Registering: Part One

So this registering for gifts thing is quite tricky. If done right, it is a win-win situation: the bride and groom get to select the items that they would actually love to own and the guests, who generally have no idea what to get, have a resource. Thing is, there is this little hiccup in the system. It is considered lacking in etiquette to tell anyone where you’ve registered. Unless they ask. That’s right. No little cards in the invitations. No mention of it on your website. No announcing it in fast and testimony meeting. For example, if I mention here that I’ve registered at Bed, Bath, & Beyond and Target, I’d be breaking the rules. Forget I ever said anything... because we've not registered there... yet.

Getting to the store to register isn’t a piece of cake either. You have to get your future other half excited about the prospect - because we know how much most men like to shop. Especially with women. At first, Prince Charming made noises that he was a little bit excited about the process. Of course, once I said that we would need to do it first thing in the morning, he seemed to lose interest. I can’t even promise him a little hanky-panky in return for suffering through the ordeal. Well, I could, but an “if you’re good at the store today, in November I’ll let you.. mumble, mumble…” just doesn’t have the same motivational effect.

It also occurred to me that you’re selecting colors of towels, sheets, etc. for a place that you’re probably not going to live in for long. I mean, most newlyweds rent for a little while before purchasing a house. Five, ten years down the road are you really still going to want a lemon yellow bathroom? Not only that, but Prince Charming has very strong opinions when it comes to color. How do you convince a man that, while black and red are a striking color combination, not every room needs to be the same color.

To Be Continued...