Personally Yours
From adventure seekers to philanthropists, couples are finding their perfect match in today’s registry options
IF YOU’RE LIKE MOST MODERN COUPLES, your relationship is a marriage of different approaches, styles, wants and tastes. You like traditional, he likes modern. He wants a power mower, you want 800- thread-count Turkish cotton sheets. And like most couples, you realize that the oddities and dissimilarities make up the tie that binds you. But how do you create a registry that excites you both? Before you start scanning pots and pans, consider registries that match your personalities and offer experiences and intangible benefits—not just products.
FOR THE ADVENTURE SEEKERS
One of the most popular registries is the honeymoon registry. Dreaming of Africa? You can register your honeymoon wishes online—from airfare and lodging to dining, spa treatments and ecoadventures. Though some folks frown on “cash” gifts, younger couples view honeymoon registries as a way to avoid post-wedding debt. When planning their wedding, Cheryl Monahan and her husband were finishing school and hadn’t yet settled into full-time careers. “We chose a honeymoon registry so we could do things that we would not have done without it,” says Monahan. “We got hotel-suite upgrades, massages, horseback tours and some amazing dinners!” What’s Hot: Online honeymoon registry services such as HoneymoonWishes.com and TheBigDay.com. What’s Not: Displaying a honeymoon donation jar at the reception.
COLIN COWIE FANS
Sharon Naylor, author of 35 wedding books, including The Ultimate Wedding Registry Workbook, says registry choices no longer depend on age, but on the life circumstances of the couple marrying. Home entertaining, however, is a growing trend among all age groups. Naylor says more and more couples are registering for stylish martini sets, espresso machines, serving platters and all the accessories that help create a sophisticated soirée. Group-friendly items like karaoke machines and video game consoles are popping up on registry lists, too. What’s Hot: Gold-leaf dinnerware by Bernardaud at Bloomingdale’s, the Jura-Capresso Impressa Z6 fully automatic espresso coffee maker at Williams-Sonoma, and a class on how to throw an appetizer and dessert party at Sur La Table. What’s Not: Registering for a foosball table—unless, of course, you can theme a wine dinner around it.
NESTERS
Naylor has also noticed a big trend toward nesting, particularly among 30-somethings, an age when couples often are purchasing their first homes. But the joining of tastes at any age can result in various remodeling projects. Home-improvement registries allow couples to select kitchen sinks over coffee makers, and gift cards can make a big difference when there’s a laundry list of do-it-yourself expenses. This type of registry is also a great consideration for the groom. What guy wouldn’t love a remodeled garage in which to store his new power tools? What’s Hot: Design consultations through the American Society of Interior Designers (asidsandiego.org), and reclaimed wood flooring from GreenSage.com. What’s Not: Registering for actual power tools.
SELFLESS PHILANTHROPISTS
Couples remarrying or marrying later in life typically have more than they need. Because of this, they increasingly prefer charitable registries. “If we had received one more pot or piece of Tupperware, I would have come unglued!” says second-time newlywed Tamara Romeo of her decision to register for charitable donations. Going this route enables couples to set up an online registry in which guests can give to a cause of the couple’s choosing. What’s Hot: Supporting Doctors Without Borders through the I Do Foundation (IdoFoundation.org), or the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation through JustGive.org, or both. What’s Not: Giving no consideration to the far-reaching, long-lasting impact a charitable registry could make—on you, your guests and people around the world.
TRAIL BLAZERS
Love the great outdoors? Some sporting and outdoor gear stores allow couples to register for apparel and items such as tents, sleeping bags, mountain bikes and snowboards. For eco-conscious couples, green registries offer wares made of recycled glass and bamboo, towels and bed sheets made with organic cotton and even eco-friendly cleaning supplies. What’s Hot: REI’s seven-day Machu Picchu lodge trek, and 100 percent organically grown bamboo VeneerWare Plates at BranchHome.com. What’s Not: Expecting guests to haul wrapped tents and sleeping bags to the reception.
New Rules of Traditional Registries
For the traditionalist, here are a few pointers to achieve a balanced registry
According to Bloomingdale’s, your home is your very own show, so you should style it to impress the critics. But that doesn’t mean registering at multiple department stores and boutiques; Bloomingdale’s registry manager Amy Treichler advises no more than two. “One trend I’m seeing is over-registering. People need to keep their choices simpler for their guests.” Plus, she adds, the more options you provide, the less likely it is you’ll receive the items you really, truly want.
To help couples, Bloomingdale’s offers two guides available online and at its wedding registry departments: Our Guide to the Good Life and The New Rules to the Registry, featuring fun, useful advice such as:
• Forget the old rules. Make up your own.
• Be picky. Look for one-of-a-kind china, crystal, silver and cookware.
• Start with a strategy and work with a registry consultant.
• Start your registry where you start your day—in the kitchen.
• Imagine your fantasy table and include items that make it truly personal and unique—such as a gravy boat used as a vase.
• Live the good life every day. Use your silver every day and you’ll rarely have to polish it. For more, visit Bloomingdales.com.
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