Elizabeth Anne Designs: The Wedding Blog » the registry

Sponsor Welcome: Macy’s

Ami — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:00:20 +0000

With all of the expenses involved in planning a wedding, I’m loving the incentives offered by Macy’s Registry Star Rewards Program! When you register with Macy’s, you can earn 5% on eligible gifts purchased from your registry, helping you earn rewards dollars to spend at Macy’s to snatch up all your favorite goodies from your registry that don’t get purchased before the big day. As an added bonus you can stock up on pretty dresses for your shower and bachelorette party or score the perfect pair of shoes to go with your wedding dress and earn 10% when you use your Macy’s card!

To get started, register with Macy’s and load it up with all of the pots, pans and serving ware you can muster. All you’ll need is your Macy’s card to enroll with your consultant, and even after the wedding you’ll continue to get special perks from Macy’s. I personally can’t get enough of their bakeware right now (pumpkin bread, anyone?) and toasting flutes (for your wedding day and then for many New Year’s celebrations to come!). And my husband, an avid cook, would love a set of Wusthof knives. Plus, as the travel-obsessed couple that we are, we’d definitely be registering for some fabulous new luggage.

So what are you waiting for? Register today and start earning your Macy’s rewards dollars!

*sponsored post

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$150 Williams-Sonoma Giveaway!

Ami — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 12:00:53 +0000

Are you ready for your chance to win $150 to purchase awesome kitchen essentials from Williams-Sonoma? I thought so. I love the classic simplicity of their tableware, the amazing selection of kitchen gadgets, cookware, and electrics, and the quality of all of the product lines they offer. And because Williams-Sonoma carries all of your cooking and entertaining essentials, with items in a wide variety of price ranges, it’s the perfect place to create your wedding registry!

Perhaps you want to build your perfect tabletop with classic silver and white pieces:

{Clockwise: Provence Melamine Dinner Plates, Monogrammed Pewter Napkin Rings, Provence Melamine Bowls, Williams-Sonoma Essentials Wineglasses, Hampstead Flatware place setting}

Or maybe you and your partner want to accessorize your kitchen with punchy red cookware, serving pieces, and electrics!

{Clockwise: Laguiole Serving Set, Emile Henry Artisan Ruffled Pie Dish, KitchenAid Design Series Stand Mixer, Le Creuset Signature Oval Dutch Oven}

Or do you simply need to purchase or update your kitchen essentials?

{Clockwise: Stainless Steel 3-Piece Mesh Colander Set, All-Clad Stainless-Steel 7-Piece Cooking Tool Set, Williams-Sonoma Traditional Finish Cookie Sheet, Glass Prep Bowls, Pillivuyt Rectangular Roaster, Stainless-Steel Balloon Whisk, All-Clad Stainless Steel Flexible Spatula}

Whatever your cooking and entertaining needs are, I guarantee you can find something awesome at Williams-Sonoma. So, want to know how you can win a $150 Williams-Sonoma gift card?! Here are the giveaway rules:

To enter, create your wedding registry with Williams-Sonoma! Or, if you are already registered, simply add another item to your registry.
Leave a comment on this post and let me know that you have registered and what your favorite registry item is. If you are already registered and add another item to your registry, let me know what that item is.
If you include your public registry link, you can receive an extra chance to enter!

Contest ends on Monday April 25th at 5pm central time. Good luck!

*This post was sponsored by Williams-Sonoma.

UPDATE: Congratulations to our winner, Audrey!

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I’m a Sucker for Ruffles (and Other Ramblings)

Teresa — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:00:58 +0000

It’s a very snowy day here in the Philadelphia area, which gives me the opportunity to have a bit of wedding related fun. All things wedding-y have been put on the back burner as of late, but 16ish inches of snow and a day free of other responsibilities gives me some time to play catch-up.

So ruffles. I love them. Seriously, it’s a problem, but I didn’t realize quite how severe my addiction had become until I sent my bridesmaids an email with links to these dresses:

{Image Credits: top three from Lela Rose, bottom right from Priscilla of Boston, bottom left from Vineyard}

Notice anything similar? Ironically enough, when we actually went to try on and purchase their dresses, our selection was completely ruffle-free. Not to worry, I can feed (both figuratively and literally) my addiction to ruffles in other ways:

{Images courtesy of The Knot}

In other news, Dave and I have also made headway in the registering department. Admittedly, this was something I was dreading, as the thought of wandering around a store, pointing at items, and scanning them was knot (not to be confused with TheKnot, hardy har har) inducing. However, a few of my mother’s friends had been, well, strongly encouraging us to register before Christmas, as they wanted to do Christmas shopping for us off of said registry.

