Gillian will be marrying Pete on 8th September 2017 in a Jew-ish wedding at the Ballroom at Ellis Preserve in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
THREE FACTS: (1) Gillian is Jewish and Pete is Catholic (2) A Rabbi and a Priest will officiate at their wedding (3) Gillian is a Health & Wellness Coach and Pete is a Travel Occupational Therapist.
To Do List: Wedding Registry
During the wedding planning process there are one million things on your to-do list (literally). This is especially true if you are a DIY bride or someone who wants to throw a big party. One item on the list I thought would be so much fun to tackle was registering for our wedding. How fun would it be to pick out items that we would have, hopefully for a long time and possibly even the rest of our lives?
Well, I was mistaken. Somehow something that I love so much (SHOPPING!) became stressful and something of a chore. I couldn’t figure it out, and it threw Pete for a loop when we went into Crate and Barrel and I pretty much had a mini meltdown. Picture brisk walking through the store, minimal eye contact, saying “I don’t care, you pick something you like, I don’t care about any of this, let’s leave.” Like woah, I was becoming a weird version of Bridezilla right before his eyes.
Luckily Pete handled it calmly, but it wasn’t the experience I had heard all about. I always pictured using the cool scanner gun and picking out items that we both loved. And, honestly, I thought it was going to be super easy.
Image from Prezola (a gift list registry that we absolutely ADORE here at Smashing The Glass!)
Reflecting on it all, it seems so silly that anyone would get overwhelmed by picking out gifts for other people to buy them (seriously??) But that was a huge part of it. I didn’t mind that people were buying me presents, but I wanted them to get the best deal. I didn’t want them to buy overpriced items I knew I could find cheaper or on sale at our favorite stores like Marshalls and HomeGoods (I checked, you can’t register there.)
The other part I struggled with was “picking the right items” with endless options. So we needed cookware, but what set was best? Silverware; which ones will we actually like eating with? What dishes will go with a kitchen we don’t even have yet for years to come? It all seemed like so much to think about and so many opportunities to make the wrong decision. (Crazy talk I know, but this is what was going through my head, and I’m sure I’m not the only one to think about these things.)
So what’s a girl or boy to do?
Pretty much all of our family yelled at us to get going, and we did the best we could. We decided to register for the things we knew we would use and things that would make our lives easier (hello rice cooker!), things we would be sure to enjoy (beach chairs!), and honestly at the end of it all, things that could be returned easily if we ended up not liking them (you can return items to Bed, Bath, & Beyond for up to a year!)
So full-disclosure: At first, I was very anti registering at BBB. I didn’t want what everyone else had and I didn’t want my guests to buy items that were obviously overpriced. However, we ended up going into the store and had a great experience. We had a fantastic employee take us around to each department. She gave us tips like, “Oh, don’t buy that brand. It gets returned all the time.” I felt so much better having a recommendation from someone in person and someone who knew a lot about each item. (William-Sonoma is really great with this too).
Image from The Wedding Shop (a gift list registry that we LOVE here at Smashing The Glass!)
Where we registered
In the end we have a lot of gifts in all different price ranges (important to give your guests options). We registered with a universal registry called Blueprint Registry (I highly recommend this) and added BBB, Crate and Barrel, and Amazon. I loved doing this because it brings everything together in one place. I got to pick random stuff from Amazon (a rice dispenser, because we really do like rice) and have the typical stores all in one spot.
You can also add on honeymoon or house fund items and make any gift a group gift. What’s fun is it recommends other items that you might not have seen in the store. We aren’t registered at Target, but I found 3 or 4 things from there through Blueprint and added them to the universal registry.
Sometimes the guests who aren’t as good with online shopping like to have stores they can walk into and have someone help them pick an item – another reason why BBB was a good option. The 20% off coupon is also nice, but let’s be honest, only on big ticket items. I’ve experienced Blueprint Registry’s great customer service, they are super helpful for both the bride and guests. So your guests can always call Blueprint directly and they will help them through the process.
What to keep in mind
It’s not that serious. Really though. It’s not, and I know it feels like it is (because I’m right there with you), but it’s really not. Keep in mind you won’t get everything you register for and that’s what the completion bonus is for. Some stores have 10% – 20% off all the items you aren’t gifted. People will still buy you things not on your registry that you might not like and it’s okay, because you can most likely return it.
Another thing I learned: don’t settle. Don’t register for things that you don’t really LOVE (currently we haven’t found glasses or dinnerware ha). Also don’t be pressured to put something on your registry just because you feel like you’re supposed to (I’m looking at you fine china). And do some research, ask your friends and family what they have that they like and use often, and remember when reading reviews to always take them with a grain of salt.
Overall the experience shouldn’t be stressful (like I made it for us in the beginning). It should be fun to think about your future with your spouse-to-be and all the amazing things you will fill your home with for years to come. Your family and friends who will be purchasing these gifts love you, and they are happy to be showering you with presents and love during your engagement!
Click here to read all Gillian’s planning posts to date.
Gillian & Pete’s Wedding Vendors booked so far:
Photographer — Blaise Szallasi
Videographer — Wise Films
Venue — Ballroom at Ellis Preserve
Bridesmaid’s dress — Adrianna Papell, BHLDN and Hayley Paige Occasions
Hair + Makeup – Samantha White
Invitation — Wedding Paper Divas
Flowers — Love Bug Unique
DJ – Joe Vespe of JSV Entertainment
Rabbi – Rabbi Bradley Bleefeld
Engagement photos – Cassie Morlet
I happen to meet DJ VESPE once in new jersey & I can say he is a great DJ.
He makes NJ DJs (Almost) look as good as us Toronto DJs