What We Really Need

Catie and I had many a debate over registering for gifts for our wedding. She was initially dead-set against it saying we don't need anything and she doesn't want anyone to get us anything. I will mention here that we are having no wedding showers, for this same reason. I don't entirely disagree, but whether we want them to or not, people who are invited to a wedding will bring a gift. And I didn't want 23 vases that I'll never use.

So then I had the idea of registering for charity. And in fact the Human Rights Campaign has a Wedding Registry. Ding. Ding. Ding.

We might not need things, but we really could use legal recognition and equal status with straight couples. And hopefully, the HRC will one day help us get that. A perfect fit. Catie agreed. Haley and Catie's HRC Wedding Registry.

Of course, many people pointed out that some people will still want to give us a gift. So we also registered the traditional way at Target and Crate&Barrel. And admittedly, that was sort of fun to do. Who didn't like making a wish list for Santa as a kid? Registering is sort of like that.

Target was easy. You sight up on line, go in, get a gun, start scanning, give the gun back, and you are on your way.

Crate&Barrel we weren't so sure about, so we asked a sales associate and the following awkward conversation happened.

"Can I help you?"
"We were interested in registering for our wedding."
"Which one of you is going to be getting married?"

Oy.

Normally I have a short temper and that kind of thing puts me off. But I've long been a Crate&Barrel fan. Even when I was broke in Boston I'd save up my pennies and stop in there for some random kitchen accessory I didn't really need. That and we both found a set of dishes we loved there, something we couldn't accomplish in Target where strangely, most of their dishes aren't microwave safe. WTF Target? Dishes you can't microwave in this day and age?

In the end we just did it on line. Much less headache.

So I'm still hoping most people who wish to generously give us something for our wedding make a donation to the HRC on our behalf, but if not, new dishes are always nice too, or a badminton set, whatever floats your boat.