Registry rules - NY Daily News
October may be the new September, but wedding season still hits its high in the warmer months. So if you're walking down the aisle this summer, after the invitations, the dress, the food and the band, there's another very important detail to tackle.
Your presents, of course.
For some, selecting a registry is the most fun part of planning a wedding. And guests like them, too - at least one-third of those who will shower you with gifts pick from your registry, according to a study by the market research firm NPD Group. But with an overwhelming amount of choices, some couples have no idea where to start.
The good news is there's a registry for every personality, whether you want the traditional china pattern or something that better fits your lifestyle. Take Elizabeth Hurley's registry, for example: for her recent wedding to Indian businessman Arun Nayer, she asked guests for cows and pigs to stock her English farm.
"In lieu of housewares, the latest trend is non-traditional registries, offering things you probably prefer, such as a treadmill, matching iPods or DVDs," reports Christa Vagnozzi, weddings editor at theknot.com.
Before settling on a registry, consider these unexpected options.
Hobbies and home improvements
If you need things like cordless tools and window blinds, registries at Home Depot (www. homedepot.com) and Lowe's (www.lowes.com) are havens for do-it-yourself duos. (Keep in mind that Home Depot's online gift registry is not linked to the brick and mortar stores, so your guests will have to shop online.) Home Depot's must-have for tool lovers is the DeWalt heavy-duty 12V cordless drill/driver kit, $139. Lowe's Levolor real oak plantation blinds start at $88, and are a great choice for a new home. If you prefer sports and recreation, REI's (www.rei.com) gift registry features more outdoor gear brands than any other, including a double-seater Sevylor inflatable kayak for two, $139, and Kelty double sleeping bag, $110.
Add a little to the honeymoon fund
Honeymoon registries are becoming increasingly popular, and guests love to treat couples to the gift of travel. Create registries for dinners, excursions, even airfare and hotel rooms at any number of sites out there, including sendusoff.com, thehoneymoon.com, disneyhoneymoonregistry.com, honeyluna.com and thehoneyfund.com.
Cheap and chic
In May, Kohl's (www.kohls.com) is introducing a line of Ralph Lauren Chaps home goods perfect for a registry. JCPenney's (www.jcpenney.com) exclusive Cook's brand kitchen items, in 10 fashion colors (pink, red, green and more), include a microwave oven, $69.99. Target (www.target.com) is the ultimate place for stylish yet sensibly priced goods even your unemployed friends can afford, like a space-saving Rubbermaid six-piece collapsible food storage set, $13.99. The store's Club Wedd provides helpful purchasing pointers, and their ribbon- and vellum-adorned print-your-own invitation kit ($24.99 for 50) rivals Crane's. And if you're still in the market for a wedding dress, Isaac Mizrahi's Bridal collection, featuring wedding gowns ($90-$140) and veils (under $20), goes on sale at Target.com in May.
Gifts from A to Z
With millions of discounted items, Amazon.com's wedding registry holds its own against full- service wedding sites to help you plan the whole shebang. What sets it apart: you can prioritize selections and even post cyber-notes on items explaining why you want them, and, surely, your groom will need less coaxing to plan this registry with you than he would at Tiffany's or Michael C. Fina. Popular picks include Scrabble Deluxe Edition and Rachael Ray's cookbooks. Amazon also lets couples design their own engagement rings and register for wedding bands ($10-$1,000+).
Increase your purchasing power
Stylish home items don't have to cost a small fortune. Places like Target and JC Penney's have gifts everyone can afford.Asking for money is a sensitive topic, but some guests would be happy to give cash if they knew a tactful way to do it. Enter the wealth of new secure money gift registries. Lovebirds simply list gift-related goals (like the down-payment on a co-op, a flat-screen TV, a living room set) so guests know what they're chipping in for. At aperfect weddinggift.com, registry gifts are deposited into a PayPal account linked to your bank account, minus a 7% handling fee. Similarly, gogift.com will send couples a prepaid MasterCard, but the gift giver foots the 7% handling fee.
Get help paying your debt to society
In lieu of linens or loot, Education Registry.com lets friends and family help ease your student loan debt or fund future education costs. To soften the blow in the charge card department, Macy's "perks of love" plan gives you 5% off all eligible purchases made from your Macy's registry and 10% off anything you buy yourself (macys.weddingchannel.com).
After you get back from the honeymoon, keep things cookin': Amazon gives you plenty of ways to while away the hours in the comfort of your home.Take stock of your relationship
Love the thrill of the stock market?
Register for gift shares of your favorite stocks with no broker fees at registerstock.com or giftsofstock.com (this site's direct reinvestment plan keeps your gifts growing).
What to know before you register
1. Give yourself some space
It's true you can't buy love, but if you're getting married, that should already have plenty of that.Don't register for more than you have room for, unless you have a place to store the excess. "Before registering for an item, ask yourself, 'Can I live without this?'" says Stephanie Mantello Ward, Amazon.com's wedding expert. "If you don't bake or entertain, maybe you never will, so how handy will that cumbersome sorbet maker, soup tureen or slow cooker ever be?"
2. Point of no return
Registries generally will issue a merchandise credit or exchange to you, but returns are usually reapplied back to the gift buyer's credit card. One exception is Bed Bath & Beyond, where items purchased from your registry can be returned or exchanged at any store.
3. Money: it's okay to ask
Wrapped boxes are great for your surprise shower, but maybe you'd like cold hard cash on the big day.
"To deter gifts, exclude registry info from your wedding invites; including it is a faux pas anyway," says Vagnozzi. "Word of mouth is the most socially appropriate way to share your registry," she adds. Peggy Post, who has filled Emily Post's shoes as the reigning etiquette queen, says it's perfectly polite to request money as a wedding gift if you're asked.
No matter how unconventional you are, every couple needs a few basics. Here are a few must-haves:
And last but not least, never underestimate the importance of a good toaster.1. A FOOLPROOF COFFEE MAKER A single-serve pod coffee maker spits out a quality brew in seconds, with nothing to clean except your coffee cup. Senseo's might just save you a trip to Starbucks. $54.99 at J&R (www.jr.com).
2. A SALAD SPINNER When you're stuck sifting sand from leeks or lettuce, you'll understand why you can't live without a salad spinner. Copco salad spinner/colander/serving bowl, $9.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond.
3. A TOASTER A multi-tasking model oven like the Cuisinart convection toaster oven with broiler, rated tops by Consumer Reports, roasts a chicken, bakes a pie and even broils steaks without setting off the smoke alarm ... and you'll never have to Easy-Off your regular oven! If you're not registering for a panini maker or George Foreman grill, you can even use it for toast. $149 at www.amazon.com
4. SELF-CLEANING COOKWARE Some genius finally invented nonstick cookware you can throw in the dishwasher. Check out the Infinite Circulon, a best-selling registry item at Macy's (10-piece set, $299).
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