CWPR 2015 Fall/Winter

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R E G I S T R Y & F I R S T H O M E
C H I C A G O W E D D I N G & P A R T Y R E S O U R C E
68
With a little creativity and some
help from your registry, it’s easy
to design a new-home look that
you’ll surely love
By 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 ex-
citing 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 cere-
mony 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 cou-
ples is a ‘stock the bar’ shower, where guests can bring dif-
ferent types of glasses, wines or liquors This helps the cou-
ple get ready to entertain their guests But you don’t have to
wait for a party to jazz up your humble abode To make the
apartment special after the reception, try 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 (especially 800 thread-count sheets)
The gift registry can be a useful tool in decorating and pre-
paring 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 dish-
es 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 al-
low the people who give gifts to contribute to your soon-to-
be fabulous home
For any wedding guests who may be reading this right now,
take note: If you choose to eschew the registry, you’ll help
the newlyweds build their first home together much more
with a “paper gift” than with, say, an extra blender
You can’t go wrong with a monetary donation toward a cou-
ple’s new life and home After all, the bride and groom just
spent how many thousands of dollars on the wedding you
just attended And of course, newly married couples can al-
ways use money Maybe they are saving for a new house,
car or wanting to pay off the credit-card bills from the wed-
ding or honeymoon But if you want something special that
isn’t on the plain registry, I suggest that you make an item
– monogramming is a great way to achieve a personal touch
and brides love it The sky is the limit with this – towels,
sheets, dishtowels, or even a doormat for the entryway of
their home Other special touches include soaps or decora-
tive additions to their home
And home is where the heart is Really No matter what a
couple’s living situation is beforehand, after the wedding,
your home is a new landscape Those new curtains, that new
roasting pan, and the set of incredible French cookbooks are
new now, but they usher in a lifetime of your very own tra-
ditions
A wedding is about joining two families together It isn’t just
the bride and groom; it is parents, siblings, and traditions
of each family People forget that this is the beginning of a
lifetime together
And you can start by sweeping the living room and unpack-
ing your boxes of stemware The rest will take care of itself
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