 Eric's brother and sister-in-law, left, and Kristy and Eric, right, hang with Eric's grandmother. I grew up with two older sisters; I’m the baby in the family. And I’ll admit, being the youngest comes with the good and the bad: Growing up, I was left behind during games because I was too young or too little. But, someone would end up spoiling me—typically it was my grandmothers, aunts, uncles, or anyone that could entertain me while I felt excluded.
One thing that is inevitable as the younger child, though, is the hand-me-downs; the six-year-old school jumper, the teal tube top that was cool in 1997 but not so much in 2003, the high heals my sister grew out of in six months, and the list goes on. One of the great things about hand-me-downs is that they have already been figured out; the six-year-old jumper was perfectly worn and hemmed, the teal top had a matching purse and jewelry, and the heels were already broken in. Plus, they had endured the wear of someone else and were made to last.
READ MORE
|
And some thoughts on his thoughts from his wife. (He still wants a kayak.)
 Comstock Lenox chargers. Martha Stewart Dutch ovens. KitchenAid stand mixers. There was a time, not that long ago, when I didn’t have a clue as to what these things were, or did, or looked like. Then I got engaged.
Suddenly, I found myself arguing (1) with my beautiful future wife in the King of Prussia Mall over the necessity of each, their colors, and how many we might need. And I stumbled on a wedding truth that nobody seems to talk about: The registry, um, conversations start almost immediately after the proposal, and continue right up until the honeymoon. (2)
I had initially resisted the whole idea of registering (3): We’re not really stuff people, and we don’t have any storage space. But like most grooms, I nevertheless found myself at Crate & Barrel with that little stun gun, zapping the water goblets of my future. And also like most grooms, I learned some things I wish I’d known sooner about this ongoing process. (4) Here, some of our hard-earned wisdom, which will hopefully make your registry conversations go a little more smoothly.
READ MORE
|
Their most popular item!
 Scarlett Alley's popular personalized wedding bowls. We heart Old City’s Scarlett Alley for wedding stuff. If you’re the bride, they’ve got an amazing boutique registry and oodles of gorgeous bridal accessories. If you’re a guest headed to a wedding event, you really can’t go wrong with anything you pick here.
Right now, owner Liz Scarlett tells us, they’re having a sale on one of their most popular items (“We sell them every day,” she says): their personalized wedding bowls!
You just choose a color, choose the message (Erin & Doug, June 8, 2013, or whatever; it’s 60 characters max or $10 for additional lettering), and you’ve got a super cute keepsake. The large bowls are usually $115; through July 22nd, they’re marked down by 15 percent to $97.75.
|
(But should.)
 Photo by Dynamic Graphics, courtesy of ThinkStock.com. We know that you two have probably already had a rather tense, er, discussion in the middle of Crate & Barrel over your everyday flatware (and maybe your bath towels. And duvet cover. And tomato peeler.), but if you and your groom are still finishing up and futzing with your wedding registry, these are most definitely some useful tips.
Because the thing is, couples tend to think inside a rather traditional box when it comes to registering—which is great, because that will cover your basics—but to really get the things you’ll use, it actually pays to stop and think a minute. The article covers everything from actual stuff you should consider registering for (did you realize that, like, a DVD player and a camera are perfectly acceptable things to include?) to things to think about when you’re doing it. (You picked out your china, yes—but doesn’t he have slippery fingers? You’ll be awfully sad if you only register for eight place settings and end up with seven of that discontinued pattern in five years.)
It’s good stuff to think about before you grab that barcode zapper, head off to those big shiny stores, and start arguing.
RELATED: Ask the Expert: Is It Bad to Put Expensive Items On My Registry?
RELATED: Ask the Expert: Can We Just Ask For Cash?
|
Dynamic Graphics When thinking about your bridal registry, your mind probably wanders—no, frolics—through never-ending aisles in big-box stores filled with kitchenware, china, silver, and basically anything else you and your groom could dream of for your new life together. But before the feverish scanning begins, stop a minute and think outside the breadbox: Wherever you can go, the boutique route!
Well-loved Rittenhouse luxury linen shop Kellijane has unveiled a new registry system courtesy of co-owners Kelly Monk and Pamela Diaconis, who had one goal in mind when they created it: personalization.
READ MORE
|
 Courtesy Crate & Barrel. Crate & Barrel has just made it easier for you to alter your registry behind your fiance’s back!
Er, we mean: Crate & Barrel has just made it easier for you to manage your registry in a unified and organized way, wherever you are!
Really, though—download it, and you’ll be able to:
- Create and/or edit your registry.
- Actually scan stuff in the store to add to your registry.
- See what guests have scooped up off your registry in real time.
- Read customer reviews on the items you’ve chosen.
- Access C&B’s Registry Assistant to help you out with anything you need.
- Double check store locations, hours, things like that.
- And of course, the aforementioned altering of your registry behind his back. (He doesn’t need to know about this app, right?)
You can download it right on their site, or at the App store, of course, and it’ll work on either your iPhone or iPod touch. Happy scanning!
|
 Photo by Dynamic Graphics, courtesy of ThinkStock.com. As tempting as it was to rip through stores with registry guns in hand, Chris and I ended up taking the easy way out and registering for gifts at home online. I like to read reviews and comparison shop, and this just seemed like the easiest and most efficient way to do both. Plus, neither of us (particularly Chris) really likes to shop, so this just seemed like a pretty painless way to cross another thing off our wedding to-do list.
READ MORE
|
Our expert weighs in.
 Dynamic Graphics Q: I recently heard a friend griping about expensive items on another friend’s registry, and I thought, I have nice, pricey pots and pans and things on my registry—are people saying that about mine? I intend for these things to last decades, but was I not supposed to register for anything expensive because it’s rude to guests?
READ MORE
|
Dynamic Graphics A few weeks ago, Christian and I decided we would start the process of registering for gifts. After a discussion or two about the fact that a power washer would not be a practical wedding gift to register for, we chose to register at Crate & Barrel, and that place where you find all of your “beyond stuff.”
We had a great time at Crate & Barrel. The staff was super friendly, and we managed to find a large mix of price ranges for our guests. Plus, I loved the fact that they give a thank-you gift when you have completed your registry. (Free stuff is always a bonus.) Our next stop, though, was Bed Bath & Beyond, and while I really hate to sound negative, what a nightmare.
READ MORE
|
 What Kathleen's 'maids will be wearing on her Big Day; jcrew.com. So, last week was a blur.
First we had our tasting, which would have been better if I wasn’t 45 minutes late (complements of everyone who drives like their foreheads are stapled to the steering wheel when it’s raining). Thank goodness the people at J. Scott are so amazingly awesome and were willing to wait for my arrival. They even put up a personalized parking sign, which made my crazy road-rage-bad-day-at-work madness levels decline by at least 50 points. It is quite amazing what a difference those small details make during the wedding-planning process. It kind of reminds you that you aren’t the only person thinking about making everything perfect.
READ MORE
|
PHILLY
EVENTS
