Date: Fri 05-Mar-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

brides-register-online

Full Text:

BRIDES: A Register That Will Suit Your Future Needs

BY SHANNON HICKS

"What can I get you for your wedding?" "Has anyone purchased your table

service yet?" "What color will your bathroom and kitchen be?"... "Where are

you registered??!"

These questions -- especially that last one -- and many similar ones are all

going to be posed to a bride-to-be and her bridegroom-to-be long before their

wedding day arrives. Guests to your wedding, and your surprise showers, want

to not only celebrate your big day with you, but also bring a gift to

commemorate the happy occasion of getting married.

Wedding gifts are meant to be cherished through your life together. They are

symbols of the love and friendship that comes from the people who selected

them, and they are reminders that people are wishing you the best for your

future.

One of the easiest ways to help guests, especially those spread out across the

country, is to register for gifts you would like for your future home. Most

major department stores now have registers that go into a nationwide computer

system, which is a great help for those friends and relatives who will be

coming in to town for your wedding. Others have 800-numbers set up that work

similarly.

A few stores even have their bridal registry lists on the Internet, which

allow visitors to not only find out what you are hoping to receive as a

wedding gift, but in some cases, to even purchase online. A few stores even

have their bridal registry lists on the Internet, which allow visitors to not

only find out what you are hoping to receive as a wedding gift, but in some

cases, to even purchase online. Service Merchandise already has a program set

up when couples can even register online, without even leaving home.

After the marked increase of sales on the Internet seen this past holiday

season, more stores are expected to follow this lead within the next few

years.

But what goes on the register? You are starting a new life together, and

traditionally building a brand new home together. While the exterior of your

home may be finished, the items needed to finish a few of the inside rooms --

kitchen, dining room, bathroom and bedroom -- are what many couples need help

with before their house feels like their home. A registry, therefore, includes

everything from table and bed linens to china, flatware and utensils,

cookware, bakeware, and appliances.

Don't rush building this list. Like anything else that goes into planning your

wedding day, registering for gifts should not be done with a "let's just go

and get this over with" attitude. Have fun, but be prepared.

You and your future spouse should know before you enter the store (or stores,

as many couples have begun having a few shorter lists at two or three stores

instead of one gargantuan list at a single store). Know what your likes and

dislikes are when it comes to patterns, styles, colors and even the materials

your linens, china, flatware, etc will be made of.

You may want to consider, especially if you will be using more than one

store's registry system, breaking the registration process into more than one

trip. This not only decreases the pressure of getting the entire registry done

in one outing, but also increases the fun of compiling the lists of what you

hope will soon be in your home.

Many consultants and planners suggest you begin registering for gifts as early

in your engagement as possible. At the very least, give yourself four to six

months. This will give people on your guest list time to decide what to

purchase for your bridal shower and wedding day.

Remember to choose gifts in a wide range of prices. This will help your guests

make choices that are appropriate to their budget. Conversely, don't be afraid

to request a few more expensive items. By registering early, it gives your

wedding guests time to discuss pooling their resources to purchase such a

gift, and also allows those who want to give a special gift the opportunity to

do so.

Choose the gifts that are going on your register carefully. You will be

honored this way only once in your lifetime. Your wedding day is your stepping

stone into your new life, and the gifts that surround you should all be

enjoyed.

SIDEBAR: What You Get To Choose For Your Bridal Registry

The following offers a list of the categories and specifics of items that

generally appear on a bridal register. This is not meant to be all-inclusive,

however. Brides and grooms can register anywhere, for anything. In addition to

the flatware and china that is generally found on a registry, brides and

grooms can select clocks and other decorative items, sportsgear if they are

very involved with a specific sport, or something special for a hobby they

enjoy.

FOR THE KITCHEN

TABLE LINENS include tablecloths, cocktail napkins, luncheon napkins, dinner

napkins and placemats.

GLASSWARE include rocks glass/tumblers, iced tea/tall glasses, champagne flute

and tall glasses. Remember, even if you don't drink, you will need a basic

collection of glasses just to cover the basics of good hosting.

CHINA includes a tea pot, pitcher, sugar bowl and creamer, gravy boat, soup

cup and saucers, charger, soup plates, covered vegetable dishes, a charger, a

platter, cereal bowls, salad/dessert plates, and dinner plates.

When registering for your china and flatware services, tradition dictates that

you register for eight to 12 place settings. Also to note: porcelain and bone

china are unequivocally the strongest materials available in dinnerware.

When choosing your patterns, try to select something that will be easy to add

to. Think of the future: Choose designs that will be easy to match five or ten

years down the road, when you might be doing large family gatherings and will

need to expand your collection.

FLATWARE includes knives, forks, salad forks, butter knives, dessert spoons,

teaspoons and tablespoons, soup spoons, iced tea/sundae spoons, steak knives,

a pierced teaspoon, salad servers and a cake slice.

UTENSILS include a bread knife, a chef's knife, a carving knife, a boning

knife, a paring knife and a cleaver.

COOKWARE includes saucepans, a double boiler, stock/crock pot, a steamer

basket, a kettle, saute pans, skillets, a roasting rack, a wok, and a Dutch

oven.

BAKEWARE includes a baking stone, baking sheets, cookie sheets, loaf pans,

round cake pans, a pie pan, muffin tins, a cooling rack, and mixing bowls.

APPLIANCES include a juicer, a coffee maker, espresso/cappuccino maker, coffee

grinder, toaster oven, microwave, blender, food processor, hand and standing

mixers, a waffle iron and a pasta maker.

FOR THE BEDROOM

Fitted sheets, flat sheets, pillowcases, bed pillows, pillow shams, duvet,

duvet cover, mattress pad, blankets, quilts and bed skirts. Remember, of

course, to indicate what size you need for the sheets, pads and bed coverings.

FOR THE BATHROOM

Washcloths, guest towels, hand towels, bath towels, bath sheets and bath rugs.