Ways to make the groom feel special 1. Allow the Groom to choose his and his groomsmen's ensemble for the wedding.

2. Let him decide on the songs to be used during the reception.

3. Arrange a small lunch or cocktail prior to the wedding ceremony for the Groom and his

party.

4. Plan a couple's shower, so the Groom can be honored as well.

5. Incorporate an activity in the wedding reception that the Groom likes.

6. Share wedding resources with the Groom so he can make informed decisions.

7. Ask the Groom for his suggestions on the menu choices.

8. Have the Groom escort his Mother down the aisle in the wedding processional.

9. Schedule appointments for the Groom to be pampered before the wedding.

10. Prepare a surprise toast or speech for him at the reception! Express your love and

appreciation for him in the presence of all your family and friends...that will certainly

make him feel SPECIAL!

Gift Registries One of the best parts of your wedding planning is figuring out together what to pick for the

best wedding registry ideas. There are tons of options out there these days, so you will need to

decide early what to register for your wedding. If you don’t already live together, it’s the first

time you can envision how you will decorate and plan for your home together. If you do share a

home, this is a fun chance to upgrade those hand-me-down items you’ve had since you were in

college. Here at The Knot, we’ve provided you with some tips and suggestions to help you figure

out what to register for if you are registering for the first time, and ensure that your registry

contains all the latest wedding registry must-haves.

Why Have a Wedding Registry?

Unless you specify that you do not wish for any wedding gifts from friends and family, having a

registry allows your guests to pick from a selection of top wedding registry items that you would

love in your new home. A registry takes the guesswork out of the task, giving your loved ones

confidence that they are purchasing a meaningful gift that you will love. A wedding registry also

helps keep tabs on which wedding registry items have already been purchased by another guest,

saving you the hassle of having to return that fifth gravy dish from your great aunt once removed

in Idaho.

Many stores offer post-wedding discounts that let you purchase the wedding registry must-haves

that your guests didn’t purchase from your registry. If you received any cash wedding gifts, this

is a great opportunity for you to personally choose items while getting a great discount. In

addition, wedding registries from major department stores offer services to help you keep track

and remind you to send those very important thank you cards after your wedding. In case you

need any more persuasion to register for your wedding, many wedding registries will send you a

personal gift for registering with them. So, do your research, and get the most out of your

wedding registry in order to start your lives together.

Tips for Registering your Wedding Registry

1. Have Several Price Points. To avoid embarrassing your guests with the price tags of some of

your wedding registry must-haves, make sure to have a wide range of price points to select from.

There are many wedding registry ideas at affordable prices, but there are plenty others that allow

family members to splurge if they choose to.

2. Involve Your Other Half. Whether you or your soon-to-be hubby is the shopper of the

household, make sure to work together to pick out the items that you will both enjoy. Include

some of the best wedding registry items for men as well as for women on your list so that you

both enjoy a personal touch.

3. Check Out the Return Policies of your Registry Items. Having a registry means that you

will be much more likely to receive gifts you love. However, there may be times where you

change your mind. Plan ahead to make sure that your registry offers the most seamless

exchanges and refunds.

4. Register at Several Stores. Give your guests a few selections to choose from, both online and

offline; that way they do not feel restricted and can have some unique wedding registry ideas to

choose from.

5. Set-it Up Early. Make sure to do your research and add your wedding registry items to

your wedding registry checklist early on so that your guests are not scrambling to find wedding

gifts at the last minute.

Finding the Best Registry Gifts

1. Items That Will Last. The best wedding registry items can be cherished for many years to

come. At The Knot, we curated our list of top wedding registry items with quality in mind.

2. Items That Suit Your Lifestyle. Give your guests a few unique wedding registry ideas so

they can feel they are personalizing your wedding gift. That special touch connects you to your

honored guests in a very special way.

3. Items That You Use Every day. Planning what to register for should be as simple as figuring

out what you use daily. The best wedding registry items are things that you use every day in the

kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom.

