Congratulations on your recent engagement!

Thank you for starting your Gift Registry online with Gump's. We look forward to assisting you with your selections.

Whether you're planning a traditional mass with hundreds of guests, a quick service at City Hall with a few witnesses, or a beach-side gathering with your closest friends and family, we can help you celebrate the joy of commitment.

While our personal in-store experience can't be replicated online, we've culled the most useful advice from our in-house registry experts to create this helpful registry guide.

Our Registry Programs
We are proud to offer two registry programs. Choose our Traditional Registry to have your gifts shipped when purchased/available, or select our Gift Notification Program (GNP) Registry to have gifts held for your review, and delivered at a later date.

Most of our in-store customers prefer the GNP Registry option. Our online customers, on the other hand, tend to choose our Traditional Registry. Both have advantages -- deciding which one is right for you depends on how much flexibility you want.

A GUIDE TO CREATING THE PERFECT GIFT REGISTRY
Everyone has an idea of what they should register for, but does everyone know everything? Our experts do. Here's what you'll find in our guide:

• Choosing Your China
• Choosing Your Stemware and Barware
• Choosing Your Silver Flatware and Giftware
• 15 Most-Commonly Forgotten Items

China is the most popular item for the registry, so we'll start with it, including the accessory pieces to go with the pattern you choose for a complete tabletop look and functionality. Next, we will delve into the world of stemware and barware. Our third stop will be flatware and giftware, followed by the most-commonly forgotten items on everyone's registry.

Discussing money can be uncomfortable. But it's important in selecting the items for your registry. We suggest offering gift options from $50 to $1,000. Some of your guests may decide to pool their resources for a big gift, while others may want to buy something smaller and more personal. By providing your guests with several options, you'll be sure to make everyone happy.

Remember, this is the one time in your life when friends and family want to spend money on you. Everyone loves getting a great wedding gift for a friend. Think outside the box and enjoy your wish list.

CHOOSING YOUR CHINA  
China is the center of your table setting. Select a pattern you love today and don't worry if you will love it in 15-20 years.

We want you to love and be passionate about your pattern, making sure it reflects your unique taste. It is more important to use your china than store it and regret your choices down the road. If you love it, you will use it.
Entertaining family and friends makes lasting memories. You want your table to look as special as the occasion. When choosing a formal china pattern, consider the overall look you want. Your table will reflect your taste, be it contemporary or traditional or a mixture of both.

Universally, there are three main categories of china: porcelain, bone and earthenware. The main ingredient in each is china clay. Porcelain has a translucent quality usually consisting of 50% kaolin, 24% quartz and 25% feldspar fired at high temperatures. Bone china is more translucent than porcelain and contains 50% animal ash, mostly ox ash, which is burned and ground to a fine powder. Earthenware is created when clay is fired at low temperatures, making it heavy, porous and opaque. It is often glazed to hold liquids.

Porcelain and bone china appear delicate but are actually quite strong. Dinnerware can be fired several times, depending on the decoration. The first firing hardens the raw clay, the second bonds a protective layer of glaze to the body, and the third gives the plate its color and pattern.



When deciding on a fine china pattern, ask yourself the following questions:

What colors do we like?
What shapes do we like?
What is the maintenance of the china we select?

Selecting the number of place settings is important. The most common is 12 place settings, but you should allow for breakage and the occasional extra friend. Registering for 14 place settings is the safe way to go.

Your formal china service will require serving pieces:

Soup bowls are versatile pieces that can be used for pasta and salad.
A variety of platters can be used for meats, fish and poultry.
Serving bowls hold vegetables, potatoes and rice dishes.
Covered vegetable bowls and tureens keep foods hot.
Accent salad plates can be used for hors d'oeuvre s or desserts.
Coffee pots and teapots add a touch of elegance to your after dinner table along with demitasse cups and saucers.

Choosing casual dinnerware is just as important as selecting your formal dinnerware. Thus, it should take the same amount of time. Most casual dinnerware patterns are dishwasher-proof and microwaveable. Consider white for your everyday dishes and add colors in your linens and accessories pieces. Remember the serving pieces in your everyday service such as bakeware, covered vegetable bowls and lots of bowls of various sizes.

Linens, Linens, Linens
A table is never complete without table linens of every kind, color or texture. This is an area where we encourage you to get creative.

