How many is too many?

firevixen88 · March 2012

I am having a hard time with deciding. My fiance and I came up with a list of a few places, but it seems like way too many to register at. Our list is: Bed, bath, and beyond (of course), target, macy's, amazon, crate and barrel, and academy (fiance is really into guns). Most people I see have 2 maybe 3 places where they are registered. Is that the standard number or is it ok to go for more places? Also, our wedding is the end of october of this year, when is a good time to start registering?

vgyurko · March 2012

I think 2 or 3 places is pretty standard/common... I would pick the places that have the most things you need/want and then with the money that you get from the wedding you can buy etiher the left over registry items or something from one of the additional places you listed above... I think if you register for too many places guests will get overwhelmed and may think you're being a little greedy/super picky...

rlavach · March 2012

So you want to register at 6 places? That's a bit much. Perhaps you can consolidate some, such as Macy's and Crate and Barrel? Pick the top 2-3 and then put the rest on the Amazon registry.

What exactly is Academy? You want to register for guns?? I must be confused.

jagore08 · March 2012

Having an Amazon registry will eliminate most of those other registries. Pick one store (I recommend BB&B) and use Amazon for all the others.

LeiselEB · March 2012

We originally registered at three (Macy's, Crate&Barrel, and local shop) but had to add Bloomingdale's when our china was discontinued from Macy's but still at Bloomie's. So we ended up with four, which is totally common in my circle.

You said yourself that 2-3 is the norm from what you've seen, so maybe don't push past 4 in your case. Don't feel like you can only have 1 store, but what you've listed sounds like a lot.

Target is notorious for bad regsitries, so I'd say skip that one if you're on the fence, and I think Macy's and BBB are pretty similar in terms of what they carry. also, I'm confused about the gun thing - do you want people to buy you guns as a gift?

ceh789 · March 2012

Imagine calling a friend's mom to ask where friend is registered. When she starts rattling off stores, count how many she gets through before you start rolling your eyes and thinking your friend is greedy - that's too many.

Also - jagore's idea is a good one.

BTCarolus · March 2012

6 is way too many. I second jagore, use amazon to consolidate. Also, target's registry reputation on this board isn't good.

On the Academy idea, I wouldn't register there if it's only the case that your FI likes guns. Unless both of you will use them regularly, it isn't appropriate to ask for them for your wedding gifts. Shared hobbies are ok to register for (sort of, if you legitimately need lots of home goods I would question a hobby registry), but wedding registries aren't the place for FI to acquire expensive man-toys. Game-consoles, surf boards, mountain bikes, and other such large items also fall under this category. If you want them, use cash from the wedding to buy them. (Also, and I don't know the laws in Texas, but buying a gun as a gift for somebody else could be potentially very problematic, and is not the kind of thing you want to put your guests up to.)

Flowerstar1023 · March 2012

Guns are such a strange wedding option...<bewildered face....guns on one registry and china and new wine glasses on the other?) I can't even imagine and I'm from Texas originally!

2-3 is good. Consider one on the lower end of things (so Target, Bed Bath and Beyond), Macy's for higher end, etc.

Flowerstar1023 · March 2012

Also, I don't think you HAVE to have Bed Bath and Beyond. It's not an automatic even though I know a lot of people on this board and elsewhere use them.

BTCarolus · March 2012

Yeah, I should add that we are not using BBB. I started out there, and decided that I just didn't like the quality of the things that I was registering for. They aren't that much cheaper than elsewhere, and sometimes they're more expensive (I definitely found cheaper, nicer towels elsewhere). If your guests are going to be spending money on you, they might as well spend it on good quality items.

