Too much on registry?

cbradeis

Hi there - getting married in September, shower is this Saturday.  My guy and I maybe went a little crazy on the registry (200 items, expecting 130 guests at the wedding, about 40-50 at the shower).  A lot of stuff was novelty items, things that would be nice to have but really a necessity.  Hopefully I don't come off like a brat but the registry isn't ticking up like I had expected.  By no means do I expect everything to be purchased!  Bottom line is I'm concerned that when it comes time for the actual wedding people will continue to purchase off the registry rather than give cash.   Would it be rude, lame, tacky, etc to delete items off the registry to reduce it's size, in turn encouraging guests to give cash?  I know it might sound like a jerk but we've blown through all of our savings to make this wedding happen and would really like to break-even when all is said and done.  Am I a spoiled rotten brat?  Give it to me straight ladies!

Summer2011Bride

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_too-much-on-registry?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:34Discussion:4dda204e-31f6-4324-b837-f4cbb58e0fb3Post:b5f31e0b-241a-40e4-bcda-692f0bb63b88">Too much on registry?</a>:
[QUOTE]Hi there - getting married in September, shower is this Saturday.  My guy and I maybe went a little crazy on the registry (200 items, expecting 130 guests at the wedding, about 40-50 at the shower).  A lot of stuff was novelty items, things that would be nice to have but really a necessity.  Hopefully I don't come off like a brat but the registry isn't ticking up like I had expected.  By no means do I expect everything to be purchased!  Bottom line is I'm concerned that when it comes time for the actual wedding people will continue to purchase off the registry rather than give cash.   Would it be rude, lame, tacky, etc to delete items off the registry to reduce it's size, in turn encouraging guests to give cash?  I know it might sound like a jerk but we've blown through all of our savings to make this wedding happen and would really like to break-even when all is said and done.  Am I a spoiled rotten brat?  Give it to me straight ladies!
Posted by cbradeis[/QUOTE]

First, I don't think 200 items is a lot. We invited 160 people and had two registries with over 100 items on each one. Just make sure you have items in a variety of price points. Although the number of items might be high, they also count every spatula, every towel, etc separately as long as they are sold individually. One person might buy 10 of the small things just by themselves.

Why would it bother you if people purchased off the registry close to the wedding? Isn't that the point of having a registry? To get those things? You can put an address on the registry and many guests will ship them to you, if you are worried about transporting them. I would definitely NOT delete a registry until a little while after the wedding. Not only do some people want to buy off it, but what if you need to return something already purchased, etc? Also some stores give you a discount after the wedding for completing your registry/buying more stuff off of it.

Thirdly, don't worry if your registry is still full. Your wedding is far away, and many of my shower guests purchased their gifts the day before or even day OF my shower (I know because I also registry stalked!) Many people, including myself, are last-minute gift purchasers.

ETA: I get wanting cash, but TBH, I'd say 80% of the guests at our wedding gave cash, even though we still had stuff on our registry. I wouldn't worry about it.

GretchenLaRoux

I really wouldn't recommend to go deleting a bunch of stuff from your registry to try to encourage people to give you cash-- I know a LOT of people who pre-plan their gifts and would be very bothered by you doing this if they planned to get something for you, and suddenly it wasn't there anymore. People are either going to give cash, or they're not. But lots of people do give cash for weddings, if it's any consolation.

I also definitely don't think your registry is too large. It's just about perfect for the number of guests you have, so long as your price points are varied.

librababy

I don't think you are spoiled or a brat at all.  But don't delete anything.  people will buy off your registry or they won't.  And many will still bring cash as well.

Knowing Fi's family, I know we will have too many registry items.  I have 150 guest list and about 40 that will be invited to the shower.  i have 1 registry with 85 items so far and another registry this weekend (trying not to go over more than 40 items).  

mcskatcat

Is anyone throwing a shower for you?  What we did, and honestly strategically works well, was register for our absolute must-haves and then once most of that stuff was purchased we added a few more items.  I would start smaller and add more later if you decide that's what you want, or don't add and then people will hopefully give you money.

kimandjosh22

I don't think 200 items is too many, as long as the items hit a wide range of price points.  Its good for guests to have choices. We've noticed that people's own tastes influence what they buy off our registry. ex. if they don't like our dishes they won't buy them, so its goof for them to have other choices.
You may not get everythng off your registry, but it is important to make sure that there is enough variety in price point there that people have options.

Benny618

When I registered at Bloomingdales they advised me to register for double the gifts vs guests.  I'm inviting 250 guests so they recommended I register for 500 gifts.  Personally I thought that was a LOT and we ended up wanting some expensive things that I know our parents friends will chip in on together for us (if they want to buy those things) so we didn't worry about hitting 500.  That being said, when you add together every spatula, every single towel, etc it definitely adds up quickly in units on the registry.

sparkles776

I agree with the other ladies, I wouldnt delete anything, and when I shop off a registry, I would rather have too much to choose from than not enough. I am definitely someone who shops early, but I think I am in the minority, most people shop the day before or the day of. If you get items that you think are not must haves anymore, you can always return them.

ingramnusz

It's better to have too many than too few.  It sucks going to buy a gift for someone and realizing the only things left on the registry are the $400 vaccuum cleaner or an ironing board.  (true story) 

BB&B also recommended that we register for twice as many gift-as-guests--we're close to that, just not all at BB&B!  As was said earlier, just check to make sure you hit a variety of price points, and you're golden.

JoanE2012

You're from Philly.....isn't it customary to register for shower purposes, but then get cash for the wedding?  I am from NY and I NEVER give physical gifts to a wedding, always cash.  I think gifts at a wedding are a southern thing.  I wouldn't be too worried.