the couple that scans together, stays together?

July 2nd, 2006 @ 11:41 pm | love, wedding | Post a Comment

Andrew and I tackled one of our last big wedding To Dos this weekend — registering for gifts. Considering that we recently earned our 15 lines of fame in the Washington Post by delcaring that we don’t expect our wedding guests to buy us gifts, one might think it unnecessary to register, but we just couldn’t resist spending one of Washington’s nicest days in a basement Bed, Bath and Beyond with one of their handy dandy little marchandise zappers.

Our initial brainstorming about what to register for resulted in about three items. 1.) A Dyson; 2) A KitchenAid mixer; and 3) a flat screen HDTV. I’ll let you guess who wanted what.

Figuring that we should be lucky to get any gifts at all, let alone a $500 superpower vacuum cleaner, we expanded the list to include the regular stuff – measuring cups, hand towels, cereal bowls, et al. And we left the TV off, in case you were wondering.

Armed with our scanner and our list of wants and needs, we started with dishes. We are forgoing china, partly because Where the hell would we put it? and also Do you think we would actually ever use it? Our everyday dinnerware quest began with Andrew declaring his hatred of paisley and ended with the scanning of a paisley platter and serving bowl. I’m not quite sure how that happened.

Next we spent a ridiculous amount of time in the bedding department, finally deciding on 600 thread count, because Why Not? I’m usually the bargain shopper, and we kept saying how weird it felt to search out the most expensive item on the shelf. It’s probably the only time in my life I will do that.

By the time we had snaked around the store and made it to kitchen appliances, pots and pans, and knives, we were pretty pooped. We scanned the first item that caught our eye in each category and decided to go back and edit it all later. Shopping without actually buying is exhausting!

(Next up: Crate&Barrel and Williams Sonoma, where I will probably fall in love with everything expensive and decide to scrap the entire BBB registry. And Andrew will decide that marrying me might be more than he can handle.)

Overall, I’d give us an A+ for decisiveness, compromising skills, and ability to make it through to the end without zapping one another in the eye over an argument about salt and pepper shakers. Our next major obstacle will be figuring out where to put all of this stuff in our shoebox-sized apartment. If only there was a way to register for a linen closet and a kitchen add-on.

comments

  1. Registering is soooo tiring and we did the exact same thing you did–find the most expensive of everything–what have you got to lose? Also, I am going to point out, because we are the SAME PERSON, we didn’t register for fancy china either, just everyday stuff from C&B–best move EVER.

    Oh, and registering at Crate&Barrel is like falling in love. It’s good to keep both registeries though, for different wedding goers. But then again, you’re not asking for gifts…but registering 3 times…hummmmmm….you might just be my hero :)

    written by Sarah

    July 3rd, 2006 @ 6:56 am

  2. Hey, if someone by chance missed the WaPo story and still wants to buy me a gift, I gotta give them options, right? :) I am definitely aware that I am sending mixed messages, and hopefully people will understand that I really and truly do not expect a present, but that if they WANT to give one….here is where they can go? Am I officially the brattiest person ever now?

    written by janet

    July 3rd, 2006 @ 8:21 am

  3. you are going to get gifts anyway, so you might as well register for what you want. no one wants 450 pitchers and plates that don’t match.

    written by betsy g.

    July 3rd, 2006 @ 11:41 am

  4. You’re registering for lots of little things for people to send you. You’re also registering in case there may be a bridal shower. Or for people who are unable to attend but want to send you something anyway. I think you’re still good. Any decisions on the hair?

    written by Nic

    July 3rd, 2006 @ 12:52 pm

  5. I was kidding with you. It’s definitely a good idea to register. Like Betsy said, you’re going to get gifts even if you don’t ask for them.

    written by Sarah

    July 3rd, 2006 @ 2:13 pm

  6. Figures that Vanilla Bear has a thing for Paisley…

    written by alexa and matt

    July 3rd, 2006 @ 9:01 pm

  7. I hear ya on the non-china issue. I don’t ever understand why people get it. I mean, I’d rather have the money for a nice vacation somewhere. But that’s just me.

    Registering is fun. Just wait until you have to register at Babies R Us and you have NO IDEA what you’ll need!!

    written by Isabel

    July 5th, 2006 @ 4:38 pm

  8. I’ve never had a registry before. It sounds like so much fun!!!!

    written by Lindsey

    July 8th, 2006 @ 9:13 am

  9. Registering is so much fun! Yeah for not fighting! and double Yeah for PRESENTS!!!

    written by Ella

    July 9th, 2006 @ 9:22 pm