The Wedding Registry: Why The Groom Needs To Be Involved

Why You Need To Get Involved In Your Wedding Registry

Even if you’re not psyched about putting your wedding registry together (and your bride to be really, really is), getting involved will save a lot of headache later and also get you a lot of cool stuff. Win-win. You just have to look at it as a giant grown-up wish list. It’s honestly the same thing you made for Santa when you were a kid; just instead of listing what video games you want, now it’s what kitchen appliances you want. Okay, so it’s not as much fun as Christmas, but it’s really not as boring as you think.

It’s a major time saver.

Moving into a new house and starting a life together is an exciting, and at times, overwhelming process. Having your housewares all ready to go is a huge time-saver and stress reliever. All you have to do is open your wedding presents, and you’re good to go. Not having to return half the stuff people bought you is really awesome too.

Why can’t I just leave it up to her?

Because chances are, she wants you to be involved. You know how you don’t really care what font you use on the invitations, but she insisted you choose anyway? The same thing applies here. And hey, if you want a say in the color scheme of your home or really want a particular set of steak knives, the bottom line is you have to be involved.

But we already live together…

If you already live with your soon-to-be wife, you may be wondering what the heck goes on the registry in the first place. This is the time to upgrade. Chuck the chipped plates and bent spoons, up the thread-count on your sheets, and get some coffee table books other than 3-month old magazines (don’t lie, you know you have ‘em). Also, picture frames. You’re going to need somewhere to put all those wedding photos. And of course, there’s the fun stuff that you want but don’t really need. That’s the best part.

Half of the guests are YOUR friends. They want to get stuff YOU want. As a rule of thumb, most couples register at two or three places, totaling about $8,000 in gifts. There’s no reason that second or third registry (and $3,000-$4,000) shouldn’t be yours. If her picks are along the lines of Macy’s, Pottery Barn, and Crate & Barrel, you can get some Best Buy and REI in the mix. Electronics and sports equipment are prime categories for wedding registries. (See, you’re a little more excited now). Plus, even if you don’t receive everything in your registry, many places give you the option to “complete” your registry at a discount.