Wedding Registry - Is asking for furniture acceptable?

nkazar

Hi folks! I'm in need of your opinion, and hoping you could help a gal out. Please be gentle with me, as I'm no wedding-planning expert .

My fiance and I are getting married in ~8 months, and just bought a new condo. We have plenty of "things" (towels, linens, flatware, etc), but almost no furniture. Everyone knows how expensive furniture can be, and given that we're also in the midst of wedding planning, we don't really have the funds to purchase any for our new home.

My potentially crazy idea was to put furniture pieces on our wedding registry and encourage groups of people to go in on it together. Otherwise, we'd of course be happy with cash or whatever someone may be inclined to bring.

What do you all think? Is making a registry of furniture insane or something that could work?

Much appreciated! - a little bird planning a wedding

vt&dt

nkazar said:

Hi folks! I'm in need of your opinion, and hoping you could help a gal out. Please be gentle with me, as I'm no wedding-planning expert .

My fiance and I are getting married in ~8 months, and just bought a new condo. We have plenty of "things" (towels, linens, flatware, etc), but almost no furniture. Everyone knows how expensive furniture can be, and given that we're also in the midst of wedding planning, we don't really have the funds to purchase any for our new home.

My potentially crazy idea was to put furniture pieces on our wedding registry and encourage groups of people to go in on it together. Otherwise, we'd of course be happy with cash or whatever someone may be inclined to bring.

What do you all think? Is making a registry of furniture insane or something that could work?

Much appreciated! - a little bird planning a wedding

I wouldn't recommend it.  You shouldn't encourage people to "go in groups" to get you expensive furniture.

If you don't need many household items, make a very small registry, and that will encourage people to give money instead of a tangible item.  

Also - from the bolded... wedding gifts aren't required.  You shouldn't expect wedding gifts to furnish your house or make up for money you've spent on the wedding, etc.  Some guests won't give a gift, and that's OK.

AprilH81

If the item was under $150ish I would not side eye it.  A coffee table or lamps?  Sure, go ahead...  A $600 headboard?  Nope, don't do it.

I would look at accessories (lamps, mirrors, end tables) for the registry more than actual furniture.

hoffse

I know a girl who registered for what amounted to a $5,000 bedroom set at Pottery Barn.  I judged her.  Hard.

The $150 side table?  Sure.  Lamps?  Knock yourself out.  But big furniture?  Save for it and buy it yourself like everybody else.

chibiyui

I personally wouldn't side eye one or two pieces of furniture, say each under 1k.

That said, I'm in furnture sales, so 1.) I like any excuse for people to buy furniture, and 2.) I see a lot of people put furnture and msttresses on registrys to buy after the wedding with completion discounts.

And yes, almost no one will judge you for accent pieces.
Good luck!

photokitty

I think $300 or less is fine. My brother and SIL registered for a $300 lamp at C&B, I would never spend that on a lamp, but I didn't side eye it either. I bought them their KitchenAide mixer but would have been willing to by a nice pice of furniture for $300 instead. But I would judge a couch or $1500 bedroom set.

Gisellerina

I wouldn't judge furniture on a registry (especially if it was a store that didn't exclude furniture from the registry completion discount) as long as there were other less expensive items on the registry too.  But, I also wouldn't get together with other guests and buy someone a couch or something for their wedding.  I would, however, consider getting the couple a gift card from the store to use towards the furniture. 

Also, consider the ratio of the furniture price to the average gift in your social circle.  You don't want something on your registry that costs 20 times the average gift  - that just looks greedy!  But if you register for a couch that's only 3-4 times the average gift, that's not so bad. 

And, please don't "encourage" guests to give group gifts.  Gifts are (or at least should be) an unsolicited present from those who care about you.  Registries are nice, because they help people know which patterns, colors, and items you like.  Giving actual directions about how to give you a present is bossy and impolite (even if well-intentioned).

 

kitty8403

I would say if you're talking more than, say, $250, I'd be ok, but suggest you keep it to no more than one or two pieces. Lots of expensive furnishings and toys can come off greedy. Don't encourage people--either they'll figure out how to buy it, or you can buy it yourself with a nice little discount.

doeydo

I wouldn't side eye furniture pieces on a registry as long as there are cheaper items as well.

OnceUponSnow

I would do a wishing well instead, and no registry. This way you could use the money to buy the furniture you want. I would not gather with other guests to buy furniture, unless you were my sister and the gift was from our parents, my husband and I. 

doeydo

OnceUponSnow said:

I would do a wishing well instead, and no registry. This way you could use the money to buy the furniture you want. I would not gather with other guests to buy furniture, unless you were my sister and the gift was from our parents, my husband and I. 

chibiyui

OnceUponSnow said:

I would do a wishing well instead, and no registry. This way you could use the money to buy the furniture you want. I would not gather with other guests to buy furniture, unless you were my sister and the gift was from our parents, my husband and I. 

Again with the wishing well! What does a wishing well have to do with weddings? And who the hell thought "you know what would get us a bunch of money, having a wishing well! If everyone gave a quarter, we'd have like, 20 bucks!"

photokitty

chibiyui said:

I would do a wishing well instead, and no registry. This way you could use the money to buy the furniture you want. I would not gather with other guests to buy furniture, unless you were my sister and the gift was from our parents, my husband and I. 

Again with the wishing well! What does a wishing well have to do with weddings? And who the hell thought "you know what would get us a bunch of money, having a wishing well! If everyone gave a quarter, we'd have like, 20 bucks!"

A QUARTER?? Hello Ms. Money Bags! I throw pennies in wishing wells - same great wishing power, less money. I can get 25 wishes to your one!

Fairyjen1

   I don't actually side-eye anything on a registry. If I don't like an item you put on there I'll get something else. I am not easily offended however. 

  I personally won't be putting furniture, beyond a pair of TV trays on my registry as I know people are offended by seeing it there.