Registry and Gift Forum

How many gifts to register for?

I've heard various things...from one and a half times the number of guests to twice the number. That's a big difference. What would you recommend? A little background, first: due to family size and physical location, we're having three receptions. One main, black tie reception with about 75-100 guests, another, more casual (probably an upscale brunch) with 50, and a third, extremely casual gathering with probably 50-75. So far, we've registered for 247 items total, and this number includes every last little item. This is just the basics for the house, as we do not live together. We could pretty easily find more to add, but I don't want it to look like too much or too little. We have varied price points, as we should, and about 90% of the items are under $100 (although there are 8 items over $200). Any advice you could offer would be appreciated. Should we get more? Less? More higher priced items or fewer higher priced items?

Re: How many gifts to register for?

  • My advice to you is put what you really need on it.  If you do not live together, there are a lot of things you are going to need. Don't worry so much about price points and it seems like you already have that covered. 

     My FI and I have a very small registry, maybe 60 or 70 items with a 350 person guest list.  But we already live together so there wasn't much we needed.  I went through out house and picked out everything I could upgrade. 

    What are you higher priced items? Some higher price items I recommend if you don't already have them on there.

    Vacuum (oh and don't forget the bags for it too), Everyday dishes(some people only register for china), a good set of pots and pans (trust me you want one on the more expensive side) Also something to think about, if you registered for non-stick cooking ware, then you want to have all your cooking utensils with rubber ends, stainless steel cooking utensils will scratch a non-stick pan.  I know this may seem like obvious stuff to some, but also think about the fact that you will be living with a man that doesn't care if the pan is non-stick and the spatula is stainless steel, next thing you know he has ruin a perfectly good pan...haha yup my FI did that.  Good thing he did to an old crappy pan! Oh and if you both work 9-5 jobs a Slow cooker can be your best friend.

    I hope this helps.
  • The higher priced items are: All Clad copper core set, matching soup pot, Wusthof knife set, Kitchenaid mixer, Breville toaster oven, down comforter, and cashmere blanket (I lied. There are only 7 things).

    We've covered everything you listed except the vacuum (Kirbys aren't available in stores). Is there anything else we would want/need?

    Thanks!
  • I found the following charts on a website about how many gifts in what price range you shoudl register for depending on how many guests you have attending.
    The first chart is for the wedding, the second is for a shower.

    No. of guests 50 75 100 150 200 300
    $25 - $50 12 24 34 50 70 80
    $50 - $75 18 34 52 80 90 110
    $75 - $100 14 36 40 52 62 80
    $100 - $150 8 10 36 50 70 80
    $150 - $200 6 8 9 9 10 14
    over $200 2 6 10 12 16 18
                 
    No. of guests 20 40 60 80 100 120
    under $25 7 12 17 21 31 40
    $25 - $50 9 17 27 37 43 55
    $50 - $75 6 18 18 23 34 37
    $75 - $100 4 6 19 21 32 37
    $100 - $150 3 4 5 6 8 9
    $150 - $200 1 3 5 6 8 9
  • I think you probably have enough things on there. 274 seems like a lot to me, but you know your guest list. Ive heard that you should add up wedding guests and shower guests and register for twice that many gifts. HTH
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  • We registered for about as many gifts as invited guests, but used a guide somewhat like what Kay0814 posted - based on the cost of each gift.  Don't register for what you don't need/want - you'll just end up getting stuff that you have to take care of returning. 
  • I've heard the same thing about taking the number of guests and registering for twice as many gifts.  It doesn't make much sense to me though because I don't expect each individual guest to buy a gift (e.g., I don't expect my cousin, his wife, and their child to each buy me a gift).  On the other hand, if a lot of the gifts are inexpensive (less than $20), people might give you more than one gift, so maybe it balances out.
    In the end, if you got a lot of things that were lower priority and didn't get some things you really wanted, you can always exchange them, so it's safer to register for too many gifts than too few.  As the wedding date approaches, keep an eye on your registry to make sure that there are still items remaining for the last-minute shoppers.
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  • You have to remember that you have things on there that are inexpensive such as spatula's, dishtowels, etc.  These things are about 10.00 or under and people will purchase more than one of them for you.  We recently had a shower where we recieved about 10 different metal baking pans from one person. 

    Plus it is much better to have more things on your registry rather than too few, because people make up thier mind about whether they are going to write a check or purchase a gift before they even look.  If your registry is completely empty then the gift givers will take it upon themselves to pick something that they think you "need" 

    From a gift givers perspective...I like having a large registry to look at.  It lets me choose what I can afford and I don't have to worry if it is something that they will like or use.  Plus it gives me an insight into the couples taste and style.  I like seeing what people want to fill their new home with.  Nothing is more frustrating than getting to the store and finding out the registry doesn't have anything left on it to purchase.  I would even go as far to say that check it and if many things are getting purchased (especially from a certain price point) then add more.  You can always return/exchange if you didn't get the essentials you need!
  • tommyandytommyandy member
    First Comment
    edited March 2010
    Don't forget to update the registry after each reception for the last minute shoppers.  Add in fun stuff too, like movies & video games & a really good fake Christmas tree & other Christmas stuff.

    The families might shop the wedding registry for Birthday & Christmas for the 2 of you as well this year
  • I think you have gotten some great advice so far! However, one more thing to add! :) I know of a couple who registered for a few very expensive things (such as a couch, bed and table). Tthey knew no one would purchase something so expensive but companies such as Crate and Barrel and I think the Pottery Barn will  give you 20% of items on your guest list that you did not receive. You have so many months after your wedding to recieve the discount. So even though they did not expect anyone to buy them a few items on their list, they registered for them anyways so that they could get them a little later and save some money. Just a thought to share!
  • I registered for rougly 2x the invitation count since I don't expect each individual guest to bring a gift.
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