What Should I Include in My Wedding Registry?

So, you're in the middle of planning your wedding… congratulations! If you're starting to think about creating your wedding registry, you're in for a treat—curating your gift registry has got to be one of the most enjoyable jobs on your to-do list! You get to make a list of everything you want most in the world, and your friends and family buy them for you. That's basically everyone's childhood dream come true, right?!

Whereas in countries like America and Canada, curating a gift registry is a fairly run-of-the-mill part of the wedding planning process, in other countries like the UK and Australia, it can get overlooked in favour of letting guests decide what they want to gift. But we're here to tell you that creating your wedding registry is a wonderful tradition that, if carefully considered, could be beneficial to you (of course, that’s the whole point!) but also to your guests too - and you're going to have so much fun in the process!

Understandably, it can feel uncomfortable to ask people for money or specific gifts. Still, it’s your wedding day, and let’s be honest: most people want to give you something to commemorate the special occasion. With this in mind, you might as well guide them in the right direction and give them some hefty hints by curating a personalised gift list! By choosing an item from your carefully considered gift registry, they’ll be happy and confident in the knowledge that they’ve gifted you something you actually want, which will be treasured for years to come, rather than something that goes straight to the op shop!

What should you put on your wedding registry?

The short answer is whatever you like—we're not here to give you a rigid wedding registry checklist—this is more about getting you thinking about what you really want! Traditionally, the idea of a bridal registry was to create a wish list of all the must-have items to set you up for your new married life together. Nowadays, we mostly spend years co-habiting with our future spouse before getting hitched, so the more traditional registry items like pots and pans and dinner plates might not seem so necessary to you. Along with a beautifully curated gift list, many wedding registry services also list honeymoon funds, charity contributions, and personalised funds.

Having a gift list gives you the opportunity to own some beautiful things, so don't be shy about asking for the things you really want but could never justify buying yourself! Maybe you just want a really great outdoor pizza oven, a year's supply of your favourite delicious coffee beans, or a new dining table? Or maybe you have your eye on some new patio furniture or that stand mixer that's going to level up your baking? There are so many options available that it could feel overwhelming at first. Consider what it is that you might need, but don’t forget to add a couple of things that you just really want, too! Also, remember to include items with various price points so that your friends and family can buy you a wedding gift regardless of their budget. However, this has become less important with the arrival of the cash fund, which brings us to the million-dollar question...

Honeymoon fund or home decor?

Understandably, your home is likely already kitted out to perfection, and you probably don't really want to ask for items unnecessarily. If that's the case, then you may opt for a honeymoon fund/wishing well instead. Your guests will love knowing that they’re contributing towards a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will create memories to cherish forever. From cosy staycations to weekend city breaks and month-long trips of a lifetime, you’ll have a job to decide what to ask for!

Maybe it's not quite so black and white for you; you want a new casserole dish and a set of steak knives but also want an epic honeymoon. The good news is that you can cover all bases with a cash fund! You don't have to ditch the dessert plates and wine glasses; with a cash fund, they can sit neatly alongside your dream scuba diving experience or your flights to Paris. Instead of physically buying you specific gifts, a cash fund allows you to create a virtual gift list to raise money for experiences and home essentials, giving your guests the opportunity to fund specific registry items in full or contribute to the big ticket items.

Eco-friendly wedding registry ideas

If all this talk of stuff gives you the ick, why not opt for an eco-friendly gift registry? If you don't need more things in your life, then you could ask your guests to donate to a charity of your choice or set up your cash fund so that they can plant trees, buy an acre of rainforest or even buy you plants for your garden if you have one (bonus points if they're pollinator-friendly). Just imagine how nice it would be to look out of your window onto a garden full of living gifts!

Hopefully, after reading this, you'll be brimming with wedding registry ideas—it really is as simple as thinking about what you might want or need or what might make this new chapter of your life memorable, enjoyable or exciting. If you have a personalised wedding website like Say I do, don’t forget to complete your gift registry before you send your wedding invitations. This way, your digital invitations can include a link to your registry and give your guests time to browse before the big day. Now, plan some time with your fiancé and start shopping. Make the most of this part of your wedding planning journey because it could turn out to be the most fun!