| Ah, the joys of shopping with other people’s money. One of the added benefits of getting married is the gifts which begin to arrive as soon as you register! From engagement presents to bridal shower gifts to the slew of presents on the big day, your wedding season is sure to be filled with coffee makers, fine china and silver plated picture frames.
Most young newly engaged couples on the Upper East Side lack the items that most “adults” believe are necessary for calling a house a home – or an apartment as the case may be in New York City. Sure it was easy to get by as a singleton with one pot for Ramen noodles and an array of mismatched silverware, but as a husband and wife duo building a home is the first step in nesting. |  | | There are sites such as WeddingChannel.com and TheKnot.com which will help you find all of the accoutrements you need to enter the world of adult living. On these sites, via the help of their retail partners you can begin the process of registering. But living on the Upper East Side, with the massive amounts of stores which cater to the newly engaged you can head on over to the brick and mortar retailers to manhandle the fine china. “You really need to see the dishes, vases and candlesticks in person to know if they are your taste,” said Melissa, a new bride-to-be as she explained how she registered.
While most fiancés find the process of registering to be one of annoyance and tedious task work, all brides to be should make sure that the shopping-reluctant grooms play a small part in the process. “Can’t we just register for cash,” one grumpy fiancé was overheard saying in the Bloomingdale’s cookware section. “I could care less about mixing bowls and Cuisinarts I want a big screen TV.” There are certain things the groom will care about; bare ware, bedding and home electronics. These are the things which the bride to be should put her well heeled foot down and demand that her beau take part in picking out. “I made my fiancé spend a few hours with me at Bloomingdales on a rainy Sunday (not during football season) just to make sure that he had a small role in deciding what our new home would look like,” said Casey who married last August. “The rest of the not-so-fun stuff I did with my mother.”
To start, experts in the registering area suggest taking inventory of what you currently own. “If you already have Frette sheets then don’t register for new bedding. Decide what kind of items you would want to have for the rest of your lives. The things which you wouldn’t buy yourselves, those are the items you should register for,” Dinah, a bridal registry expert explained. “Cut crystal, vases, serving bowls; these are likely items which most Upper East Side couples don’t already have. These are also things that you will continue to use as your family expands.”
Popular Upper East Side venues to register include; Tiffany’s (57th and 5th), Crate and Barrel (Madison Avenue and 59th), Pottery Barn (59th between Park and Lex), Williams Sonoma (59th between Park and Lex), Boomingdales (59th and 3rd), Michael C Fina (46th and 5th), Bergdorf Goodman (57th and 5th) and Bed Bath and Beyond (61st and 1st). These are also stores which friends and family can purchase items online and have directly shipped to the bride and groom- and they are also popular chain stores which are in cities across the country. However, some couples find registering at smaller stores a more enticing option. Stores that are local to the area and offer more unique pieces than Nambe and Kosta Boda are options for the creative set. Scully and Scully (60th and Park Avenue) is one such option that offers very high end items in a luxurious Upper East Side setting. Another favorite local flavor is the legendary Gracious Homes which provides a very ample selection of goods perfectly suited for an Upper East Side residence. “Make sure you register at a few places,” Dinah said. “Buyers like options. You want to make sure to give your guests a range of gift items to purchase for you. People put a lot of time and thought into purchasing just the right item.”
It is best to make sure that your registry includes a variety of items at comfortable price points. “If you register for Audobon silver at Tiffany’s where a soup spoon alone is a few hundred dollars, don’t expect a lot of people to purchase you these things,” added Dinah. Try to group a bunch of items between $50-$100 and $100-$250 and choose things which are substantial that have the look and feel of a very high end gift. Bar ware, things like monogrammed martini glasses (Williams Sonoma) or a gorgeous ice bucket, make lovely engagement gifts for a very reasonable amount of money. Your range of gift items can keep going up to a level where you feel your guest won’t be turned off. You know your crowd. If they are going to take offense to a $600 per/person place setting of Faberge dishes, than do not register for them. “I registered for a Baccarat vase for $500 and no one got it for us. I really loved it, but I guess I can see how $500 was a lot for one vase,” Casey said. While you might have exquisite (and expensive) tastes, your guests may not share your desires for priceless artifacts at their expense. “If you fall in love with something over-the-top expensive, don’t be surprised if no one buys it for you. You can “hint” to your friends and family that you love the item and perhaps a few people can go in together and buy it as a group. If not, then set some wedding money aside and make the purchase yourself,” Dinah suggested.
Some stores such as Michael C Fina allow you to “accrue” dollars. Instead of sending you each piece as it is purchased, they will alert you via email that an item has been bought for you. They will state who the gift came from and what it is, but Michael C Fina will allow you to use the dollars you accrue at the end towards anything you wish to buy. Also, some stores will give you a discount of anywhere from 10% -15% off the ticketed price for items which remain on your registry after your wedding. If you need to purchase the last 2 place settings to complete your set, this is a fabulous option.
The best part about being a bride-to-be on the Upper East Side is the plethora of experts in this arena at your beckon call. Many stores have an on-site expert who will assist you along the way. “It’s sort of like a rent-a-Mom,” Jessica said. “My mom is out on the West Coast so I was running blind trying to register for stuff out here. But Estelle at Tiffany’s took me under her wing and really spent a lot of time with me walking me through the process of registering. It helped too, that she had impeccable taste.”
Most importantly, always be a gracious bride. Your season of love is a wonderful time in your life, but you must make sure your manners are as impeccable as your taste. “The first thing you need to go out and buy before you even register are some gorgeous thank you notes. “Keep a running list of gifts received and make sure you get your thank you cards in the mail quickly,” Melissa said. If you want to be an Upper East Side “hostess with the mostest” make sure your perfect home includes perfect manners. |
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