The wedding is set. The invitations have gone out. Now your family and friends are wondering what gift to get you.

If you are going to start with absolutely nothing, your loved ones will have a lot of options on what to get you. The problem is you might end up with 10 oven toasters, 4 grills and a whole bunch of towels and beddings and not much more. What would you do with sets meant for a king size bed if you sleep on a double?

Have mercy on your family and friends, as well as on yourselves. Please have a bridal registry. This is a great way to let them know what you really need and want to receive. Most stores now extend this service and actually have a staff member to help the happy couple prepare their list of preferred items. They will usually ask you to choose from a catalog or from actual items in the store which items you like and how many of each you'd like to receive.

Don't be shy about putting an expensive item on the list. It is the choice of the giver to give you the item. Knowing though that some of your guests may be working on a budget but still want to get you something you'll love, choose an assortment of items across a wide price range.

The best part of having a registry, if you end up having too many of the same item, some bridal registries will allow you to exchange the items for other items you prefer of an equal amount. Of course, only as long as the items were bought from their store. Have fun shopping!