Besides getting to spend the rest of time with the love of your life, another perk of getting married is getting showered with gifts. But before you can unwrap your new goodies, you must register for them. When registering, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the china and silver and crystal (oh my!), so we chatted with Chloe Allday of Allday Events to get the scoop on what couples in 2019 should be putting on that registry checklist.
D Weddings: What should couples know about registering before heading to the store to make their picks?
Chloe Allday: The original purpose of a registry was to help the newlyweds furnish their new home. Traditionally, both bride and groom were coming together having previously lived with their parents or been in college. In either instance they would have very little in the way of home goods. That’s why traditional items are china, flatware, bed sheets, etc. There was also a real emphasis on supplying the newly married couples with nice home items that they could use when they entertained. This part of the original idea I still think applies.
DW: How has it changed over the years?
CA: With more modern couples, we see them coming together much later in life—mid-to-late 20s, even early 30s, in most cases. Either they have been living in their own fully-furnished apartments and are now in the bind of having duplicates of items when they merge their households, or they are already living together and have the majority of necessary everyday items. Either way, they do not need the traditional registry items anymore.
DW: So what do you recommend couples register for?
CA: In a nutshell, these are all items that you would not buy for yourself, or one-offs that are special, but are also great items for entertaining and are sure to impress your friends.
Fun Barware (Items to stock a bar cart/whiskey rocks, shakers, glass stirrers, etc.)
Charcuterie board and cheese knives
Home assistant (Alexa, Echo, Portal, etc.)
Home upgrades (Nest, Ring, security system)
Monogrammed/personalized home items (wooden cutting board, dish towels)
Grilling accessories (meat thermometer, leather grilling glove, grill basket, digital smoker)
