Registry Without a Home

You could register for gift cards to save for the eventual merging and moving.

You could do a cash fund for your eventual first house/apartment.

I would skip the registry and use cash gifts to start saving for your future living arrangements.

You can still register for things you know you’ll need whether you wind up in a house or apartment. Maybe skip linens and table wear but register for other home goods such a vacuum, pots and pans, etc.

We don't have a home either and currently live in his family home. But I had a ton of gifts anyway and we just store them til the time we will use it for our own home.

If anything, you could do a small registry of home basics (silverware, plates, etc). Either you or FH can keep it and use it in their home or if you can store it somewhere. Otherwise, I would skip the shower and not have a registry. Showers are for physical gifts (unless you want a recipe shower or something), so even the gift card thing wouldn't really work. If you don't have a registry, most people will get the hint and just give you cash/check at the wedding. Also, if they are coming to your wedding, I assume they are aware of your living situation. Cash registries just take a cut of the money, and they don't really provide enough of a service to warrant that when people can write you a check for free. Everyone knows money is good and everyone needs more of it, especially grad students. You can also have people spread that desire by word of mouth.

I wouldn't start thinking about your registry until a lot closer, to see how life changes from now to then. There is nothing wrong with registering for house items even if just one of you keep them for the time being!

Personally, if this were my situation, I just wouldn't register. I almost didn't but we ended up buying a house and the church wanted to throw us a shower. If closer to the wedding, your guests start asking where you are registered, you could put together a registry of small items you need now and have a cash fund for saving for your future living arrangement.

If you don't register, most people will give you cash as a gift!

I've had many friends not living together until after their wedding. You are allowed to register for household items just the same. Traditionally, this is how it went. You'd need a place to store everything though so some talking to your parents or his parents to help out if they have the room or rent a storage unit. Apartment or house shouldn't matter much. Depends what the apartments come with which usually standard is a fridge, microwave, and stove. You could still need everything else kitchen-wise and could register for small furniture items too if you wanted since it's usually cheaper to get unfurnished apartments.

Thanks so much for all the advice!!