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REGISTRY & FIRST HOME
68 | SPRING 2018
CHICAGO WEDDING & PARTY RESOURCE
CHICAGOWEDDINGRESOURCE.COMBy Mary Fons, CTW Features
It depends who you ask, but the statistics are roughly the same: about
half of all married people today choose to live together before they tie
the knot. Whether or not it’s a good idea is beside the point; making
your dwelling new and exciting post-wedding is fun – and easy if you
use your gift registry wisely.
“It’s a fabulous idea to still enjoy the ‘newness’ after the ceremony,” says
Jennifer Lackey, a wedding consultant with Atlanta-based Storybook
Wedding Consulting. “Hold different types of showers, like a holiday-
décor party, where the guests are invited to bring ornaments or
decorations for your house.
Another favorite for young couples is a ‘stock the bar’ shower, where
guests can bring different types of glasses, wines or liquors. This helps
the couple get ready to entertain their guests.” But Lackey says you
don’t have to wait for a party to jazz up your humble abode. “To make
the apartment special after the reception, I would suggest semi-
redecorating; join all of the new gifts and goodies with the old favorites.
Maybe you had been hoping for that new four-slice toaster and you can
finally get rid of the vintage red toaster from your college days.
One of the nice things about getting married is that you’ll probably
come away from the event with at least one or two new pictures.
Nothing says, “Just Married!” like a picture of the two of you, you
know, getting married. Creating a cluster of wedding photos on the
mantle or hung up on the wall is an instant “first-home” touch than
works for couples who have been living together for a decade or for
those who are brand new roomies. In either case, it’s the details that
make a home feel new – whether it is or not. “A fresh coat of paint,
new curtains and new bed linens do wonders,” says Kathy Piech-
Lukas, owner of Your Dream Day, LLC, a wedding-consulting firm in
Cincinnati. “I am a huge fan of 800 thread-count sheets.”
The gift registry can be a useful tool in decorating and preparing for
your newlywed home. If you’ve imagined having a red-and-white,
polka-dotted kitchen since you were a kid, registering for those red-
and-white, polka-dotted dishes would be a smart move. Likewise,
several sets of pretty sheets will go a long way toward creating the
bedroom style of your dreams – and putting those on your registry
will allow the people who give gifts to contribute to your soon-to-be
fabulous home.
(continued on pg. 70)
First-Home Style
With a little creativity and some help from your registry, it’s easy to design
a new-home look that you’ll surely love