Planning for your wedding is an exciting but stressful time. You just want the day to arrive and the expenses to end. As you’re planning your new life together, there’s one fun feature that’s important not to overlook – deciding which wedding registry sites to use for the big day.
There are seemingly countless stores that offer online registries, each with its own unique offering for soon-to-be newlyweds. For many, choosing what to register for involves designing your future life.
Activities include furnishing your new home, stocking up your kitchen, or amassing cash to save for a down payment. The possibilities don’t end there and truly should match who you are as a couple.
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Best Online Wedding Registries
When most think of creating a registry, they often think about large department stores. While those still exist, they’re merely the tip of the iceberg.
Some choices allow friends and family to purchase you virtually anything, to more niche-specific stores, and even options that allow guests to give you cash.
Some stores even offer perks, such as discounts on your purchases or free gift wrapping. Most also allow you to manage your list from an app and website.
If you’re looking for options for your big day, here’s our list of best wedding registry sites and stores to use.
1. MyRegistry.com
If you want the ability to add items from multiple stores, MyRegistry.com is your best choice. They work with numerous retailers, including Target, Crate & Barrel, Amazon, and more.
You can add items from any retailer to your registry with MyRegistry, regardless if it has a website or not.
MyRegistry simplifies the entire process of creating a wedding registry list. The site is free to use, and through its “Add to my registry” button, you can add an item from any site you visit to your list.
The platform also allows you to create a wedding registry website if you wish. Here’s how it works:
- Add the items you most want on your registry
- Scan barcodes while on the go to add items to your list that you may have forgotten
- Add a “cash fund” option for people who want to give you cash. You can add a fund for a honeymoon, to pay for part of the wedding, and more.
When anyone asks what you want or need as a gift, you can send them directly to your registry site. Your registry has its own URL, so all you have to do is give that to anyone who asks.
You can also receive discounts for buying your gifts through your registry. For example, if you have a registry with Macy’s, anyone who purchases a gift from them will save 20 percent for the first six months that the registry is up.
They’ll also save ten percent on furniture if it’s added to the registry.
If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of managing multiple stores, MyRegistry is one of the best websites to use.
2. Walmart
Walmart is one of the top stores for registries as they sell virtually anything. The retailer offers many things that a newlywed couple will need to start their lives together.
Another reason to use Walmart for wedding gifts is the store often has the lowest prices you’ll see anywhere.
Signing up is easy and takes less than five minutes. Once you create your registry, you receive several perks, including:
- Free shipping on orders $35 or more
- Free and easy returns – just make sure you get the gift receipt or show your registry
- Personalized messages from those that are buying from your list
If you’re shopping at the store, you can use the Walmart app on your phone to scan items. You can also add items from the website.
Although you won’t find high-end items to add to your list, using Walmart provides a convenient way for your friends and family to purchase practical items for your new life.
3. Target
I love Target, and it’s one of the best stores to use to create your list. Like Walmart, Target sells virtually everything, but with a better feel.
Target has some of the best and cutest options for home decor, kitchen, and more. If you plan on moving in with your spouse, or just need to spruce up your home, Target is a terrific option.
You receive lots of coupons when you create your registry, which is more savings for you and the people buying gifts for you.
A week before your wedding, Target will send you two 15 percent off coupons to use on everything left in your registry. You also receive a 15 percent off coupon when you first sign up.
That’s three coupons, just for having your registry with Target. You also have one year to return any gift from your list.
However, Target does have a few exclusions from registry discounts as well, so keep that in mind. Some examples include:
- Gift cards
- Apple products
- Fitbits
- Google Home products
- Samsung TVs
- Nintendo products
These exclusions change from time to time, so make sure you check to see whether the item you want to add is on the list.
One unique feature that Target offers is a universal registry tool. If you see an item that Target doesn’t carry, you can still add it to your list, thanks to their partnership with Honeyfund.
4. Amazon
Amazon is king when it comes to products and gifts. If you’re looking for the best wedding registry sites, your search can end with the online giant.
One of the biggest perks that Amazon offers is giving you a discount on anything not purchased on your registry.
So, if you have 50 items on your list and your loved ones only buy 40 the remaining ten qualify for a 20 percent discount.
This discount is great if you’re trying to save money on items you were going to get anyway.
If you’re a Prime member, you also receive other perks. Prime members receive 180-day returns on gifts from their registry, two-day free shipping, and a free bonus gift.
To sign up for an Amazon registry, all you need to do is:
- Log in to your Amazon account
- Go to the Amazon Wedding tab
- Create your registry and grab your URL
- Share with family and friends
The site makes creating a registry easy to do, and you receive all of the perks, and more, if you’re an Amazon Prime member.
5. Wayfair
While seemingly odd, Wayfair is one of the best choices for your list. The retailer also offers some decent perks.
It’s completely free to create your registry on Wayfair. They don’t give you a free website, but you will get your own URL and code to share with friends and family.