After a bit of relaxation I like to call happy hour, we made our way to Crate & Barrel and got down to business.

{Image courtesy of Author’s Personal Collection}

Crate & Barrel looked particularly intimidating that afternoon. With a teensy bit of pushing from Dave combined with a little liquid courage, we were off!

{Image courtesy of Author’s Personal Collection}

Yes, I documented our first scan. Dave took charge of the scanner (cough cough “laser gun of POWER!” cough) and after an hour or so, the grand total on our registry was… ready for it?? 11 different items. Baby steps, people, baby steps. :)

I know that registering is a tradition of sorts, and it’s certainly easier to register for gifts instead of returning 13 different toasters, but did anyone else face any scanning stress? Not a “We’re-surrounded-by-such-beautiful-things-and-how-in-the-world-will-we-ever-pick” type of stress, but rather a “the-thought-of-picking-out-our-own-presents-gives-me-hives-and-thank-goodness-I’m-wearing-a-scarf-to-cover-them” stress? I couldn’t possibly be the only one… right?

Until next time, readers! I promise that I won’t wait until another snow day to write again… but at this point, the next one could very well be tomorrow! :)

In the meantime though, what are your thoughts on using ruffles in wedding decor?

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Posted in: cakes and catering, the registry, what to wear

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If You Scan It, It Will Come

Kasia — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:36:11 +0000

Like many other brides, I thought registering would be the highlight of the wedding planning process. Contrary to popular opinion, it’s been little fun. Oh sure, at first I went all G.I. Jane with the scanning gun, shooting everything that struck my fancy. But then I began to realize, if you scan it, it will come.

Although my fiancé and I don’t have a lot of home goods, we still don’t really need them. We live in a very small one bedroom apartment with no storage, and due to our busy schedules cook only a couple of times a month – if that. Moreover, we are in the middle of many changes and are constantly moving around the country and even the world every so often for our jobs. Do I really want a melon baller, cherry pitter and apple corer or would I rather have the cash value of those three items ($50)? Do I really want 30 boxes of heavy appliances and china to use as coffee tables right now only to repackage them the next time I move?

The more I began to question all this, the more confused I became. For the last four months I’ve been literally stuck in what feels like a never-ending game of add and delete! Its become maddening. So when my sister sent out the invites to my upcoming bridal shower this week, I realized we needed to buckle down and strategize.

My fiancé and I sat down and creating some guidelines and rules. Kind of like like what brides do when they sit down analyzing their budgets – you assess what you really need, really want, could live without, want to spend money on, etc. We’ve decided to register for a few quality, high-ticket items that will stand the test of time, because that is really what we want but may never buy ourselves. This includes a Kitchenaid Mixer, Dyson vacuum, All-Clad pots/pans, Le Creuset cookware, china and crystal stemware.

Some of the high-ticket items we are interested in clockwise from top left: Dyson Ball Vacuum, Haviland China, Kitchenaid Mixer, Le Creuset cookware, WS Dorset Crystal

Then we will upgrade just some things we use currently but at more affordable price points than the aforementioned items, so our guests have an array of prices to choose from. This includes bedding and pillows, coffee machine, silverware, and some bakeware/cooking utensils.

I grew up in a Polish culture where people usually just bring cash to weddings; registries weren’t really followed. I realize that many of our guests would prefer some guidelines on what to get us, so I do think its necessary. However its my guests’ presence, not presents, that is the greatest gift we could receive. So any additional gift will be cherished, no doubt.

What strategy did you employ for your registry?

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What does your registry say about you?

Emily — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:00:01 +0000

Almost all wedding registries include the basics: dinnerware and flatware, pots and pans, knives, kitchen electrics like blenders and toasters and mixers, towels, and sheets. But colors and styles are what set each one apart. The choices really reflect the personality of the couple. I actually find it pretty fun to check out what couples choose to decorate their homes and entertain their guests. It’s a little glimpse into their lives.

We started our registries back in February. Benefit to starting early is that we were able to include the list on our website before sending our Save the Dates. Disadvantage is that some of the things we chose then are no longer available.

