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Home  Groom's Wedding Planning Gift Registry 101: Getting Some Guy Stuff
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Gift Registry 101: Getting Some Guy Stuff |
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Written by Craig Dickson
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 Wedding planning brings about enough naturally occurring headaches without the gift registry part
Wedding planning brings about enough naturally occurring headaches without the gift registry part of it turning into a big, shopping mall induced headache. Most grooms don’t want to spend their Saturday in the linen aisle with a scanner gun, so they leave it to their better halves. They figure towel colors and cookware choices should be left to the bride, and many brides are more than happy to oblige. It is called a bridal registry, after all. Not a groomal registry.
But to the resourceful groom, there is a bounty of treasure out there in Gift Registry Land. And by taking a few measures you can feel included in the excitement and ensure that it’s a relatively streamlined and painless process. It mostly boils down to doing some research, and as with all research, you can never do enough.
First, research the stores. What do they have that you want? Today’s retailers– especially those super stores where you can buy everything – offer more than just laundry hampers and soap dispensers. A good indicator: after you sign up for a registry on one of those nifty touch screen machines, you’re usually handed a booklet along with the scanner gun. The booklet serves as a guide for what today’s young couple is supposed to register for. If you are really hungry for some guy stuff, steer toward a retailer whose guides include video gaming systems, tools, sporting goods and the like.
Before you start salivating, keep in mind that there are some limits. The items you register for are supposed to be for the couple - not just one of you. By buying them, your loved ones are intending to relieve some of the financial burden of launching a marriage.
The aforementioned “guy” items can easily fall under the “for couples” category. Just make sure that they can reasonably be classified as something a couple would use, like camping equipment or a non-gender specific video game. A good rule of thumb for registering for something fun is to ask your fiancé if she would also be excited to register for it. Is the woman you have chosen to spend the rest of your life with a handy gal who would actually appreciate and use that 245-piece tool set? Be honest with yourself, or, find out if you don’t know. Communication with your future spouse making things easier? Imagine that.
If you still don’t want to go shopping, fear not. The wedding industry wouldn’t be booming if it weren’t keeping up technologically. Your registry booklet also most likely contains instructions on choosing items and updating your list online, which is not only convenient, but also helpful for those buyer’s remorse moments at 4 a.m.
Plan ahead by doing some research on the store’s return policy. Modern registration systems make it very easy for the gift buyer to see when a gift has already been bought, but never underestimate people’s ability to get you something you already have. If you get double – or triple – of a certain gift, some retailers will give you cash, but you’ll more than likely get store credit. And don’t be surprised if the store credit can only be used in the department the gift came from. Ask your married friends and you’ll be sure to hear from someone who got stuck with four of the same blender.
Of course, participating in the gift registration is more than just a chance to stock up on guy stuff from the comfort of your couch that will be easy to return. It’s your chance to have your say about the environment in which you and your wife will be living. Just as it’s as much your wedding as hers, it’s as much your house as hers. Get involved in it. Why shouldn’t you care about the shower curtain? This is the shower curtain you’ll be spending most every morning for the rest of your life looking at, and, like every aspect of your marriage, it should reflect both of you.
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