TARGET

Full review
This review is part of kellyj77 and goldmoon's "Love in the 21st Century" write off! Don't forget to check out the other amazing entries. While I’d love to cover all of the wonderful things about Target.com – this review will focus primarily on their bridal registry section – Club Wedd.

Here Comes the Bride ...
When I was little, I used to put on my sister's clothing and parade around the house in oversized shoes, carrying a "bouquet" of weeds plucked from the yard out front. I think every little girl dreams about getting married. They dream about the wedding ... NOT the preparation for one.

There are few things in life that are as stressful as planning a wedding - well at least for me. Writing a budget, looking at flowers, interviewing photographers, checking out caterers, sticking to that budget, pleasing your in-laws, tasting wedding cake, whittling down the guest list in order to stick to the budget, trying on dresses, going on diets and trying on dresses again ... ugh!! Just get me to the big day, okay???

Probably the only part of all of this wedding preparation that has NOT been a major chore was the Bridal Registry! Now, back when my mother got married, women chose china patterns, silver patterns, and crystal stemware. You know, all those wonderfully expensive and not so useful things. That was only a half century ago! Today's brides are registering at wonderful places like Target. They're registering for items like vacuum cleaners and towels. They're getting gas barbeque grills, 200 thread-count sheets, and camping gear. Heck ... you can even register for board games if you want.

Target has a wonderful program called Club Wedd®. Computer terminals in each of the stores allow wedding guests to easily access registry lists nationwide. But best of all? The whole thing is available online! Now that’s what I call Love in the 21st Century!

Registering
Begin your registry online with easy step-by-step instructions. Filling out a simple online form, which includes pertinent information. You’ll be asked for the bride’s name, address, phone, and email; groom’s name and details; wedding date, and the city where the wedding will take place. You can choose a password so that you can access your registry items online.

Once this basic information has been entered, you’ll need to print some instructions on your printer. This you take to the customer service area of your local store. They’ll give you a scanner gun and basically – you scan everything you want. Need four placemats? Scan the item four times. Pretty simple.

Goodies
The employee at Target gave us a wonderful goodie bag. I suggest you sit in the snack bar and read through some of this material before you go mad with the scanner. Among the items in the informational packet was a helpful guide to the products that Target carries. This was wonderful, because I probably would have forgotten things like … luggage! They also gave us a nice wedding planner, a beautiful full-color catalog of items, and even an entry to win some merchandise! Of course, these goodies are available online, too! Just click for a selection of attendant gifts, double check that planner suggestion, and even look at a buying guide for bedding items!

Online Access - Making Changes, Placing Orders
Once you’re done shopping, you can get a printout of your bridal registry items at any Target’s Club Wedd® kiosk. You can also print these online! You can make changes to the items on your registry by simply accessing your account and either updating quantities or removing items. This process is exceptionally simple. We were disappointed to note that the ability to ADD products is not available online. (That’s a shame, really.)

Wedding guests that wish to purchase items from your registry online will have an easy time of it. Click on “Find a Registry”. When the registry list appears, the website informs you if the item is available online, what the current retail price of the item is, and how many of the item that the couple has asked for. Target.com offers a variety of shipping methods and delivery options. Delivery charges are based on the type of item, with an adjustment for the number of individual pieces, or the weight. There’s a handy chart online that explains the shipping rates in detail. Delivery is normally within two weeks. Guests also have the option of having the item gift wrapped, and including a gift message. This is quite a convenience for out-of-town relatives who might not want to tote your Dirt Devil upright vacuum cleaner on the airplane with them.

Target.com offers a HUGE variety of payment methods! All the major credit cards are included, as well as Target’s credit card, the Marshall Field’s card, and the Mervyns card.

Target gift cards are also available to purchase online. This is a wonderful way to let the bride and groom fill out their wish list without selecting a particular item. Who knows … they might need to use it to get ornaments for their first holiday tree, or … shop for baby items??

After the Big Day
Product returns are always a concern for Brides-to-be. Target offers gift receipts for in-store purchases, and normally will include one with online orders. Items can be returned or exchanged quite simply, either through the mail, or by visiting the local Target store.

Your registry will be accessible online for 90 following the date of your wedding. That way, if there was something really fabulous that you wanted, but didn’t get – you can still get it. I have found that following up on someone’s bridal registry is a great way to give them a holiday gift that they really wanted, but didn’t get for the wedding!

Final Thoughts
When you register for items, remember to dream. Sure … find things that a wide variety of your friends can afford – but don’t be afraid to ask for the occasional expensive item. You just never know.

Thanks to Angie for hosting this Love in the 21st Century write off! The other participants include: sleeper54 / dedemw / mothermeatloaf / tiffy0380 / kellyj77 / goldmoon / and jankp. New writers might have joined, so be sure to visit goldmoon’s profile page for the complete list.
Cheers!
Kat M