When Registering, Say No to Chip Clips
By Kristina South

For many years I assisted brides in the registration process, guiding them in the selection of their essential, and not so essential household items. These items, so painstakingly chosen, would be used and enjoyed for years to come. Now, as a wedding coordinator, I pass along the dos and don'ts of wedding etiquette to a new clientele of brides and grooms.

My own grandmother and mother have instilled in me their personal code of "wedding etiquette" since childhood, but even those who, as my mother would say, were "born in a barn" or "raised among wolves" have access to the rules when registering for wedding gifts. Whether you refer to the numerous online web sites, countless books or merely ask a trusted confidant, there are endless resources defining bridal etiquette.

Don't Ask for Gifts

I've noticed a recent trend where brides are including information detailing where they are registered in invitations. While I assume this is an innocent effort to be helpful, its outcome is a not so subtle plea "GIVE ME GIFTS!"

If you are close enough to invite your guests to share in your lifetime commitment ceremony to each other, your guests should know you intimately enough to be able to call your mother, sister or close friend to find out where you are registered. In turn, if you are fortunate enough to be invited to your sister's, boyfriend's, ex-wife's, mother's wedding, the popularity and ease of online shopping makes it next to impossible not to run into the intended registry somewhere with little investigative initiative.

Don't Register for Items that 7-Eleven Stocks

Upon printing out a copy of a recent registry, I noticed the couple had registered for what appeared to be, nearly every item in an entire department. It looked like someone let go of the merchandise scanner, and like a wild, shooting hose, it scanned every item in the surrounding area, including a chip clip and a disconcertingly large selection of spoon rests. For clarification, the intended use of a spoon rest is to avoid dripping marinara from your sauce spoon onto your kitchen counter. Spoon rests should not accompany all spoons on your formal tablesetting.

My point is, if the item is something you might pick up along with toilet paper and Ho Ho's on your next shopping trip, it doesn't belong on your bridal registry. If you are concerned stale chips will prevent a fruitful and happy marriage, use the money from Aunt Carol and go out and buy your own chip clip and toilet brush. Save the registry for dishware, linens or other items that you cannot, or probably will not, buy for your self.