I remember when I first got engaged, and my mom kept asking me if my husband (then fiance of course) had registered yet. I didn’t really see much of a point to it at the time, but now I most definitely see the benefits! The beauty of having a wedding registry is that you can register for items that you might not buy for yourself. Or, if you’ve been living together already, you can use your wedding registry as a way to upgrade some of the items that you currently have- especially if you’re still crossing your fingers every time you turn on your blender, hoping it’ll work just one more time!

But I know what you’re thinking- how do you choose what to even register for? Well friends, after almost 8 years of marriage, I can most definitely tell you that we *did* end up using some from our registry, and we also ended up just not using items too. So today, I want to share a few tips for how to decide on what to register for- because after all, don’t we all want to avoid having to make returns and having useless things fill up our cabinets?

Use an example checklist.

It always helps to have some idea of where to start, so I recommend using a checklist as an example. Usually wherever you’re registering will have one available for you. I personally love the checklist that Bloomingdales has for their registry!

Register to accommodate your lifestyle.

Not everyone has the same lifestyle, so make sure that the items you register for fit into YOUR life. If you’re not big on cooking, maybe register for some home goods instead. For my husband and I, we love cooking, so the kitchen gadgets were our go-to registry items. We’re pretty big foodies, and really into fruits and veggies, so if we could do it all over again, we would have registered for something like this awesome Braun PureMix Countertop Blender. 

Truth be told, we didn’t even register for a blender, but we most definitely wish we had now!

Don’t be afraid to go outside of the kitchen department!

If cooking isn’t your thing, you can absolutely register for items that are outside of the “typical” registry items! Home goods like sheets and towels are always a good idea. Even electronics- so if you need a new DVD player or maybe speakers, register for them! Oh, and I *highly* recommend registering for a good set of luggage- after all, you’ll be going on a honeymoon, right?! And if you don’t receive the “extras” as gifts? The awesome thing is that you *typically* do receive some kind of discount on unpurchased registry items, so you can get them for yourself!

Keep your space in mind.

Do not forget to keep in mind *where* you would be storing items you register for if you receive them. The worst thing is having to choose between gifts because you don’t have anywhere to put them. So as you’re registering for items, also think about where you would put them.

Upgrade what you already have.

Registering for your wedding is a great excuse to upgrade what you already have- providing that you don’t already have the best of the best! Go for that matching set of china and flatware, or that high tech coffee maker! A few other things you could upgrade: knives, barware, and luggage!

So friends- have you started your wedding registry yet? What did you end up registering for that you didn’t think of right away? Comment below to let us know!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of De’Longhi Group. The opinions and text are all mine.