If you ask my husband, shopping is a great talent of mine.  Call it a hazard of the trade… I love purchasing things that will make ordinary things look beautiful.  Whether that involves picking out the curtains that perfectly match my office paint color or picking out the perfect color ribbon to complete one of my couple’s invitation suites, I have to admit, it’s one of my favorite pastimes. BUT, when it came time for me to answer the question “what do you want for your wedding?”, I froze like a deer in headlights.  You would think for a person who loved to shop, that I would have no problem spending the money of my family and friends who were kind enough to want to shower us with gifts for our home. The first time I went to Macy’s and they handed me a registry scanner gun, I panicked! Standing in front of a wall full of china, I found myself truly overwhelmed as I asked myself questions like “Do I go with a neutral set, or statement pieces?”, “Will this pattern match the vibe of my hypothetical dream home that we’ll move into one day?”, and “Actually, who the hell uses china anymore?!”.  So I froze, left the store, and immediately called my mom from the car to ask what I should be registering for. Mom always knows best… I knew she would definitely know the answer. China…. The first thing that she said was CHINA.

Since a lot of couples typically test the waters by living together before walking down the aisle, the registry game is a little bit different these days. Usually you have your home furnished and accessorized to your liking long before Save-the-Dates are sent out.  So what are the best things to ask for (besides cold hard cash) if you think that you already have everything that you need? Here’s my 2 cents based on my life lessons learned, a sprinkle of mom’s Old School advice, and a quick google search!

The Basics

I cannot stress this enough.  You can never have enough towels or bed sheets. These are the last things that we ever think to buy ourselves on a regular basis, but are the things that we use most in our home if you really think about it.  Coming from a lady who still had most of her towels from college upon cohabitation many years later, I think that nice linens and bed sheets are a rite of passage for this new stage of adulting. Use your registry as an opportunity to get upgraded bedding and linens and send your old versions off to retirement.

For Your Entertainment

Speaking of upgrades, why stop there?  Your registry is the perfect opportunity to upgrade items that you already have or to get items that you wouldn’t necessarily buy for yourself. Been eying that Ninja Bullet 10.0 that was a little too pricey for your liking? Want to impress your friends with those overpriced martini glasses at your next cocktail party (or pre-game)? Auntie Cheryl would love nothing more than making those items yours to cherish throughout your new lives together.

Honey Funds!!!

This is my personal favorite…it’s the Wanderluster in me! If you’re convinced that you do have everything that you need for your home, have your guests treat you to your dream honeymoon.  You can register for airfare, hotel stays, and activities while you’re on your trip. Appreciation Bonus: To show your guests how thankful you are, you can tuck a picture of yourselves partaking in the activity that they contributed to in their thank you card.

Now go off and fearlessly scan all of the goodies!  Good luck and Bon Voyage!