Skip to main content
Close mobile navigation

What To Register For a Wedding

What is a wedding registry?

A wedding registry is a wish list of gifts, typically meant for the home, that an engaged couple creates as a gifting guide for their wedding guests. Wedding guests will utilize the wedding registry when purchasing a gift or gifts for the bride and groom. The items that make up a wedding registry are typically meant to help furnish & fill the current or future home where a couple will begin their married lives together.

An engaged couple creates their wedding registry together by adding items to their wishlist. There can be items specifically chosen for the bride or items specifically curated for the groom, however, a majority of the items on a wedding registry are commonly & intentionally meant to be used and enjoyed by both the bride and groom together as a couple . 

For example, while a future husband may not daydream of owning a nice selection of China dinnerware… he may find he loves the atmosphere created and feels more connected to the moment when eating delicious home cooked meals on their new dinnerware set they selected together as a couple! Or a bride may find that shopping for a grill may not be on the top of her priority list, however the grill they select together will help to cook delicious meals served at their future outdoor gatherings with friends & family.

Every couple’s wedding registry is unique to them. A wedding registry can include everything from dinnerware to the couple’s grill-of-choice, luggage, bedding, towels, an espresso machine, every day pottery, frames, seasonal items, and much more. Wedding registry gift curation can be a really enjoyable process for both the bride and groom. It is a memorable opportunity for the couple to discover and fuse their home decor style & preferences together into one grand registry selection, while guests can enjoy shopping through the couple’s registry selection knowing their unique purchase is going to be a part of the couple’s new life together. 

Wedding registries can also include gift cards. This versatile gift, while seemingly impersonal, is very helpful and can allow for a couple to purchase a gift on their own further down the road, or to help the couple buy the items still left on their registry after the wedding. A wedding registry is the best way for wedding guests to buy the couple a gift they will love and cherish for many years

When should you make a wedding registry?

An engaged couple can begin building their wedding registry as soon as they’d like. Most wedding registries will allow a couple to keep their registry private until they are ready to publish and add it to their wedding website for guests to see. For some couples, curating a registry is one of their favorite parts of the wedding planning process. Who doesn’t love picking out fine China, gorgeous everyday pottery, and items for the home that will help create many memories in the years to come?

Building the perfect wedding registry takes time. Some couples may know exactly what they want to add right from the beginning, while others enjoy savoring the selection process with slow, intentional item additions made together after careful discussion & collaboration.  Regardless of how your wedding registry is curated, it’s a good idea for the couple to take some time to simmer over their selection, and come back later to look at it with fresh eyes so they can see what they are missing and ensure they love every piece on their wedding registry. 

We recommend having a wedding registry complete at least 2 months before any showers or parties associated with the wedding. This time frame gives guests ample time to decide and order a gift. 

What to register for a wedding?

So, now you may be wondering what to register for your wedding. A couple can and should register for anything they want or need – there are no specific rules to crafting a good wedding registry – each list will be as unique as the couple who created it. Of course, it’s important to have a good range of items at various price points to give your wedding guests options.

Make sure the wedding registry has a wide variety of gifts to choose from. Guests enjoy having options, so they can still shop through your wedding registry to find and give a gift they love as much as you do. A good rule of thumb is to make your guests to gift ratio 1:1.5 (# of guests X 1.5). This allows for enough, but not too many, options on a couple’s wedding registry. 

Additionally, some wedding guests may want to just send a gift card, so make sure that is an option on the wedding registry. We recommend using a wedding registry checklist as a guide for both inspiration, wedding registry ideas and to make sure a couple doesn’t forget anything they may need. 

