Registries...

First, please read a very important message about gifts:

When first beginning to plan our wedding, we considered many options, and when considering our priorities, we decided that the most important component of our wedding was the human component; we aren't really as concerned about the frills or traditions or glitziness of the event as we are about having those we care about present to share in it.  We feel that the heart of this occasion is a simple celebration of something invaluable that we have and pledge to cherish and protect for life, and that the most important element of that celebration (after our participation) is the presence of our family and friends to share in our joy.

The greatest gift you can give us is your presence at our celebration.  Please feel free, if you wish, to "buck the tradition", and do not feel obligated to have to give us a gift.  Or even a card... we like cards, cards are fun, but a smile and a hug are what we'd really like to "register" for with you.

Now, having said all that, we have received a number of requests rolling down the line already from those who want gift ideas.  Having read the above, if you still feel that you would like to give us something and wish a few ideas, below are some channels to pursue.  But please continue to bear in mind: the important element of your participation is, very simply, YOU.

- Greg and Pam -

We first registered at Sears, and that is where the core of our registry exists.  We figured that it would be a good choice, since Sears are pretty common, and you can access our registry from the customer registry computer at any Sears; also, they let us walk around with a zapper and zap the things we wanted (Pam especially enjoyed this).  However, we have discovered that Sears may not have been the best choice, because (A) we found a very limited number of items to "zap," (B) we (and a few earlybird guests) have discovered the registry to be counterintuitively unavailable from Sears' online gift registry, and (C) Sears has been very uncooperative about removing items from the registry when not the exact item is bought from them.

If you can actually visit a Sears and use their in-store registry console, you can search for either of our names (Pamela L. Shay and Gregory J. Hipius) to access our registry, or (I think) use our registry number:

Registry # 013 538 962 890 042 200

We registered for the following items there:

• scale (goes up to 350 lbs.)
• caller ID box
• cordless phone
• frying pans
• iron
• toaster
• blender
• luggage
• luggage caddy
• microwave oven
• DVD player
• amplifier
• speakers

If you'd like to get any of these items but not through Sears and their "goofed up" registry (or if you did get one through Sears but they give you a hard time about removing it from the list), please contact my Mom.  I have given her all the information needed to make changes to our registry at Sears, and she can take things off manually herself, without having to "spoil" it by going through us.  :-)

We had our best registering experience at this online store, specializing in wedding registries.  We have quite a few ideas available here, and the interface is very, very easy to use... just head to their site www.theknot.com, and use the features for finding a registered couple, searching for either of our names, of course (for ease, Hipius will work faster, as it only returns one search result).

Not a computer-saavy type?  That's fine, as The Knot also has a toll free phone number at which they claim registry consultants would be happy to work with you and our registry over the phone.  The number is 1-(877)-THE-KNOT, or 1-(877)-843-5668.

Either way, you may already have gotten an announcement from them, including a discount card for 10% off of anything on our registry.  At least, that's what their website claimed they would do if we sent them our guest list.  If you haven't gotten one, just copy down the info from the discount card pictured below (you'll specifically need the claim code, "KR4556"), and use it when you order.

• Fountain - We would like one of those very small, indoor, outlet-powered fountains for our living room.  We found the best example of the kind we wanted at World of Science... "Lifestyle Fountains" step fountain, the kind with the stone look to it, rather than metal.  These neat little ones we were looking at had the water running over a succession of small rocks.  Neat.
• Copier - This sounds like a ridiculous item at first, but let us explain.  Since we are both teachers, this particular object (a small, simple one) would be of value to us, and although it is something normally way out of range for this situation, we wanted to put it here anyway, in case there is someone out there with a used one they don't want, or who knows a business that is going to remainder an outdated one for $10, or something like that.
• Wall Clock - We have a space on our wall that would be perfect for one of these, and we've looked at them in the stores a few times longingly.  The kind that we want has a wooden frame/finish, a round, classy-looking analog clock face, a swinging pendulum, and chimes on the hour.  We found just such a clock at Ames, for instance.
• Desk Chair - Ever since we got our new desk in the living room, we've been using a hardwood dining room chair at it, but our dining room chairs aren't really sturdy enough to withstand that kind of wear.  We'd really like to have a real desk chair, the kind with wheels and a little softer on the caboose.
• Stapler (INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH) - This is a very valuable teacher item.  What we're referring to here is one of those staplers that can staple very large packages of papers by stapling very large staples.  Some of them use a little leverage handle contraption to accomplish this, while some are electric; how it does it isn't important.  :-)
• 3 Hole Punch (INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH) - This is another very valuable teacher item.  Here, we refer to the kind that can punch binder holes into very large stacks of paper, either by leverage or electrically... again, how it does it isn't important. :-)

This page was last updated on Friday, June 23, 2000 01:54:41 PM