Registering Blues

When it comes to registering, I had a picture in my head of a happy, trigger-happy couple prancing around a store with a scan gun in hand merrily pointing it at anything and everything that me their fancy.  I searched online for a picture but came up short...really, I have no idea where this picture in my head came from.  Must have been a movie.  Anyways, that pretty picture in my head is soooo not what registering was like for me and Mr. Pug.

First of all, we currently live together and have all the basics.  Granted, they are not the best quality and we usually eat out of paper plates and use plastic forks, but that is mostly by choice (I am too lazy to wash dishes).  I would love to upgrade our dinnerware, silverware, drinkware, appliances, etc. BUT, we are currently renting a tiny duplex, and we barely have enough room for what we currently own.  If only I could delay my registering until the day we find a house to buy...

So, we considered not registering.  Mr. Pug actually thought only mainland people registered, not people in Hawaii.  While it's true that Hawaii people generally give money for weddings, I knew that there would be some guests who might not feel comfortable with that and others that would want to buy actual things for the shower.  So, if people were going to buy things anyway, I might as well let them know what we would like, right?  So I decided to register for at least a few things for those who might be looking to buy us a gift.

 My first problem was deciding where to register.  This issue is a little harder in Hawaii because many of the big chains (Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc.) do not have stores here.

We just got a Target a few months ago, and since I love Target, I thought it would be perfect!  But then I heard that returning items is difficult there, especially if you don't have a receipt.  Now, I wouldn't necessarily return things that I asked for on my registry, but what if I happen to get multiples with no gift receipt.  To return an item at Target without a receipt, you must exchange it for a single item of equal or greater value in the same department that the item you are returning came from.  On top of that, they take all your personal information and limit you to doing this once or twice a year.  I love Target, but that just sounds like too much of a hassle.

My next choice would be Crate & Barrel or Bed Bath and Beyond, but since there are not physical stores in the state, it may be difficult for guests, especially those who don't feel comfortable buying things online.  Shipping to Hawaii is also expensive.

The only other on-island places I could think of were Macy's and Williams-Sonoma.  Williams-Sonoma seemed too pricey and I just wasn't thrilled about Macy's.  I really wish Costco had a registry because I saw a lot of things I wouldn't mind getting there :)

Right now I'm still undecided about whether or not to register.  Did you register?  Where?  Was it everything you dreamed it to be?