We found a few items at Macy’s, but we were extremely impressed by the selection and customer service at Bed Bath & Beyond. The bridal registry consultant shared ideas we hadn’t even considered. For example, we really did not think we wanted china. But we changed our minds when she introduced us to Noritake. It’s incredibly durable, dishwasher- and microwave-safe, and casual — adjectives I would not have previously used to describe china. So we added the Colorwave sets to our list, in a variety of colors.

We also scanned the KitchenAid 5-Quart Artisan Stand Mixer in red (we’ve been drooling over that for months), Calphalon cookware, a Cuisinart Griddler, and a Magic Bullet.

I think Nick let me hold the scan gun for a whole two minutes! But he did scan me and declare me to be “priceless.” Yes, this is my husband-to-be!

We found great white square dinnerware from Pottery Barn and lovely glassware from Crate and Barrel. We decided not to limit the number of stores at which we set up registries because most people shop online anyway.

So what does our registry say about us as a couple? First and foremost, it says we’re food people. We are the culinary couple, after all. In addition to the aforementioned, we also registered for cheese knives, an olive oil sprayer, a sifter, and several cutting boards. And we love to entertain so we added platters and servers and a cake dome.

We did, however, have a tough time selecting home décor. How are we to choose the colors of our bath towels and the design of our bedspread when we can’t yet picture our future home?

Onto color – I think it’s become apparent that we like red. I have red couches, red luggage, a red Vera Bradley purse, and a red car. And, yes, Nick likes it, too. Just recently, I’ve seen him pick up red plant pots and compliment red paint. So it’s only natural we chose all red KitchenAid appliances from the stand mixer to the blender to the food processor.

Red exudes energy and enthusiasm, not to mention passion and desire. To me, it’s also warm and cozy. Whereas stainless steel — a popular choice for a lot of brides — says sophistication and elegance. It’s pure, clean, and formal. We have a few stainless steel items on our list, too, including a toaster and colanders.

And our style? Well, I already mentioned our decision to choose casual china. I know many brides and grooms choose Lenox stemware, Waterford crystal, Mikasa dinnerware, and real silver. But that’s just not us. We’d rather have our cupboards filled with pilsner glasses and colorful coffee mugs.

We may still add a home brewing kit (another indicator of our couple personality) and the option to gift honeymoon excursions. (Check out Honeymoon Wishes, if you’re interested in something like this.)

What does your registry say about you? Did you add any unique or unexpected items? Or did you forgo the traditional registry all together?

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The Wedding-List

Rachel's Groom — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:00:41 +0000

Rach and I really enjoyed compiling our wedding list. It is a great pleasure to visualise your future together even from a very materialistic point of view. We both spent plenty of time trawling through household porn – glasses, pots and pans, mixers, rugs, bed linen etc. and debated / argued over the relative benefits. I was pushing hard for a list compiled solely of wine, a sneaky tactic which made my other suggestions seem less controversial. So… I have selected wine glasses, some dazzling copper pans and a selection of kitchen knives and quietly encouraged friends to buy us wine whereas Rachel has suggested a fabulous mixer, bed linen, a bread-maker and several other highly practical things. We also settled on plenty of things which we were equally enthused about including every decent cook book we could think of and a table for the garden.

{Image credits (from top): Kasumi knife via here; Kitchenaid mixer via here and Lyonnaise frying pan via here}

As fun as the process was we both felt a weight of responsibility for our selections. In reality there is nothing selfish about a wedding list but it feels like there is. Our hope is that the majority of people will have plenty of ideas about things to buy and will not even by aware of the wedding list (we are sending it out on request). Clearly we run the risk of duplication but this is balanced by the pleasure we will get from opening the presents without prior knowledge and tracing back the thought processes of our friends and families. Even getting a sense of how they understand us or at least what we are lacking. This is one of the victories of mass celebrations; the gifts take you back through your life to shared memories and enthusiasms.

We agreed early on that if there was to be a wedding list it needed to reflect our different tastes and the differing means of our guests. It was important to find readily affordable gifts which we would love to be given whilst providing a few things at the upper end for those who want to spend a lot of cash. We wanted the list to be specific enough to serve its primary purpose – to guide those who don’t know what to buy without being overly prescriptive. Our hope is that some people will look at the list, get a sense of our style and select something in that style. This way we will see them in the present and the list becomes something more than a shopping list.

