REGISTER RIGHT

If your holiday festivities included an engagement, you're likely tackling the first exciting steps of wedding preparation. What could be more exciting than hitting your favorite stores with that magical scanning machine in hand, choosing the perfect items to build your gift registry?

As you prepare to register, here are a few store and online ideas to help you make your selections:

  • Linens, towels and bowls, oh my! If you're looking for luxury household items, you need look no further than several local merchants. La Jolla boutique Nestlife offers high-quality items for the home, including crystal, china and flatware, while luxury bedding and bath items can be ordered at Everett Stunz.
  • Practical matters: While San Diego-area boutiques may offer unique gift options for your local friends and family, don't forget to create a registry with at least one nationwide store to allow long-distance relatives and friends to shop off your registry. Upscale department stores like Bloomingdale's and Macy's have their registries available both online and in person at locations across the country. Finally, don't forget to be conscious of your guests' budgets: Registering at big-box chains like Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target or Kohls can be a great way to get household basics that even your most financially limited family and friends can afford.
  • Honeymoon happenings: If your home is already filled to the brim with household appliances and matching dishware, what you really need is a vacation. Let your wedding guests contribute to the trip of your lifetime by registering on one of many honeymoon registries, including The Honeymoon, The Big Day and HoneyFund, which allow you to select activities, such as moonlight dinners and helicopter rides, to let your guests feel as though they're contributing to a honeymoon memory. Some hotels and resorts, including Marriott and Disney resorts allow travelers to register for hotel stays at specific locations.
  • Charitable giving: Finally, for the couple who has everything, including a love of charity, the best gift of all could very well be the gift of giving. In lieu of gifts, enlist the help of an organization like the I Do Foundation, a nonprofit that links engaged couples to the options for charitable giving at their wedding celebration, or register for a charity gift registry through Just Give.
    
 
 
   
   


WINTER WHITE

Just as seasons change, so do the flowers that adorn seasonal weddings. When planning your ceremony and reception, however, there's one color that's always in season: white. Here's a list of white flowers that will perfectly complement your white wedding: iris, daisy, calla lily, carnation, freesia, narcissus, delphinium, gardenia, orchid, lily of the valley, and the lovely white rose.

For more information on white wedding flowers, contact one of San Diego's fine florists, including Flowers on 56, Red Floral Design, and Kathy Wright & Company.

    
     
   


FINISHING TOUCHES:
A SWEET OR SALTY GOOD-NIGHT SNACK

The cake has been cut and the fun is winding down, but there's still time to treat your guests to a little sweet something. From handing out popsicles or custom-made fortune cookies to setting up a candy bar and having guests fill goodie bags with their old-time favorites, there's always room for additional sweets beyond the traditional wedding cake.

Feel like a salty nightcap instead? Let the good folks at In-N-Out in on your reception action by hiring one of their cookout trailers to bid your guests good night. The trucks come complete with staff, service and Double-Doubles galore.