If your engagement is more than a year long, then don't register as soon as you get engaged. You can and it's not inappropriate to do so, but many of the stores will alter their inventory every few months because of the change in seasons. If you register early, you run the risk of registering for an item that won't be available when your friends and family go to purchase it. Six to eight months before the wedding is a pretty safe time to do your registry.

Whether all of your friends and family live in a two block radius from you or they are scattered across the country, pick a store (or stores) that has an online presence. Guests who like to do their shopping in the middle of the night or in between making dinner or studying will really appreciate not having to drive to the mall and dealing with long lines just to buy your favorite candlesticks. And the guests that like to shop and buy things will appreciate not having to ask someone to log on and buy your gift or deal with a slow modem connection if they aren't computer savvy. And don't pick more than three stores for your wedding registry. It's nice to keep all aspects of wedding planning simple so you can enjoy your day.

Amazon.com has a fabulous wedding registry where everything in their online store can be included. Want a book to read on your honeymoon? Add it to your wedding registry. Want to listen to all of the songs played at your wedding reception as you work out at the gym? Add an iPod to your wedding registry. And of course they have the beginner's cookbooks, towel and sheet sets, vacuums and household appliances.

Anything is appropriate now. Wedding registries are created so that guests will know what the couple needs (and likes). And just because you register for it doesn't mean you will get it. But sometimes you will be surprised. I've seen large ticket items bought for guests because an office or a group of friends all chipped in because they knew that gift would really be appreciated. So if one person is now on a fitness kick and really wants a treadmill they can certainly add it to the registry. If both of you want to take a cooking class and you have already set up your home, by all means register for a cooking class because your guests will know you will love and appreciate that gift. Or if the couple can't afford the honeymoon of their dreams, there are now honeymoon registries where guests can purchase all or parts of airfare, hotel accommodations and even special things like romantic dinners, massages, sightseeing tours or golf games.

Most importantly, know your personality. If you are the type of couple that likes to dine out more than make dinner at home, there's no reason you really should register for bone china for 12. If the couple is bringing in very little to their new home, they should sit down and write a list of what they will need in their home and then decided from that list what they want on their registry. That will be the basis of their wedding registry. Then of course, they should add on a few fun gifts. Wedding planning can be extremely stress-free if the couple just sits down and takes some time to focus on the task at hand - in this case, registering.

Many department stores offer the newlyweds the ability to purchase the remaining items off the wedding registry at a discount for up to a year after the wedding. Of course, you do run the risk that some items may have been seasonal and are no longer available for purchase once you get back from your honeymoon.

That's easy. Know what your groom likes. Does he go in the kitchen only to pour a cup of coffee? Or does he appreciate a really good set of chef knives? Everything on your wedding registry can appeal to your groom if you make it fun and appealing to their personality. Shopping for stainless steel appliances and wacky kitchen gadgets are always fun because guys end up thinking that it's still a "manly" thing to be doing. Grooms tend to think wedding planning is for the girls because of the ribbons and the lace and the flowers. But, if you focus on things they like, they will be interested.

Register at a store he will definitely like, like Brookstone. Or point him in the direction of the battery operated mini-fridges, electronics or high-tech soda or coffee makers and you will have a much more interested wedding registry partner.