Building your registry is one of the more enjoyable parts of planning a wedding. It is your list of the things you genuinely want and need as you start married life. It can also raise a couple of nagging questions: how many items should you list, and is anything too expensive to include?
The short answer is that almost nothing is off limits, as long as your list has range. The key is balance, so every guest can find something that suits their budget.
How many items should you list?
A simple guide is to list roughly two items per guest, then add a few more. So for 100 guests, aim for around 200 to 220 options. That gives everyone genuine choice and means the popular price points do not sell out early, leaving late-buying guests with only the expensive items.
How pricey can an item be?
You can happily include items from around $25 up to $200 or more. You want gifts that last, so a few higher-quality pieces belong on the list. The real consideration is not a hard ceiling, it is your guest list and what those people can comfortably spend.
A typical Australian guest spends somewhere between $50 and $150, depending on how close they are to you. Colleagues and acquaintances usually give less, and close family more. Our guide on how much to give as a wedding gift in cash breaks these ranges down in detail, which is worth a read before you set your price points.
Balance the list across price tiers
Split your registry into price bands so nobody feels stuck. Three tiers works well: items around $25, items under $100, and wishes above $100. The one rule to hold to is not letting the big-ticket items dominate the list. If the cheapest option is $150, guests on a tighter budget have nowhere comfortable to land.
For the expensive items, guests often prefer to go in together. Our guide to a group gift explains how several people can share the cost of one larger gift, which means you can list that $400 item without worrying it is out of reach.
Keep it realistic
There is no hard rule on what is too expensive or too many, but be honest with yourself. Look at each item and ask whether you will actually use it, or whether you are just caught up in the fun of building the list. A shorter list of things you truly want beats a long one padded with items destined for the cupboard.
Think beyond the kitchen
A registry is not only about appliances and homewares. It can also cover what you will want down the track: heirloom pieces you can pass on, a contribution to the honeymoon, or a wishing well that guests can add to for future plans. If you already share a home, a wedding cash fund that mixes items, cash and experiences usually fits best.
EasyRegistry makes this simple by letting you add any item from any store to the one list, alongside honeymoon experiences and a wishing well. We track what has been bought so you never receive duplicates. Start yours at EasyRegistry and share it with a single link.