How early did you start a registry?

[Deleted User] · April 2015

My wedding is in January, but we are putting our wedding website link on the save the date cards that will be going out this summer. Is it okay to start registering for things so that the registry will be full and available so that people can get things at their convenience? Our shower (the one that I know is definitely happening) will be early November.

lizz0915 · April 2015

We registered about 6 months out, but I know people who registered almost a year out. If you register early you just need to be careful that items you register for are not discontinued between when you register and your wedding. I went to a wedding last year and I'm guessing the bride registered early (and did not update it) because a lot of her items at Kohls where no longer available when I went to look at it.

southernbelle0915 · April 2015

I'm on the fence if registry information even belongs on the website... I see both sides, but kind of side eye it.

Anyway, it's WAY too soon to be registering. Lots of stuff will get discontinued and you'll have to re-do a bunch of it.

I would start working on it in September or October. That way, you'll have a month or two to get it completed before your invites go out. If you're having a shower, have it done before the shower invites go out.

ETA: If you start working on it now, you have the option to make it private (people can't search for it).

aliwis000 · April 2015

My wedding is in September and I just set up registries this weekend, so about 5 months out.

I agree with PP that it is a bit too soon to officially register. However, you can start making your own private list now. I started one after we got engaged. It was just a simple list in a word document on my computer of items I thought we needed. Additionally every time I broke something (poor glass measuring cup

) I would put it on the list.

So when we did register I knew that here was a selection of items we really did need, not just the stuff on the "checklists" the stores give you.

[Deleted User] · April 2015

My wedding is in July and I started my registry at the end of December (so about 6 months out). I added items very slowly and as I realized in needed and wanted them. I did a lot of adding and deleting, because I changed my mind about a few things. I finalized everything around the week my shower invites when out.

I say no more than 6 months before. I registered at Macy's and found that most of their items are standard. I only had one item get discounted.

mrssursely · April 2015

We didn't register until a week before invites went out for my shower, otherwise it would've been right before invites went out for the wedding had I not had a shower.

[Deleted User] · April 2015

I'm getting married this July. When I first set up our wedding website, mostly for accommodations, our registry was not ready and just said to be determined. We registered about mid-Feb. So about five months out. We didn't want to register until we were sure what we wanted/needed. There can be issues of certain items or specific colors of items becoming discontinued if it's too early.

groomguy87 · April 2015

Our wedding is in May and we registered back in January, but we actually just finalized them over the past couple weeks as some things had changed. We cut it too close I think, ideally I'd say everything should be finalized prior to your shower invites going out.

MyNameIsNot · April 2015

We started about 5-6 months out. It's not a faux pas to register early, but with stock turnover it can leave you with having to redo everything if you start too early.

With the very slim exception of your parents for birthdays/holidays, pretty much no one is going to think about getting you a wedding gift more than a few weeks before the wedding or right before the shower. People don't need time to shop. You don't actually need a registry until October.

Like PP, I still side eye the registry on the website, especially if its up that far in advance, but that's another story.

marie2785 · April 2015

We did the initial registry early at Crate and Barrel to get a benefit from them at about 9 months out, but no one actually looks early, so we never shared it. I've only recently been making sure to keep it updated since save the dates were sent 2 months ago and the bridal shower invites are going out soon. I don't expect items to be purchased until ~1 month before the shower/wedding though. I don't think most people buy gifts early.

Post-shower we'll actually be removing things from the registry that are more in the want vs need category. If someone wants to give us a gift we'd prefer cash since we're saving up for a house (although we will of course not say this--the small registry is the only hint we'll give).

haleyk620 · April 2015

I'm getting married in June, and my FI and I were those people who registered about a year prior to our wedding. I agree with one of the PPs that it would have be smarter to wait a little bit longer because several items at Kohl's that we registered for were discontinued/not available, and it just make more work for us later on. I do know that if something is discontinued that is on your BBB registry you receive an email letting you know that the item requires action, which is nice.

I just had my bridal shower this past weekend, and received some gifts that were on a registry but not marked off, so I also had to go back through them to remove those items to avoid duplicates.

notdoingitbythebook · April 2015

We registered about a month ago, so 7 months before the wedding. According to the Traditionalists in the family, we waited much too long and should have been registered right after we got engaged. Meh. I'd say register whenever you get the chance, but give people enough time before events like showers.

minttobemrsb · April 2015

Everyone kept telling us to register early. We were "late" doing it at about 6-7 months before the wedding. A few people purchased items very early when they went on sale for Christmas. I guess doing it early allows for people to watch for deals, but quite a few things have had to be switched out due to items going out of stock or being discontinued.