Every home should have:

• Tablecloths
• Placemats
• Napkins
• Runners

The general rule of thumb is to have enough of each of the above to set the table for 14 people. Keep two additional sets on hand to replace items that may become permanently stained.

Whatever your taste, you will need two types of table linens: formal for special occasions and casual for everyday use.

Formal
Starting from the bottom up, we recommend a formal tablecloth that coordinates easily with rest of your linens. Washable silk placemats and napkins offer a refined look with easy care. A decorative runner adds a splash of style, and usually must be dry-cleaned.

Casual
The key to selecting casual linens is easy care. Choose a neutral-colored, machine-washable tablecloth. You can also mix in colored tablecloths, if you feel confident about your choices. Top with decorative resin placemats that wipe clean. Finish with washable cotton napkins in several hues and patterns that effortlessly coordinate with your other pieces.

CHOOSING YOUR STEMWARE AND BARWARE
Fine crystal stemware adds sparkle, fire and romance to your table. It is the finishing touch, so choose your crystal to complement your china and silver.

Mix and match to give flare to your table setting.
Stemware consists of:

• Goblets (use for red wine)
• White Wine Glasses
• Iced Beverage Glasses
• Champagne Flutes

We recommend that you register for 12 of each type of stemware listed above.

In terms of style, you can choose from four basic shapes: tulip, round, flare and bucket. Which one you select depends on your personal taste.

For a coordinated look, match stemware with your flatware and surround your china to choose the overall look for your table.

Barware is also important, because most evenings begin with a beverage. We recommend the following items (quantities listed in parenthesis):

• Martini glasses (8)
• Double old-fashioneds (8)
• Highball glasses (8)
• Pilsner glasses (8)
• Margarita glasses (8)
• Ice bucket (1)
• Water pitchers (2)
• Decanter (1)
• Carafes (2)

• Bowls (2)
• Vases  (2)
• Candlesticks/votive holders  (4)
• Cake knife/server (1)
• Cake plate (1)
• Salt and pepper shakers  (4)

CHOOSING YOUR SILVER FLATWARE AND GIFTWARE  


Flatware is like jewelry for your table. Whether you choose sterling silver, silverplate or stainless steel, your flatware will enhance your china. If your crystal is simple, select a sleek flatware pattern.
You want guests to focus on the plate, so surround it with flatware that complements its beauty but does not distract from its charm.

Sterling and Silverplate
Nothing complements formal china better than flatware made of sterling silver or silverplate. There are as many styles to choose from as there are china patterns, so finding the one that best suits your china will be easy. Sterling and silverplate must be maintained - they both need polishing. If you keep them in a protective case and use them as much as possible, you will find polishing to be minimal.

Sterling Silver: Stamped on the back of each piece to meet the U.S. Government standard of solid silver. 92.5% pure silver 7.5% an alloy, such as nickel or copper for added strength.

Silverplate: A thin layer of silver, from 33 to 42 microns, is electroplated to a nickel base. Choose the finest silverplate - our experts will assist you in your selection of the very best silver-plate available.

Stainless Steel: This is the choice for everyday use. Stainless steel is an alloy of two or more metals, beginning with steel. Chromium is added to give it remarkable hardness and resistance to stains, heat and corrosion. A small percentage of nickel imparts the permanent bright finish.

• Serving spoons (4)
• Serving forks (2)
• Cold meat fork (1)
• Pierced (PCD) tablespoon (1)
• Sugar spoon (1)
• Butter spreaders (12)
• Gravy ladles (2)
• Pie/cake servers (2)
• Carving set (1)

• Candlesticks in silver or crystal
• Wine and bottled water coasters
• Cocktail glass coasters
• Trivets for hot dishes
• Wine chillers, champagne buckets and serving trays
• Crystal vases and silver frames

15 MOST-COMMONLY FORGOTTEN ITEMS

Think you've remembered everything? Add these items to your list to make sure you've got it all covered.

Items that are most often forgotten include:

• Soup bowls
• Pasta bowls
• Platters
• Creamers
• Sugar bowls
• Salt and pepper shakers
• Candlesticks
• Trays
• Barware
• Picture Frames
• Individual decorative items
• Tongs (for ice, salad, asparagus, etc.)
• Pitchers
• Wine coasters