A guide to wedding registries

CNN and MyHomeIdeas had a great article with seven things to avoid when registering for wedding gifts. Picking out items for your married life can easily become overwhelming and stressful for a potential bride and groom. Keep these tips in mind to make the process easy.

Check out the seven registry don'ts from the article below, with my additional advice to make registering for gifts a breeze:

1. "Don't overthink the process." And don't feel like you have to make every decision on your first visit to the store. You can always take things off and add things on a future visit, or make changes online (which most stores will let you do). It's also a good idea to revisit the registry after your bridal shower to make any additions or changes before the big day.
   
   
2. "Don't forget about the groom." This one's different for every couple. Some grooms (like my husband) want to be there picking things out too, and others won't give you their opinion if you drag it out of them. At least be sure to ask you fiance to participate in selection, and if he doesn't want to, try to keep his tastes in mind when you pick things out.
   
   
3. "But...don't go it alone." This is a great tip. If your fiance does not want to come, bring along a relative or friend who does. You'll be holding a scanner, a checklist, your purse, etc. while navigating a potentially crowded store. It can get tiring, plus it's helpful to have someone to share opinions about your choices.
   
   
4. "Don't register at every store under the sun." Personally, I think two or three registries are a good number. If you have guests around the country, try to make at least one of those choices a national chain (or at least one that has an online shopping option). If you want to include something like a honeymoon registry, consider also registering at a traditional store for at least a few items for your more traditional guests.
   
   
5. "Don't be afraid to work the system." Many stores offer up front benefits for registering, but they may not tell you about all of the possible deals out there (like registering for a certain set of pans and getting a free saucepan). Don't be afraid to ask!
   
   
6. "Don't keep the gifts you really don't want or need." My advice here is "don't register for them." If your mom is insisting that you need to register for 12 place settings of fine china, and you know you won't use it, then don't put it on your registry. Of course, you may change your mind about things, so feel free to edit the registry or return gifts. Plus, you may get some things you didn't register for...if you don't want it, you should definitely return it!
   
   
7. "Don't return gifts one at a time." First, be sure to find out the return policies of stores where you register. Some places will take items on your registry back without a receipt, others may require a gift receipt and/or a return within a certain number of days. Definitely try to consolidate your trips to make returns, but make sure you're within any required timeframes.