Registries

Well, we've finally finished tweaking our registries. Just like a lot of people we know, we don't want to look like we are gift grubbing. However, let's be real here, gift registration is a necessary evil for wedding planning. Besides, I've heard from family members that I can be difficult to buy for (um, ok) so this should solve that problem should they feel the need to buy us something. Really, though, I'll just be happy to have everyone in one place and having fun.

I should probably explain our choices. Four places seems like a lot but most guides recommend about two to four. We were just gonna do two with the Marriott and Bed Bath and Beyond. Travel registries are starting to become popular. However, a lot of them have hidden fees and funky rules. But the Marriott is different. The registry is completely free to users and it's easy. Once I registered, they sent us an empty gift card in a cute little suitcase holder. People go to the website or call Marriott and "buy" items from our listing. While the "sample" items they have are pricey, it's easy enough to just add your own amount to the gift card. With the Marriott, we aren't stuck with a specific honeymoon package because we can use the card at any of their properties. So, if we have to change our plans, well, we can. I'll babble about honeymoon stuff later.

Anyway, we chose Bed Bath and Beyond because they have an awesome selection of stuff. We love that place. But then we realized that we needed a third registry because of people being so darn spread out and not necessarily having a BBB near them and possibly not wanting to do online stuff for either registry.

I wanted JC Penney. . .but we started the registry without realizing that they suck! I mean, I worked for them thirteen years ago and have always loved the company. I had no idea that their selection -- even through the catalog -- had gotten so, well, lame. The bedding department is still pretty good as is the windows section. Bath has gone down but for towels. And the rest? Pitiful. Just pitiful. It was too late to cancel it. Besides, they still have the best window treatments and we can certainly use those. But I know that as for us shopping there in the future it will just be for that and clothes for Michael.

So, we ended up with Macy's (whom I also like) and that turned out wonderfully. They are what I'd hoped Penney's would be. And another cool thing about them is that if someone buys from the online registry via weddingchannel.com, money gets donated to the charity of our choice. I chose the American Cancer Foundation for obvious reasons. If I'd known that Penney's had changed so much, I would have just stuck with the two traditional registries and the nontraditional travel one. Ah well. It was a learning experience. Never assume that somewhere is as good as it used to be.

One good thing about all of this? Michael and I didn't fight at all about what we wanted to register for. In fact, we tend to agree on stuff most of the time. And he was awesome in going along with me and not grumbling. But then, he likes to shop. Fortunately our tastes mesh all right. We have a habit of deferring when one of us wants something more than another. We both have to like something though for it to be considered a viable option. But, if we have, say, two choices that we both like and one happens to really be a favorite of one of us, it usually wins by default (like the every day butterfly china pattern that I love). So, even though we spent hours at the stores (and me online fine tuning), it was pretty easy over all.