4. Items That Add a Personal Touch. Unique wedding registry ideas include monogrammed

items and personalized gifts.

Wedding Gift Registries 1. Wayfair

2. Bed bath and beyond

3. Home goods

4. Target

5. Bloomingdales

6. Zola

7. Amazon

8. The Knot Shop

9. Ikea

10. The Home Depot

Bridal Emergency Tool Kit

Health

Antacid

Antihistamine, cold remedy

Any prescription medications

Aspirin, Tylenol, or Advil

Band Aids

Hard candy or flavored cough drops

Pepto-Bismol or other antacid/ upset stomach aid

Smelling salts

Tampons, pads

Sunscreen (if outdoors)

Beauty/Grooming

Dusting powder for before pictures are taken

Hair spray, brush, barrettes and/or bobby pins

Hand lotion, handy-wipes

Kleenex

Makeup

Perfume

Nail polish and remover

Small hand towel

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Attire

"Throwaway" garter

Clear nail polish for runs in hose

Earring backs

Emergency buttons

Flat shoes or ballet slippers (if necessary)

Iron

Pantyhose (extras for emergencies)

Safety pins

Masking tape (last minute ripped hems)

Small sewing kit, including thread matching entire party's attire

Miscellaneous

Copies of directions to reception

Phones numbers of all service personnel

Small flashlight

Cell phone

Something to drink (bottled water, juice, other favorite beverage)

Straws (avoid lipstick smudge)

Cake knife

A8 Bi-Cultural Wedding Design This wedding is being held for a bi-racial, bi-cultural, millennial couple. Chris is the

Groom, he is a Caucasian French-American and the Bride, Lia, is a black Jamaican woman. The

couple met in Brooklyn, New York where they explored and solidified their love for each other.

Chris proposed at a mutual friend’s yatch party while docked at the Statue of Liberty on New

Year’s Day, January 2019 at 12:01am. The wedding is set to be held at Chris’ childhood country

home in France. The décor and design will pay homage to Chris’ culture while the food, music

and most of the appreciation tokens will reflect Lia’s Jamaican heritage. The atmosphere will

include family members from Jamaica and France enjoying the celebration while getting to know

each other and learn the respective cultures.

The wedding planner will use the A8 Formula to illustrate the event. The Bride and

Groom’s attire will be fitting for their personality, venue selection and day-of weather

conditions. The couple will sport a modern, yet slightly vintage and chic look. The Bride and

Groom’s accessories will complement their attire and accentuate the entire look. The couple will

wear minimum jewelry but the select pieces will no-doubt be a show stopper. The theme of the

wedding will reflect the Bride and Groom’s culture and personality with signature styles such as

the Bride’s favorite color, purple/lavender, being the focal theme and a slight inclusion of the

New York City life with small décor such as yellow cab, Statue of Liberty ornaments with one of

three photo booths being “Brooklyn-Nets” themed. The other two photo booths will be Eiffel

Tower themed and Jamaican Sunset Themed. The menu will consist mainly of traditional

Jamaican meals such as Jamaican pepper shrimp cocktail, Jamaican escovitch fish and bammy,

Jamaican oxtail and steamed vegetables and Jamaican Jerk Chicken and rice and peas being

served from a live Jerk Chicken Grill. The drink options will vary between choices such as

Jamaican Rum punch and Jamaican Rum cream and an assorted list of French Wines.

Guests will enjoy traditional Jamaican folk dance performance and a traditional French

music performance. The DJ will play from a curated playlist consisting of Dancehall, Reggae,

90s R&B Hits and French party music. Guests will leave with numerous tokens of appreciation

from French desserts to Jamaican Red Label Win samples. The Cake will be in the shape of the

Eiffel Tower but the flavor will be that of Jamaican black cake. A secondary buttercream map of

Jamaica cake will be available for those who would prefer something less traditional.

ATTIRE

ACCESSORIES

ANTICIPATION

ARRIVAL

ATMOSPHERE-AMUSEMENT-APPETITE-APPRECITION