ElisabethJoanne · March 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_how-many-is-too-many?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:34Discussion:9dd05988-50d4-4559-956a-87996bccff68Post:7ddb0622-50e8-4ad0-b99f-3f7d67ac0f88">Re: How many is too many?</a>:
[QUOTE]Imagine calling a friend's mom to ask where friend is registered. When she starts rattling off stores, count how many she gets through before you start rolling your eyes and thinking your friend is greedy - that's too many. Also - jagore's idea is a good one.
Posted by ceh789[/QUOTE]

This. My rule for "how many is too many" is you have to be able to name them without thinking hard and in one or two breaths. "Where are you registered?" "Well, the fine china is at replacements.com, and we're also registered at Macy's and Sur la Table." I still worry 3 is too many if the person doesn't have pen and paper in hand.

firevixen88 · March 2012

academy is a sports and ourdoors store. We're both into outdoors and guns. It's not that we are registering for guns (they are way too expensive), but what most people who are not into guns don't realize is that there are a ton of accessories and you can't ever have too much ammo. It wouldn't just be for him because there are a few gun accessories I've been looking at. And for people who knew my fiance they wouldn't bawlk at seeing gun accessories on the registery because he's a police officer and loves his guns. As for the number of places I listed, I wasn't saying I want to register at all of them, I just wanted to get people's opinions on which of my options would be the best so that I could narrow it down. Thanks to those who have given me good and nice answers.

BTCarolus · March 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_how-many-is-too-many?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:34Discussion:9dd05988-50d4-4559-956a-87996bccff68Post:4a6dec42-2492-4122-86ed-73a5517a103f">How many is too many?</a>:
[QUOTE]I am having a hard time with deciding. My fiance and I came up with a list of a few places, but it seems like way too many to register at. Our list is: Bed, bath, and beyond (of course), target, macy's, amazon, crate and barrel, and <strong>academy (fiance is really into guns)</strong>. Most people I see have 2 maybe 3 places where they are registered. Is that the standard number or <strong>is it ok to go for more places</strong>? Also, our wedding is the end of october of this year, when is a good time to start registering?
Posted by firevixen88[/QUOTE]

<div>[QUOTE]academy is a sports and ourdoors store. We're both into outdoors and guns.<strong> It's not that we are registering for guns (they are way too expensive),</strong> but what most people who are not into guns don't realize is that there are a ton of accessories and you can't ever have too much ammo. It wouldn't just be for him because there are a few gun accessories I've been looking at. And for people who knew my fiance they wouldn't bawlk at seeing gun accessories on the registery because he's a police officer and loves his guns. <strong>As for the number of places I listed, I wasn't saying I want to register at all of them, I just wanted to get people's opinions on which of my options would be the best so that I could narrow it down.</strong> Thanks to those who have given me good and nice answers.
Posted by firevixen88[/QUOTE] </div><div>
</div><div>You'll get better responses if you ask your questions directly. Rather than posting one thing, and then saying later that you wanted to know something different. There have been several threads lately of people discussing the stores they went with and how the experience was. Start with these: <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_registry-feedback">Clicky</a>. <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_gift-registry-opinion">Clicky</a> </div><div>
</div><div>If it is a hobby for both of you, then I see nothing wrong w/ registering for it, and Amazon is probably the easiest way since I doubt Academy has a registry. The issue is only if your fiance is seeing the wedding as a way to get people to buy him something expensive to play with, rather than for things that are in the spirit of a marriage (ie, a way to share your lives together). (Incidentally, we own a dozen rifles and shotguns. I understand the appeal, and T saw this post and immediately asked if he could register at cabela's. :::roll eyes:::)</div>

jessicabessica · March 2012

I would register at Amazon for outdoors items and housewares (plus you can add things from other stores via the universal registry option), and then pick 2 out of BBB, Macy's, Target, and C&B. Search this board for info about Target--many people have posted here about negative experiences with Target. We registered at BBB and Macy's (our dishes were at Macy's only), both were fine. If there are just a few things you want from C&B, you can always add them on Amazon rather than creating a full registry there.

I think now is a good time to start making your registries. You can always add/delete as you go. The only thing to watch out for is seasonal items and items that may get discountinued--just check your registries periodically to make sure things are still available.

And no one was mean to you. I thought most answers were helpful and responsive to the details you put in your post.

firevixen88 · March 2012

like i said. we aren't registering for guns... gun accessories

bchinchilla · March 2012

I would bet money on someone thinking 3 is too many and someone else thinking 2 isn't enough. With every decision you make there will be nay sayers. Do whatever makes you comfortable or ask the advice of the person you'd least like to get flack from (FMIL, your mom, etc). Then at least you will know that one (loud) negative opnion won't be clanging in your ears.

How many is too many?

Re: How many is too many?

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