Ali is newly engaged and was proposed to at her dream location: the empty stage of a Broadway theatre! The 20-something-year-old actress met her soon-to-be husband while working on a show together, and they love to spend time seeing theatre, taking in a baseball game, and playing pop culture trivia. Ali also nannies for several families in the Los Angeles area, looks forward to Disneyland trips, and enjoys a good deli lunch. She is enjoying the journey of planning her wedding and learning about the details that go into the big day. In order to successfully achieve her vision, Ali is using resources like The Wedding Yentas, family and friends who’ve been-there-done-that, and bridal magazines. The wedding is scheduled for this October in Southern California and so far, so good!.
I had a fear of registering. Don’t ask me why. I mean, why would anyone be afraid of making a dream wish-list of things that people are going to actually buy as presents? I don’t know why, but I did. I knew the basic rules of registering: register at three different stores, that offer three different price points. But where?
When it was time to start registering (save-the-dates were going out soon, and showers were getting organized, so we had to get on it), I happened to be in New York, staying with my Michael’s (my fiance) parents. I grew up in California, which, needless to say, has an incredibly different mindset than New York, and Michael and I have experienced these differences over the course of our relationship. The coastal cultural differences were apparent, especially when it came to shopping.
Michael and I were discussing places to register when his mom chimed in, “You have to go to Bloomingdale’s!” Immediately I got nervous. Now, I’d never shopped at Bloomingldale’s before, and as a native Calfornian, I had always been under the impression that it was a super high-end store and I don’t typically shop in high-end stores. Don’t get me wrong, I have good taste, but as an actress and nanny, I usually find myself shopping in places where I can get a pair of jeans for under $100.
I shared these feelings with Michael’s mom, but she used her knowledge and experience to alleviate my concerns. “First of all,” she said, “a registry is a dream list. Why not aspire for the best, and see if people will get it for you?” True. Also, Michael’s grandmother had been an employee at Bloomingdale’s for years, so his family was well aware of the incredible sales and available prices Bloomie’s offered all year long. I was still somewhat hesitant, considering that hoity-toity prejudgment I had in my mind about Bloomingdale’s. I thought my family would scoff at me for even having the expectation that guests would spend that kind of money to buy me something from that store. However, knowing that a large majority of Michael’s guest list would be from New York, and Bloomingdales was a regular stop on shopping trips for East Coasters, we agreed and gave it a shot and Michael and I went to Bloomingdale’s to register.
As soon as I got there, my nerves worsened. Everything was so elegant. It looked like anything I touched would break and I’d have to pay for it with a month’s worth of salary. I was scared, but I sat down with the registry consultant and filled out the paperwork. Michael took the iconic scanner gun, and we set out to look around the department for things we would like.
I couldn’t stop thinking about how I was happy with the kitchen items I already had at home. Why ask people to buy me new versions of what I already had? We wandered for probably 30 minutes, unsure of what to scan for that first item. And the first item we chose to add to the registry? A wine decanter! What?! Not China or flatware or luggage or frames — a wine decanter! It was a charity scan, just so we could have something on our list. Then, we wandered into kitchen electronics and suddenly, my whole world changed. The skies opened up, the couds went away, the sun shone through. It was at once all very clear to me: I wanted to register for one of everything, and I think I did. And let me tell you, when you get on a roll, and you start feeling comfortable about wanting expensive things, and you can’t stop! At some point Michael finally had to pull me away from the crock pots because we had a plane to catch!
When we finally got back to California, we went to the Bloomingdale’s near our home. As soon as we walked in, I felt comfortable for the first time, wondering why I had been so nervous about choosing a store with which to registry. I compared their prices to stores that my family and I typically shop at and found that their prices were all the same. We met our new California registry consultant, and hit it off right away. She walked us around and of my “I’m gonna break it” fears to rest when she stood on top of a China mug. Yes, she actually stood on top of it. She showed us what items were worth the price and what weren’t. Her tour ended with an invitation to the Bloomingdale’s Bridal Brunch. Shopping and brunch? Yes please.
On Bridal Brunch day, and we were welcomed with open arms to the top floor of Bloomingdale’s where tables, chairs, and a continental breakfast were gloriously waiting for us. After some eating and small talk, registry consultants facilitated a presentation where vendors explained their products and why all of us brides and grooms should register for them. I was proud of myself for realizing that I knew most of what they were sharing because I’d done my research. After all that worrying, it was then that I realized I was a pro.
Once we solidified our Bloomingdale’s registry, we also created registries with Macy’s and Bed Bath & Beyond in order to provide a courtesy to all of our wedding guests. Each store offers great varieties and price points and we are glad to make the shopping experience convenient for our friends and family, so they feel comfortable browsing at their store of choice. Unlike tasting the dinner menu at our venue or creating a music playlist with our entertainment, registering was one of the wedding planning steps I never thought much about, which is why I panicked. Looking back, though, I know how simple it really was and I am totally comfortable with the choices we made.
Plus, I can’t wait to play with our new kitchen toys! Homemade cookies from the countertop mixer anyone?
