How Many Gifts to Put on Your Wedding Registry, Minimal Math Required

This simple formula will change your life.
Illustration of a calculator
Illustration by Natalie Romine for The Knot
emily rumsey the knot editor
by
Emily Rumsey
emily rumsey the knot editor
Emily Rumsey
Associate Commerce Editor
  • Emily helps maintain and update e-commerce content for The Knot
  • Before joining The Knot Worldwide, Emily worked as a website editor and manager for The Paleo Diet®
  • Emily holds two bachelor's degrees in Journalism and International Affairs with a Chinese minor
Updated Aug 18, 2023

Need this, want that, love those…shopping for your wedding registry is such a rush! After all, planning for your newlywed nest marks yet another exciting milestone in your relationship. But how many items should be on a wedding registry? Will too many gift options make you look greedy? You certainly want to have enough presents so guests don't shop off-registry. And what about pricing? You're not alone in your questions. According to The Knot's 2023 Wedding Registry Study, which surveyed over 5,000 recently engaged or married couples in the US, 37% expressed uncertainty about how many gifts to put on their registry. Luckily, we have the answer to this exact wedding registry etiquette question (and then some) below.

In this article:

How Much to Put on Your Wedding Registry

There actually is a magic number for how many gifts you should have on your registry: Multiply your guest list by two, then add a few extras and voila! Guests prefer to have plenty of options when it comes to shopping your registry. Having at least two gifts per guest will give them the ability to find a product they feel great about purchasing. It's also recommended to continually add gifts to your registry leading up to your big day. Products of all price ranges will be purchased before your wedding, so keeping your wish list updated will help your loved ones find the perfect gift to give no matter when they shop.

Wedding Registry Price Range Guidelines

As for the price range for your wedding registry, it's best to include gifts that are between $50 and $200 or more. That's not to say you should shy away from expensive items, though. (We see you looking at the KitchenAid stand mixer for $450.) A few big ticket items are okay, since some guests might splurge on a gift or want to contribute to a group gift. If $50 to $200 feels high, don't fret. According to our Guest Study, in 2022, the average wedding gift spend was $160, so this range is right on par. Still, as this is a median, it's important to register for gifts at a variety of price points so everyone invt feel comfortable giving a gift.

Where to Find Wedding Registry Inspiration

In addition to frustrations with figuring out how many gifts to add to their wedding registries, respondents of our Wedding Registry Study reported feeling lost about what kinds of gifts to add to their wish lists. Since more and more couples are living together before their engagement, they're not starting from scratch on home goods. Sound like you? We've got some advice. First, figure out where to create your registry. The best wedding registries are universal (like The Knot). This means you can add products from all of your favorite stores and create cash funds in the same place giving guests one convenient list to shop from. And if you've already started building registries at individual retailers, no worries, you can sync them with your registry through The Knot with a quick click. Next, use our handy wedding registry checklist to make sure you really have all you need to start married life. Do you have enough flatware sets and steak knives to host a dinner party? Or the recommended minimum of six bath towels? No? Check out all our wedding registry ideas so you can add essentials to your wish list or upgrade your existing goods. And if you don't feel all that excited about getting a vacuum as a wedding gift, just remember it's no longer taboo to include gift cards and cash funds on your registry. So, add gifts that you truly want—and if you're still not sure, get more inspo below.

What Other Couples Are Doing

Monkey see, monkey do, right? If you're looking for more insight about what to add to your wedding registry, here's what other couples are doing: As aforementioned, cash funds (like a honeymoon fund) and gift cards are acceptable wedding registry items. In fact, our 2023 Wedding Registry Study found that 74% of couples registered for cash, with 38% of couples setting up a specific honeymoon registry. As for tangible gifts, couples are most likely to register for bakeware, cookware and bedding. Even if couples have most necessary household items, nearly half are looking to upgrade them with their wedding registry, so don't be afraid to ask for the newest Keurig even if yours is still kicking. Remember though: The most important thing is that your wedding registry reflects you and your partner.

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