Wedding Registries
Choosing a registry can be a difficult task as nowadays there so many options. The Bay, Canadian Tire, Walmart, Linen 'n Things,Stacks and stacks...just to name a few.
Many vendors will go to bridal fairs to explain their registry options. I will shed some light on my experience. Note: I have no affiliation with HBC, these are comments based on my experience.
My husband and I registered at the Bay. It is the most popular place to register, and now I understand why. Not only can your fiancé have fun with the scanning gun and add a whole bunch of fun things, but it is another great opportunity to spend time together. Also, you feel like you're on a shopping spree! The variety of merchandise is fantastic.
Be careful not to get carried away however. Stay focused and have a plan before going in. Don't feel pressured to add everything the first time as the number of trips in to scan are limitless.
You can add all sorts of things. Furniture, appliances (sometimes when you add a bed or big ticket item you will receive gift cards), clothing, household items, food. The only things that generally can't be added are seasonal or discontinued items.
The best reason to choose The Bay is for the discounts you receive after your wedding. Anything remaining on your registry can be purchased at a discounted price (sometimes up to 50% off and a minimum of 10% off) for an entire year after your wedding date!!! Also, you can add additional items onto your registry in that time. Go shopping, add it to your registry and buy it that day and save!!
If you can swing it, suggest people buy you HBC gift cards for your wedding. That way everything you buy is on sale, whereas your guests have to pay full price.
TWO MORE TIPS:
1.) Save all your receipts from the Bay in case you want to return anything. If not, they will assume the gift was bought on sale and from an HBC member so they will set the value of the return way less than the actual price payed.
2.) Sign up for the HBC credit card for any large purchases. This gives you 10% off your purchase whenever you buy something off of your registry. In addition, the day you sign up you are entitled to 10% giving you a total of 20% off your first day. You only have to put 1/2 of you purchase on your credit card and the other half can be payed with by cash or gift cards.
Hope your experience goes as well as mine did!