Tips to Build the Perfect Wedding Registry

(StatePoint) A great registry is the first step to planning your happily ever after. As you make your way to the “I Do’s,” it’s also a time to plan for your new lives together. From hosting your first holiday dinner to lazy Sundays on the couch, making your house a home starts with building a great registry.

“It is your registry, so build it any way you want to. Choose items that are right for you and your soon-to-be. Go through the registry process together and enjoy it,” recommends Audrey Stavish, wedding and gift registry expert at Bed Bath & Beyond. “Whether starting from scratch or blending households together, remember to relax, take your time and have fun.”

Here are some additional tips to get you started:

• Visit a Store: Before you take the trip down the aisle, take a trip down the aisle of the store where you are registered. Missed something the first time around? No problem. Many stores make the process convenient, allowing you to update the registry at any point, both in-store and online. Be sure to get up close and personal with the items that go on your registry. Touch the towels, hold the cookware — in fact, most brides make multiple visits to a store and the website.

• Keep it Convenient: Where you register is important. Ask friends, family and co-workers about their registry experiences. Start a wedding registry as soon as you say “yes.” That way, guests have options for engagement gifts and showers. With more than 1,000 locations nationwide and an easy-to-use website, a store like Bed Bath & Beyond is convenient for you and your guests, before and after your wedding.

• Ask the Experts: It’s easy to get overwhelmed when registering. Need help deciding between ceramic or stainless steel cookware? Don’t forget to ask the registry expert! From the time a couple starts the registry process, until they’ve walked down the aisle, dedicated registry consultants can help you be better informed about your choices and make the process fun and stress-free.

• Dream Big, Register Bigger: Register for at least twice as many gifts as the number of guests at the wedding. Friends and family will rely on the registry for special events leading up to the wedding, including engagement parties, showers and holidays.

Guests will appreciate choices in a wide range of price points and categories. Also, don’t shy away from high priced items like a set of All-Clad cookware — these make great group gifts, as does formal tableware, like fine china by Lenox, crystal by Waterford and flatware.

More great registry-building tips can be found at www.BedBathAndBeyond.com.

Happy registering and let the memories of a lifetime begin!