What could be more fun for a bride-to-be than creating a registry? It's like a fantasy shopping trip, and those beautiful household items will be the backdrop for a couple's new, married life. It may be tempting to just take that registry gun and zap half the items in the store, but a little planning is key.

Here are some tips for doing a registry right:

1. Register in more than one place, and choose a wide variety of items. Your guests will probably have a broad range of tastes, budgets and ideas about what they'd like to give you. So make it easy for them. Just keep track of what you've registered for in each store to avoid duplicates. And read carefully about the stores' return policies.
2. Before you register, think realistically about your lifestyle. Are you going to host holiday meals or have formal dinner parties? If so, fine china may be a great registry addition. But there's no rule that says you must register for china at all if you prefer casual entertaining or you lack the space for extra dishes. Similarly, if you barely cook, think twice about having your guests drop their money on an expensive mixer that will languish in a cabinet.
3. Include your husband-to-be. Most men will have some opinions on household goods. Some brides question their fiancé's taste, but married life is about compromise, after all, and this is a fun way to practice. If he really doesn't care in the least about sheets or wine goblets, maybe he'll add some fun things like electronics to the registry.
4. Consider non-traditional registries. In this day and age, many engaged couples — especially those who've been cohabitating for years — have all the household goods they need. But there are many, many other options out there. For example, Home Depot's registry lets couples register for tools and building materials to fix up their home. Honeyluna.com allows guests to fund honeymoon luxuries such as spa treatments or candlelight dinners. At JustGive.org, couples choose from a long list of charities for guests to contribute to instead of gifts.
5. Have fun. Choosing the items you'll love for years is a privilege. Don't be shy about registering for a lot of items — you're just giving your guests more things to choose from, not insisting they buy them. Consider putting a few big-ticket items such as furniture on the list. Oftentimes a group of co-workers, for example, will go in on a large item.

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