Registry woes - The PASH Wedding Forums and Message Boards

peckmiranda · #1 03-11-2007, 05:17 AM

Well, we're at the 9 month mark, and according to my books, that's when it's time to start registering! Unfortunately, I have a few issues. Sorry this is so long!

We'll be having our wedding back home in a really rural area of Kansas. The closest stores to my hometown are Wal-Mart (30 minutes away), Target (1 hour away), Sear's (1 hour away), JCPenney's (1 hour away). FH and I refuse to register at Wal-Mart (personal grudge) and I've heard many horror stories about Target registries. The closest Bed, Bath, and Beyond is an hour and a half from us. I would love to register there, but I just don't know if anyone would make the drive to purchase something there, and most of the guests aren't exactly techno-savvy, so online purchases probably wouldn't happen.

I've been looking at Target online, and I really like a lot of the stuff there, but I've noticed that most of the stuff I like are available online, but not in stores. Like I said, most people probably won't want to buy the gifts online. I went to Target today, hoping to ease my fears about registering there a little, but it didn't help at all. The lady I talked to kept avoiding the returns subject, and would just say "Well, as long as they tell the cashier it's for a registry, you'll be fine." Well, we all know that a lot of people forget.

I also went to Bed Bath and Beyond tonight, and it was like a heaven compared to Target. They had almost everything I wanted, the registry lady was so nice and understanding and when we got done, the first thing she said was "I'm not saying this because of rivalry or anything, but I don't recommend registering at Target." Then she told me a few more horror stories she'd heard from brides. Buuut like I said, I just doubt people will drive that far to get gifts.

I have the same problem with JCPenney and Sear's: I just have no clue what I would register for from them. My dad said his friends have always registered for electronics or something there, but we have everything we need, I think.

Ladedah, since you're from the same area-ish, how did you do this?

Heather · #2 03-11-2007, 05:42 AM

I wouldn't worry about where you're registered because you're afraid you won't get gifts... Just register where ever you're comfortable and if guests want to purchase something from your recommendation (not requirement), then they'll find a way.

I'm also from a small town with maybe one "big" store, and I received many shower gifts from a registery that was at least 3 hours away from my hometown. If they don't want to purchase from a registery, then they'll give you something else that they would like to give as a gift.

Remember that a registery is just a suggestion on what you may need or want, many of your guests may already have an idea on what to get you, if they chose to give a gift. Some people also like to just give cash or a check in a card, but you may be suprised at how resourceful some people can be.

555Ann555 · #3 03-11-2007, 12:07 PM

Put it this way, if the people invited to your wedding are mostly from your home town then they'll be well aware of your lack of shops, and probably really experienced at having to drive that far to buy things for their own home so probably won't give second thought to having to drive that far for gift shopping!

There are no decent shops near me so I don't think anything of driving an hour into Glasgow to get a decent gift (or clothes or Christmas shopping) I'm sure your guests are used to it by now!

ladedah · #4 03-11-2007, 04:39 PM

We didn't really register for a lot of items because well we are "old" and had most of our household...and because of that our registries were pretty much completed by the time our showers were over...but I would just register wherever you want....you may want to pick just one thing that is close and put a few things on it for those people who will have a huffy...otherwise do what you want and if people don't want to travel or internet shop...they'll give you cash...or something they feel is "close" to something on your registry...But here is what we did....

We registered at Dillards....for china, stoneware, bedding, towels, pots and pans that we wanted....etc...

And we registered at Target...we didn't have any problems with them at all...yes we got duplicates of things on our registry because they didn't tell the cashier it was a registry item...but we took a ton of stuff back and got gift cards....to me a paper shredder is a paper shredder...or kitchen utensils aren't that different from one store to the next...so I figured that Target was better than Wal-Mart....I still have Target gift-cards a year later...but I did shop a lot on-line with them....

We also registered on-line at Crate and Barrel and got everything we wanted....you may be surprised at how technologically savy people are...and while it may not have come from our great aunt...I'm guessing we had people who asked thier children to do it for them...

Also...a quick heads up to you....they are building a BB&B in Manhattan...expected to be opened in the early fall...so your guests may not have to drive as far as you think...

peckmiranda · #5 03-11-2007, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heather

Remember that a registery is just a suggestion on what you may need or want, many of your guests may already have an idea on what to get you, if they chose to give a gift. Some people also like to just give cash or a check in a card, but you may be suprised at how resourceful some people can be.

I know. I guess I sounded a little grabby in my post. Honestly, I don't care what people get me, or even if they get me anything at all. I've just heard the complaints when a bride's registry is too small.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 555Ann555

Put it this way, if the people invited to your wedding are mostly from your home town then they'll be well aware of your lack of shops, and probably really experienced at having to drive that far to buy things for their own home so probably won't give second thought to having to drive that far for gift shopping!

Actually...most people from my hometown register at Wal-Mart. Ew.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladedah

Also...a quick heads up to you....they are building a BB&B in Manhattan...expected to be opened in the early fall...so your guests may not have to drive as far as you think...

Fantaaaaaaaaastic!!! Oh that solves almost everything!!! Thanks bunches!! Man, that town is exploding since we left! I went home for Christmas and couldn't believe it!!

Heather · #6 03-11-2007, 05:01 PM

Oh girl! I didn't think you sounded grabby at all. I just wanted to get a point across that people will basically do what they want, regardless of what you're registered for. As I mentioned, we had registeries, and I still ended up with 12 silver picture frames and about 7 vases.

(I didn't register for even one of either, lol.)

peckmiranda · #7 03-11-2007, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heather

Oh girl! I didn't think you sounded grabby at all. I just wanted to get a point across that people will basically do what they want, regardless of what you're registered for. As I mentioned, we had registeries, and I still ended up with 12 silver picture frames and about 7 vases.

(I didn't register for even one of either, lol.)

I'm afraid of that!!! One friend of mine who got married ended up with about 20 crocheted oven mitts. 20!! You would think that since all the old ladies live in the same town and talk [gossip] on a daily basis, they would've realized that they were ALL doing the SAME thing for a gift. But apparently they were too busy talking about whose next door neighbor got home at midnight (gasp!) and whose granddaughter is pregnant (alert the media!). Aaah small town biddies

ljeagle · #8 03-11-2007, 06:09 PM

I say do a registry where you want if people want to purchase from on of them then they will drive or do it on line. The only thing I see as a problem with registering so early is most places won't have this stuff 9 months from now or even 7 months when people go to purchase you gifts.

AshyBekka · #9 03-11-2007, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljeagle

I say do a registry where you want if people want to purchase from on of them then they will drive or do it on line. The only thing I see as a problem with registering so early is most places won't have this stuff 9 months from now or even 7 months when people go to purchase you gifts.

That's sort of what I was thinking. I registered at about nine months and had to go through and re-do a lot of stuff because a number of items were discontinued or just taken down in the intervening time. You might want to wait til five or six months out-having to reregister is a HUGE pain!

Glad you're making headway on the shops issue though!