Posted by Darcy Miller, Editorial Director
In the current issue of Martha Stewart Weddings a few of us did our own personal registry picks. One of my first stops when gathering for my picks was Crate & Barrel. Whenever I am entertaining, I find there is always something at Crate & Barrel that would work perfectly.
This cake stand and dome (see in the center of the spread) make for a great shower / wedding gift. To tell you the truth, after I borrowed this cake stand for the shoot I ended up buying it myself. I already used it at my daughter's birthday party.
Mary Rose Gearon is known for curating a well-edited selection of quality furnishings and home goods for Crate & Barrel stores nationwide. Here's her advice for choosing items to make your registry shine.
Darcy: When should a couple register?
Mary Rose: I think it's best to register no later than four to six months before your wedding day to allow enough time for guests to browse and get ideas. During that period, there also tend to be an engagement party and a shower, which are typically covered in the same registry
D: How many gifts should you register for?
MR: Three gifts per person should do it, but consider that if you want 12 plate settings with 12 pieces of flatware to go along with it, that’s 24 gifts right there. You also have to remember that people will be buying you shower and engagement gifts as well, so you may want to come back and add a few things.
D: How can you tell guests about the registry?
MR: Sometimes it will show up in a separate note within the
shower invitation. A lot of young brides and grooms put it on their Facebook
profiles, their websites, or in text messages. Of course, there’s always word of
mouth as well.
D: Is anything off-limits for registries?
MR: Not in this day and age. This is a generation of active, well traveled, cultured people—their whole world is open. That’s the real difference in registries today. There used to be a prescribed list of crystal and china for every couple, across the board. Now people register for camping equipment, honeymoons—the boundaries are all down, so almost anything goes.
