I know what you may be thinking, “Why is Taylor talking about wedding registries? Wasn’t she married a while ago?” Yes, over six years ago, in fact. However, I decided to partner with Bed Bath & Beyond on this post because I felt like I have experience now that would influence the way I would register for my wedding if it was happening now. I honestly didn’t really put much time or effort into my registry at all when I was engaged. I went online, threw a bunch of stuff on my list and called it a day. Now that I’m married with two small kids, I wish there were things I had done that would have been a lot smarter and more fun!

First off, I never went into a store and had a registry experience. You may feel like I did and think it’s not needed, but I tested it out and went into Bed Bath & Beyond to see firsthand what it would be like, and it’s something special that I now know I would have benefited from. You meet with an expert registry consultant and they go over everything with you: Your wedding colors, themes, guest count, you and your significant other’s interests, etc. I loved that they lay out tabletop options for you, help you pick out what works best for your lifestyle and your aspirations. My expert even stood on top of fine china to show me how durable it truly is.

Their online tools also are great in that you can can utilize their checklist tool to make sure you don’t forget those items you didn’t think to register for. That way, if you miss anything while in-store, change your mind or even want to start over, it’s easy for you to do in the comfort of your home. The checklist is a helpful guide. There is also a Registry and Home Guide Book that I would have loved to have when I was planning my registry. It lays out so many things you may be considering and questioning about your home. Things like how to layer rugs, hang curtains, what you need to throw all different style dinner parties and much more. Plus, the buying guidelines has it all laid out for you and is easy to navigate. There are also Rock Your Registry events where couples can go to enjoy food and receive a goodie bag while getting assistance with registering. I think that’s pretty cute.

Another great tool that I personally would have used is the Thank You List that tracks your gifts and who gave them to you, making it easy to send your thank you cards. I really struggled keeping that straight after my wedding.

Personally, looking back, I’m pretty disappointed in a lot of things I registered for. We probably only use about two or three of those items still. If I was to register now, I would do much more research and get a lot of more practical items that we use every single day. For example, products that make amazing coffee because my husband and I really cherish our morning coffee rituals. Or a KitchenAid Mixer, because baking is something I enjoy and I use the one we have now on the weekends making cookies and cakes with my kids. I was afraid to register for too many big-ticket items thinking that no one would get them for me, but if there is one time you can ask for expensive things, it’s for your wedding, so go for it!

Pick things that will bring you joy every day and get a ton of use.

Hairo V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper | Hario V60 Coffee Filters

Like I mentioned, coffee-making (and drinking) is a ritual that my husband and I adore. I wish I’d asked for a lot more cool kitchen gadgets than I did.

Hario V60 Coffee Drip Scale