Wedding Registry Checklist

The ultimate wedding registry checklist… 

  • Formal Dinnerware 
    • Bowl: cereal
    • Bowl: fruit
    • Bown: serving
    • Bowl: soup
    • Butter dish
    • Coffee pot
    • Cup & Saucer
    • Gravy Boat
    • Plate: bread & butter
    • Plate: dessert/salad
    • Plate: dinner
    • Platter: small
    • Platter: medium
    • Platter: large
    • Salt/Pepper shaker
    • Sugar/Creamer
    • Teapot
    • Vegetable Dish
  • Formal Flatware
    • Carving Set
    • Fork: cocktail
    • Fork: cold meat
    • Fork: dinner
    • Fork: salad/dessert
    • Fork: serving
    • Gravy ladle
    • Knife: butter
    • Knife: cake
    • Knife: dinner
    • Knife: steak
    • Pie server
    • Salad set
    • Silver Chest
    • Spoon: demitasse
    • Spoon: Iced tea 
    • Spoon: serving
    • Spoon: soup
    • Spoon: sugar
    • Spoon: tablespoon
    • Spoon: tea/dessert
  • Formal Stemware
    • Brandy
    • Champagne
    • Cocktail
    • Cordial
    • Goblets
    • Iced Tea
    • Wine
  • Informal Glassware
    • Beer Mugs
    • Cocktail
    • Goblets
    • Highball
    • Iced Tea
    • Juice
    • Old-fashioned
    • Wine
  • Informal Dinnerware
    • Bowl: cereal
    • Bowl: fruit
    • Bown: serving
    • Bowl: soup
    • Butter dish
    • Coffee pot
    • Cup & Saucer
    • Gravy Boat
    • Plate: bread & butter
    • Plate: dessert/salad
    • Plate: dinner
    • Platter: small
    • Platter: medium
    • Platter: large
    • Salt/Pepper shaker
    • Sugar/Creamer
    • Teapot
    • Vegetable Dish
  • Informal Flatware
    • Fork: dinner
    • Fork: salad/dessert
    • Fork: serving
    • Gravy ladle
    • Knife: butter
    • Knife: cake
    • Knife: dinner
    • Knife: steak
    • Pie server
    • Salad set
    • Spoon: Iced tea 
    • Spoon: serving
    • Spoon: soup
    • Spoon: sugar
    • Spoon: tablespoon
    • Spoon: tea/dessert
  • Kitchen Accessories
    • Appliances
      • Blender
      • Can opener (electric)
      • Can opener (manual)
      • Coffee grinder
      • Coffeemaker
      • Crockpot
      • Deep fryer
      • Electric knife
      • Electric skillet
      • Espresso machine
      • Food dehydrator
      • Food processor
      • Juicer
      • Microwave
      • Mixer: hand
      • Mixer: stand
      • Pressure cooker
      • Soda stream
      • Toaster
      • Toaster oven
      • Waffle iron
    • Bakeware
      • Bread pan
      • Cake pan
      • Casserole dishes
      • Cookie sheets
      • Cupcake pan
      • Lasagna pan
      • Loaf pan
      • Muffin tins
      • Ovenware
      • Pizza pan
      • Quiche
      • Springform
      • Souffle
      • Ramekins
      • Roaster
    • Cookware
      • Fry pan: small
      • Fry pan: large
      • Griddle pan
      • Omelet pan
      • Saucepan: small
      • Saucepan: medium
      • Saucepan: large
      • Stock pot
    • Storage
      • Canister Set
      • Cookie Jar
      • Food storage containers
      • Knife block
      • Utensil Caddy
    • Miscellaneous
      • Cake plate/stand
      • Colander
      • Cookbooks
      • Corkscrew
      • Cutlery
      • Cutting board
      • Fondue pot
      • Grater: cheese
      • Grater: nutmeg
      • Ice bucket
      • Ice cream scoop
      • Measuring cups
      • Measuring spoons
      • Microwavable cookware
      • Mixing bowls
      • Oven mitts
      • Picnic basket
      • Salad bowl set
      • Smoke detector
      • Spice rack
      • Tea kettle
      • Thermometer: candy
      • Thermometer: meat 
      • Trivets
      • Wok
      • Wooden salad bowl set
      • Zester
    • Kitchen & Table Linens
      • Apron
      • Dish cloths
      • Dish towels
      • Napkins: casual
      • Napkins: formal
      • Napkin rings: casual
      • Napkin rings: formal
      • Placemats
      • Pot holders
      • Tablecloths: casual
      • Tablecloths: formal
      • Table runner
    • Bath Linens & Accessories (Most of these items are not sold at Bering’s)
      • Bath mat
      • Bath rug
      • Bath towel
      • Bath robe
      • Fingertip holder
      • Fingertip towels
      • Guest towels
      • Hamper
      • Hand towels
      • Monogrammed towels (we can monogram!)
      • Scale
      • Shower curtain
      • Soap dish
      • Tissue cover
      • Toothbrush holder
      • Towel stand
      • Washcloths
      • Wastebasket
    • Bed Linens (Most of these items are not sold at Bering’s)
      • Bedspread
      • Blankets: conventional
      • Blankets: electric
      • Blankets: thermal
      • Comforter: down
      • Comforter: conventional
      • Duvet cover
      • Mattress pad
      • Pillowcases
      • Pillows: down
      • Pillows: synthetic
      • Shams
      • Sheets: fitted
      • Sheets: flat
      • Sheets: flannel
      • Throws
    • Household Items
      • Barbecue apron
      • Barbecue grill
      • Broom
      • Clock: kitchen
      • Cleaners: natural stone
      • Cleaners: stainless steel
      • Dusters
      • Dustpan
      • Garbage bin
      • Iron
      • Ironing board 
      • Mop
      • Smoke alarms
      • Stepstool
      • Took kit
      • Vacuum cleaner
      • Wastebasket
    • Decorative Items
      • Area rugs
      • Art: freestanding
      • Art: wall
      • Art: hanging
      • Art: exterior
      • Baskets
      • Bookends
      • Clocks
      • Flower pots
      • Lamps
      • Seasonal decor
      • Throw rugs
      • Vases 
      • Welcome/door mat 
    • Electronics
      • Bluetooth speakers
      • Clock radio
      • Exterior speakers
      • Telephone
      • Telephone: portable
    • Miscellaneous
      • Bar accessories
      • Camping gear 
        • Backpacks
        • Canopies/tarps
        • Coolers
        • Day Trip Blanket
        • Roasting forks
      • Card table & chair
      • Desk accessories
      • Exercise equipment
      • Exterior thermometer
      • Fireplace tools
      • Firescreen
      • Linen storage
      • Luggage
        • Bag ID tags
        • Carry-on
        • Garment bag 
        • Overnight
        • Pullman
        • Travel kit
      • Magazine rack
      • Patio furniture
      • Plants
      • Rain gauge
      • Tools

Creating a wedding registry should be fun! Although it is hard work, and takes time, it should be an enjoyable opportunity to pick out all of the items you as a couple will want or need for your future life together! We recommend utilizing a wedding registry checklist to ensure a couple registers for everything they need without forgetting something. While deciding exactly what items you’d like on your registry can seem overwhelming, referring to a list for guidance is extremely helpful. Additionally, make sure to give guests enough options so they can choose a gift they love as well. 

If you are newly engaged, call 800.berings or come in-store at your earliest convenience to begin building your wedding registry with us. We hope to see you soon!

Scroll back to top

share with a friend