How big of a registry?

Re: How big of a registry?

• ILoveBeachMusic member

  

  September 2016

  Know there is suppose to be some kind of formula to figure that out, but I don't know it. I would just register for things that interest you(plural). Make sure there is a variety of price points so that people can budget for themselves. I would err on the side of too many than too few things. If something you really want isn't bought, you can use the completion discount to get it after the wedding. Have fun!

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• DrillSergeantCat member

  

  September 2016

  Bed Bath & Beyond says "Based on 75 guests at minimum, you have enough gifts for 49% of your guests" and I have 92 items on the list. 

  

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• SP29 member

  

  September 2016

  The store you are registering at will tell you this, for sure . I can't remember what it is exactly. As per DSC above, I think half the number of items as the number of pairs of guests you are inviting is a good place to start. You can always add more if you find a lot of items are being bought. If you do have extra, that's fine too, nobody needs to buy them, or you can buy them for the completion discount.
  
  I think the biggest thing is having items in a few price points. Also consider the type of items. If a guest is buying you kitchen utensils, they are likely to buy multiple items versus one serving spoon .
  

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• ILoveBeachMusic member

  

  September 2016

  SP29 said:

  The store you are registering at will tell you this, for sure . I can't remember what it is exactly. As per DSC above, I think half the number of items as the number of pairs of guests you are inviting is a good place to start. You can always add more if you find a lot of items are being bought. If you do have extra, that's fine too, nobody needs to buy them, or you can buy them for the completion discount.
  
  I think the biggest thing is having items in a few price points. Also consider the type of items. If a guest is buying you kitchen utensils, they are likely to buy multiple items versus one serving spoon .
  

  I took DSC's comment to mean that according to BBB she ONLY had enough gifts for 49% of her guests and that she had 92 items on her registry. I think half the number of pairs of guests is kind of low for the very reason you suggested (people might buy more than one thing). Another example would be towels and sheets. I, personally, always buy a set of towels or a set of sheets. Usually, those items (washcloth, hand towel etc) are listed separately in a registry.

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• MesmrEwe member

  

  September 2016

  I'd rather have a larger registry to choose from filled with items you can actually use instead of registries filled to an arbitrary number of items that I look at and say "WTF"...  I've seen great registries for huge weddings with only a small number of items (but ones that they could get many of and be good - silverware, plates, glasses, etc.).. 

  Register for what you can use and afford to complete after the fact (i.e. if you get three place settings of china, you need to be able to afford the other 6 sets so you've got a complete set so you can use it when you have guests over).. 

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• DrillSergeantCat member

  

  September 2016

  ILoveBeachMusic said:

  I took DSC's comment to mean that according to BBB she ONLY had enough gifts for 49% of her guests and that she had 92 items on her registry. I think half the number of pairs of guests is kind of low for the very reason you suggested (people might buy more than one thing). Another example would be towels and sheets. I, personally, always buy a set of towels or a set of sheets. Usually, those items (washcloth, hand towel etc) are listed separately in a registry.

  Exactly right. It's telling me that I don't have enough items on my registry.

  

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• SP29 member

  

  September 2016

  DrillSergeantCat said:

  ILoveBeachMusic said:

  I took DSC's comment to mean that according to BBB she ONLY had enough gifts for 49% of her guests and that she had 92 items on her registry. I think half the number of pairs of guests is kind of low for the very reason you suggested (people might buy more than one thing). Another example would be towels and sheets. I, personally, always buy a set of towels or a set of sheets. Usually, those items (washcloth, hand towel etc) are listed separately in a registry.

  Exactly right. It's telling me that I don't have enough items on my registry.

  Gotcha.
  
  I think stores inflate the number of items you should have, but more than not enough is better. We had a large registry and received mostly cash gifts, but that was OK, we completed our registry using the completion discount, and it was amazing.
  
  OP also said most of her circle gives cash and she has a smaller guest list for her shower. If OP is struggling to find registry items, I don't think aiming for half (yes- consider how many little items there are) would be inappropriate.
  

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• [Deleted User] member

  

  September 2016 edited September 2016

  I would go by value instead of number of items.
  
   Let's just talk about your shower since physical gifts are expected at showers and a total of 20 people. I find most people spend $20-$50 on a shower gift on average. So if I were to guess a distribution spread for this:
  
  - 10ish items under $20
  - 20ish items $20-$50
  - 5ish items over $50 
  
  And then scale up or down depending on your actual demographics and add more as appropriate for the wedding itself. After the shower though, if you don't need much more, it's fine if you don't add to your registry and keep it small. Most people will look at that and decide to give you cash instead. In fact this is the one of the ways that you can "ask" for cash, is just by not having a large registry. Don't register for things just because the store tells you to. Not really applicable for a shower though since the whole point is to give presents. 
  

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