The monetary aspect of weddings is a big one. The whole thing is expensive and at a certain point in one’s life you start getting inundated with invites. In many instances you will need to cough up for a stag / hen do, a present, travel to the wedding, hotel and so on. This is a great thing and to me these are mini-holidays. It is however slightly difficult to balance the books and 6 holidays each summer, no matter how mini, stretch one’s budget. We were determined that our wedding would fulfil all our hopes without bankrupting our friends and the wedding list is at the core of this. We do not expect people to buy presents. If you will forgive the cliché, their ongoing support (especially in putting on the wedding) is more than enough and we wouldn’t want people to be put off attending because of monetary constraints. We have tried to find decent places to stay for sensible money and to lean on all friends and relatives who live locally to put people up. Thankfully, Devon is pretty cheap… So they will have plenty to spend on presents. Yippee!

What was your wedding registry / wedding list process?

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Wedvice: Gifts and Registering

Amanda — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:00:50 +0000

Beach-inspired Tabletop. Scroll down for details and description!

They always say it’s better to give than it is to receive. That may very well be the case- especially since it seems like etiquette for this arena of weddings seems to either be outgrown by the industry, or difficult to decode for most.

Really, there are two ways you can go, and they certainly hinge on the situation you find yourself in as an engaged couple:

1. Registering for your home [ie: you don’t live together, or you’re still in need of items to complete your “home”]
2. Monetary gifts

We’ll address registering first. Yes, this is the old, faithful, traditional route. Just so you know, up front: people will buy off the registry. And by that, I mean, OFF off. Some folks will feel that they are being more personal, more whimsical, more fun… just because they’re giving you something that you aren’t asking for. Whatever the item is, take it with grace and a grain of salt. I know that while you’ve taken the time to hand pick each matching item for your home, people just want to leave you with a piece of their love- no matter how hideous. Be grateful and deal with it after the big day. :)

That being said, registering can be FUN and stressful, all at the same time. Here’s a few helpful handy registering tips, to guide you more to the FUN and less to the stress!

1. Go as a couple. Do NOT go alone. Do NOT bring along your best man, maid of honor, or parents. It isn’t their home. They’ll probably have an opinion and it may side with one of you and NOT the other. It seems, at times, that some brides are stunned at what their groom cares about putting on the registry [kitchen towel color, really??]. But, either way- opinions or none- make it about you two and the life you’re building together. This should be a positive experience that, in a way, should be special, monumental, and private.

2. Keep it simple! Don’t feel like you need to register at 5 different places and if you DO find yourself registered at mutiple places, don’t register for the same or similar stuff. The facts are these: you do have a favorite. You DO have a desire for that “certain item”- so don’t try and A-team versus B-team [as in, “well I really want the brown towels from Macy’s but if we don’t get those I registered for some tan ones at Target, too”.]. This will leave you mismatched and frustrated. Remember- if you DO find something you fall head over heels for, register for it… but take the similar items that you don’t love OFF of your other registry [easy to do online, I promise]!! This will make your life easier, make your returns easier, and give your guests a clear vision in what you’re in need of!

3. 3, tops. That’s my rule. Go to 3 places, tops. Typically I say this: one “everyday” [target, bed bath & beyond], one “upscale” or “department [crate and barrel, macy’s], one “specialty” [Williams and Sonoma, Restoration Hardware]. There’s no need to get more than this. And if you can limit it to 2, even better!

4. Remember that the etiquette for registries is WORD OF MOUTH. These days, people seem to actually be thankful for the guidance. But, don’t get tempted to throw into your FORMAL invitations the little paper slips the stores give you about your registry. Most couples find a wedding website with information and links posted is the most effective, non-evasive way to alert their guests [as well as telling your moms, let’s be honest]!

Now, here’s the sticky wicket: you live together. You’ve done so for years. Your house IS your home. Sure, you may need new towels, maybe. But, seriously… registering??? Not needed. I wrote a blog on some “touchy subjects” [this being one of them] quite some time ago and I still stand by what I said. So, here I am to reiterate:

Situation: You would like to receive cash gifts rather than registry items

Action: Register at a travel agency that will allow people to gift you with cash [either from their credit card or bank account], to be put towards your honeymoon. If you register for items register at ONE place, with a good return policy, for minimal items.

