.com.

*You will receive $50 to spend on Zola.com when you set up your wedding registry on Zola.com, and receive $500 in Zola gifts. Zola gifts will be defined as any physical products purchased on Zola.com. Cash funds or third party gifts from other websites are not considered Zola gifts. The $50 Zola credit can only be redeemed for Zola gifts and cannot be redeemed for cash, cash funds or third party gifts. Credits will be placed into the couple’s Zola account 4 weeks after a couple receives $500 in Zola gifts.

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