Some of the perks that you receive with Wayfair are:
- Free shipping on all gifts shipped to your home
- 20 percent off for six months after your event to purchase the items left on your list
- An essentials checklist to make sure you have everything you need to start a life with your new spouse
- Free returns for 90-days
- Group gifting, which allows your guests to chip in together on the higher-cost items on your list
Like Target, Wayfair does exclude several brands that are ineligible for your registry. These brands include Holly & Martin, Nautica, and Stanley Furniture.
Just make sure that the item you’re trying to add is eligible when creating your registry.
6. Home Depot
While you can’t technically have a wedding registry online with the home maintenance superstore, you can ask for Home Depot gift cards.
If you’ve been with your significant other for a while and need to spruce up your place, or if you’re buying a new home that will need some TLC, this is a great option.
Home renovations are always expensive, and gift cards are a perfect way to reduce those costs.
If you choose to go this route, you can always ask for cash gifts or gift cards to Home Depot. Then, you can just add up everything you got and decide how to spend your money at the store.
This is an awesome idea if you need to save money on some home projects.
7. Bed Bath & Beyond
Bed Bath & Beyond is a suitable choice for wedding registry sites if you want both fancier items, alongside practical gifts for your home. The retailer offers numerous perks when you use them, including:
- $100 added to your fund with the purchase of $500 of items by your event date
- 20 percent off of the items left in your registry
- Free shipping on orders $39 and more
- Price match guarantee if you find the item cheaper somewhere else
- The option to have a honeymoon or registry cash fund
If you do decide to go with a cash fund along with your registry, credit card transactions do have a 2.5 percent fee. While this isn’t a significant amount, is it something to be aware of if you ask for electronic funds.
8. Blueprint
Blueprint works a lot like MyRegistry.com. You get a free website and can choose from multiple retailers for the items on your list, through using the Blueprint button on your web browser.
Created by David’s Bridal, this site works with retailers like West Elm, Wayfair, Food52, and more. Blueprint offers more than your registry website as well.
You can also create RSVP options, menu options, and plus-ones, all on the same website that you have your registry.
You can also designate bigger-ticket items as group gifts, in case several people want to chip into giving you a larger gift.
It’s also possible to ask for cash if you don’t necessarily need gifts. Unlike Bed Bath & Beyond, you can either pass the fee on to the gift giver or elect to pay the processing fee of 2.5 percent yourself. It’s up to you.
The wedding registry site offers ten percent off any items still left on your list after your event.
9. Crate & Barrel
Last on our list of top wedding registry stores is Crate & Barrel. If you need home items like rugs, kitchenware, lighting, or furniture, Crate & Barrel is an excellent option.
If you need hands-on assistance with deciding on registry ideas for your list, Crate & Barrel can help. The store offers engaged couples private events for those needing one-on-one help.
Other perks include:
- Group gifting
- 15 percent off for six months after your event to purchase the items left on your list
- Design experts for each room you want to decorate
Friends and family receive free shipping on registry items over $99. While a higher free shipping limit than other stores, Crate & Barrel tends to offer more expensive items.
The store balances this by allowing you two shipping addresses in case you plan on moving soon after the wedding.
If you like the super cute items at Crate & Barrel, it is a legitimate choice for your registry.
Best Items to Put on Your List
Now that we’ve gone over some of the top sites to use let’s talk about the items you could add to your list.
Before we get into that, let’s discuss how to know what items to add to your list.
- Know what you need when you start. Are you moving in with your spouse after the wedding? Have you already been living together? Do you just want a paid honeymoon? Your answers will determine where to register.
- Choose both lower-end and higher-end options, for those who can splurge on you more, and for those that can’t afford more expensive gifts. Don’t potentially leave anyone out.
- Feel free to have more than one registry.
- Don’t forget to take advantage of the perks, coupons, and discounts after your wedding.
Here is a quick list of things you may need:
- Home items: pots and pans, small appliances, rugs, other small items, and furniture.
- Honeymoon fund: hotel stay, flights, money for outings and food, and more.
- Charity options if you don’t need gifts specifically.
The best wedding registry gifts are ones that help meet your needs, plus offer fun while creating your new life together. Don’t be shy about adding items to your list.
Your friends and family love you and want to help you start on the right foot.
Summary
There are a lot of choices when it comes to choosing the best wedding registry site for your big day. You want to find one or more that works for your needs, and let people know where you’re registered.
Regardless if you’re planning a big wedding or a smaller affair, don’t overlook your registry. It makes it much easier for your loved ones to help you celebrate the big day by showering you with gifts.
What items do you feel are important to add to a list? How are you saving for your wedding?
Kim Suazo has been a freelance writer and business owner for over four years. When she's not writing for Frugal Rules, you can find her on other publications like Chime, Discovery, and Due. She also owns her own websites The Entrepremomer and Part-Time Profit, where she teaches overworked moms how to streamline their new businesses so they can scale without a team.
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