Wording Solution: “Since we have already established a home together and are not in need of many household items, we have chosen to register with a travel agent, to enhance our honeymoon vacation. Should you choose to give us a tangible gift, we are registered at _________.” Here is actually what I wrote last night to my client: “We are happy to accept your presence on our day as a gift in itself, and since we are not in need of many household accessories, our greatest desire is for gifts to enhance our honeymoon vacation and help us start our life together.”

In terms of thank-you notes and when to send them, here’s that darn soap box again: right away! The reasons for sending thank you notes right after receiving your gifts [which, it is a VERY common thing these days to order online or get the items shipped to your address prior to your wedding] are twofold. First off, it lets the guest know that you got it! If they spent cash on you, they’ll want to know it got to you safe. Second, it will really help you in that post-wedding madness. It’s likely that you will get a bundle of gifts to bring home on your big day- you’ll be THRILLED to know you only have to take care of those cards instead of needing to address all gifts and guests at the same time.

Hope that helps!! Now time for some killer details!!

For the outdoor, beach-side ceremony, bottles of water tagged “refresh yourself!” along with signature cocktails are offered to guests.

The cobalt blue “fade” plates make a strong statement, and bring the beach colors to life on top of a capiz charger. The napkins, a warm blue silk, are wrapped in a “coral” napkin ring- keeping the essence of the beach and adding a unique element to the table.

The place card for each guest was tucked into the fork’s tines. A cute, playful way to direct guests to their seats!

The centerpiece was a shell shaped vase that sat on top of a blue mosaic charger. The vase was packed with lush flowers in whites, creams, and tans. Monkey tails stand out and bring a playful whimsy to the arrangement.

We added a warm, woven-style tan fabric runner to the ivory silk linen to create an upscale beachy feel [think Tommy Bahama].

Vendors involved, again, big kisses to:

Jonilyn Photography

The Treasured Petal

Elegant Design Specialty Linens

Signature Party Rentals [the BEST price for Chiavaris]

And, voila! C’est bon!

xoxo,

A. Auer

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Posted in: floral and decor, the planning process, the registry

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Revving up for the Registry

Dana — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:36:28 +0000

Hello. I am a bride. I love to shop. But, I am totally intimidated by our wedding registry!

Let me back up. The Broke-Ass Groom and I have been living together for over 6 years. We’ve got most of what a couple needs to get by, but its all a modge-podge of chipped Ikea plates, dog-chewed towels, mason jar glassware, and mismatched barware. So, getting married provides us with the perfect excuse to plan our home design, even if we lack the home part (still renting). Fun, right?

Well…. its stressful! Not knowing where we’ll end up living in a year (when our lease runs out) makes planning color schemes and design themes tough. For months we dawdled on the decisions, fearing committment, but as time went on we figured it best to plan for the home of our dreams. Anyone hear of the law of attraction? If you build it, they will come? Well, if we stock it… the house will come…. we hope!

So we laid out some ground plans… take a gander.

The kitchen/dining room: Mod, retro, kitsch. Mid Century Atomic influence. Oranges, yellows, organic woodsy browns and pops of turqoiuse all around. Bright and Cheery but sophistifun.

(images from Wishpot)

The Bathroom: Rubber Duckie Chic. More bright and cheery yellows and oranges, with dark blue nautical accents. We’ve already got this going on… we just want to replace our dingy old duckies with some fresh new squeakers!

(image from my old bathroom)

Bedroom: Jewel-toned moroccan/indian hideaway. Burgundy, royal blue, purple, fuschia. Sensuous and texture-y. I haven’t found any items to commit to yet, but this picture is so inspiring to me. I’m trying to figure out a way to DIY that yellow hanging. Its so dreamy!

image source

Having our schemes all accomplished, now its just time to get to brass tacks and start picking out patterns, textiles and goodies! Of course, I plan to use Wishpot as a registry since they allow us to pull items from around the web (amazing!), but because some guests just love to go and buy things in person, we’ll also register somewhere brick n mortar… possibly Crate and Barrel but to be determined later.

I’m always so fascinated by people’s registry rituals. I have friends who plan everything ahead, and others who go in willy-nilly and choose. Some friends do as we are, pre-designing for styles and colors, and others just go with their gut and design on the fly.

What’s your registry style? Is there method, or madness to your dream home?

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