• Getting Engaged Is Just the Beginning ...Now What?
• Honeymoon Planning How-To
• Wedding Countdown Checklist

Getting Engaged Is Just the Beginning ...Now What?

Follow a few wedding registry tips and give wedding well-wishers plenty of gifting options.

(MS) -- Are you one of the thousands of couples who got engaged over the holidays? This is the time for you and your soon-to-be to get everything you ever wanted -- whether you're starting from scratch, upgrading, expanding or replacing. Turn a whole bunch of mismatched mine and yours into a lifetime of ours.

"When it comes to registering, relax, take your time and have fun," recommends Audrey Stavish, a Bridal and Gift Registry expert at Bed Bath & Beyond. "Most brides update their registries online and go into the stores many times. There aren't any rules that you must follow. Choose items that are right for you and your soon-to-be. Go through the registry process together and have fun!"

Here are some additional tips to make wedding planning a breeze:

Plan Ahead: Start a bridal registry as soon as you say "yes." That way guests will have lots of options for engagement gifts and showers. Periodically update your registry by adding more products if you need to, even after the wedding. Be kind to procrastinators.

Do the Math: Experts advise registering for 2-3 items times the number of guests you plan to have. Close friends and family will rely on your registry for special events leading up to the wedding -- such as engagement parties, bridal showers, and holidays! Your guests will appreciate having lots of choices when they shop for you. Be sure to refresh your list regularly as gifts get purchased.

Register Now, Because You Won't Buy it Later: You may think you will ... but you won't. Now is the time to let others get you the stuff you'd never buy yourself. Your friends and family might even get together to purchase a higher priced "group gift."

Dream Big: Register for gifts in a range of prices and categories. This will give guests and group givers lots of options to choose from.

Remember the Rule of Three: When it comes to setting your table, if you choose bold patterns for your china and flatware, pick a more simple style of glassware. Prefer intricate stemware? Pair it with simpler patterns of china and flatware. So, it's bold/bold/simple or simple/simple/bold.

Visit a Store: It's in YOUR best interest to visit a store and schedule an appointment with an expert consultant who can help you with your gift selections and share great tips like "The Rule of Three," what cookware you will need to prepare your favorite dish, what knife to use when and much more. When making your selections, it's important to touch the towels, heft the flatware, see everything in person!

C'mon Back: Most couples don't make all their selections in a single spree. Plan on making multiple visits.

Once you've set up your registry, take advantage of Bed Bath & Beyond's Bridal Toolkit(R), the complimentary wedding planning tools available at bedbathandbeyond.com, including your own Personal Wedding Web site, budgeter, task manager, guest list manager, gift tracker and even a seating arranger. This way, all of your information can be stored in one convenient place.

Congratulations and best wishes on your engagement. Now get registering and let the gift-giving begin. 

Honeymoon Planning How-To

With all the work that goes into planning a wedding, it can be easy for couples to overlook their own honeymoons. But in the middle of all those seating arrangements and reception hall negotiations, couples also need to plan and look forward to the rest and relaxation that awaits, which will no doubt be a well-deserved escape once the wedding has come and gone.

Couples can take the following advice to ensure their getaway goes off without a hitch.

• Be budget-conscious. Many couples could enjoy a honeymoon to Siberia in the dead of winter after their big day has passed. After all the stress of planning and paying for the wedding, couples will likely just enjoy the time away. Take this into consideration when planning a honeymoon. If a dream trip isn't in the budget after all the wedding bills have come due, don't fret. A less expensive getaway is still a getaway, and couples will enjoy their well-deserved break no matter where it is they're putting their feet up.
   
• Plan an off-season honeymoon. That dream honeymoon might be affordable after all if couples can wait till it's not the height of tourist season. Most weddings occur during the summer months, when tourist season is in full swing.Couples who can put off their honeymoon until the off-season will no doubt find their dream honeymoon is much more affordable.
   
• Start early. It's never too early to start planning the honeymoon. The earlier couples begin to research possible destinations, the better feel they will have for what they can and can't afford. Research can be done well in advance to give couples an idea of what their dream trip will cost. But don't book any flights or make any reservations too far in advance. The best deals are often available a few months before the trip.
   
• Spread the news that you're newlyweds. Hotels love hosting newlyweds, and many will upgrade rooms for recently married guests. Couples should not be too brash about it, as fully booked hotels won't be able to upgrade their guests. But let the hotel know you're on your honeymoon when checking in, and they might just upgrade your room and comp you a bottle of champagne as a gift.
   
• Think outside the box. When asked about a dream honeymoon, couples will often bring up Hawaii or even Paris. While those are beautiful places to spend a honeymoon, they're also expensive. Fortunately, there are a bevy of locales, be it domestic or international, that aren't nearly as pricey as the most popular honeymoon destinations but still make wonderful options for a honeymoon getaway couples won't soon forget.

Wedding Countdown
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