Also- I totally peaked at my registry today. I had to!

lyndausvi · April 2015

We did ours 11 months out. But that was only because it was the only time both of us would be in the states together before the wedding. DH wanted to us the guy at BB&B.

I would say 6-9 months would have been better.

Knottie67868874 · April 2015

Related question: we are a little less than 6 months to our wedding and registered about a month after we got engaged (7 months prior to wedding). sent save the dates out with our website that has the registry. A number of generous people ended up buying us some very nice gifts both on and off our registry! My mom thinks it's impolite to open them until the wedding in October (obviously we opened them anyway) but I've also read that thank you notes for pre-wedding gifts should go out within 2 weeks of receiving them. What to do??

[Deleted User] · April 2015

Knottie67868874 said:
Related question: we are a little less than 6 months to our wedding and registered about a month after we got engaged (7 months prior to wedding). sent save the dates out with our website that has the registry. A number of generous people ended up buying us some very nice gifts both on and off our registry! My mom thinks it's impolite to open them until the wedding in October (obviously we opened them anyway) but I've also read that thank you notes for pre-wedding gifts should go out within 2 weeks of receiving them. What to do??

Open the box, make sure it's not broken, see who it's from, send a thank you note. Do not use the gift until after the wedding.

the2016bride2be · May 2015

My wedding isn't until next June, but we have an ideas as to where we want to register. My best friend got married last June and registered at Bed Bath and Beyond and hated the quality of the gifts. We won't register there. She said that the towels were horrible quality. I'm thinking to register at : Macy's , Target, Crate and Barrel, and possibly walmart. I wouldn't do KHOLS, because it tends to have sales way to often which means merchandise could be deleted.

lachattefatale · May 2015

the2016bride2be said:

My wedding isn't until next June, but we have an ideas as to where we want to register. My best friend got married last June and registered at Bed Bath and Beyond and hated the quality of the gifts. We won't register there. She said that the towels were horrible quality. I'm thinking to register at : Macy's , Target, Crate and Barrel, and possibly walmart. I wouldn't do KHOLS, because it tends to have sales way to often which means merchandise could be deleted.

Did she register online without going into the store or something? Since FI doesn't have any preferences on kitchen stuff, I've already registered for those things online, but we'll be going somewhere in-person to register for towels and sheets because it's so hard to judge the weight of fabric from a written description. And FWIW, I've been perfectly happy with my BB&B towels (that I bought for myself in-store).

Also, Target and Walmart have sales and turnover at least as often as Kohl's.

julieanne912 · June 2015

the2016bride2be said:

My wedding isn't until next June, but we have an ideas as to where we want to register. My best friend got married last June and registered at Bed Bath and Beyond and hated the quality of the gifts. We won't register there. She said that the towels were horrible quality. I'm thinking to register at : Macy's , Target, Crate and Barrel, and possibly walmart. I wouldn't do KHOLS, because it tends to have sales way to often which means merchandise could be deleted.

I wouldn't do 4 registries, that's a bit side-eye worthy. I would pick either Target or Walmart, but not both.

I have registries at Target, Crate and Barrel, and Amazon and I've had to monitor them all for things being discontinued, so it's not just an issue with Kohl's.

JerseyBeachGal22 · June 2015

My extended family complained that my sister waited too long to register for her gifts (she did it 4 months out for a June wedding) given they wanted time to take advantage of the stores' promotions and inventory within a decent amount of time in advance. I'm having a June wedding and therefore will probably register in the fall.

I can't possibly be the only one who thinks Walmart does not have better quality than BB&B. But I digress as I'm not registering at either one. Register where you see fit for your household needs and the "when" depends on your situation.

haleyk620 · June 2015

JerseyBeachGal22 said:

My extended family complained that my sister waited too long to register for her gifts (she did it 4 months out for a June wedding) given they wanted time to take advantage of the stores' promotions and inventory within a decent amount of time in advance. I'm having a June wedding and therefore will probably register in the fall.
I can't possibly be the only one who thinks Walmart does not have better quality than BB&B. But I digress as I'm not registering at either one. Register where you see fit for your household needs and the "when" depends on your situation.

THIS. Totally agree that BB&B has better quality than Walmart, easily.

hellohkb · June 2015

We're a little over 7 months away and we just registered this weekend at Bed Bath and Beyond. We go back on Saturday for the "appointment". We also created a smaller Amazon registry for those who prefer to buy from Amazon online.

Cassie346 · June 2015

From reading everyone else's responses, there really isn't and exact time when to register. You will know when the time is right and when it fits your schedule. Just one thing to keep in mind (this might go without saying), you want to have your registry done before you send out your invites.

How early did you start a registry?

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