Are you one of the thousands of couples who got engaged over the holidays? This is the time for you and your soon-to-be to get everything you ever wanted – the time to start from scratch; to upgrade, expand and replace. To turn a whole bunch of mismatched mine and yours into a lifetime of ours.

A lot of couples become overwhelmed, feeling they have to get it all done at once. According to the experts at Bed Bath & Beyond, this is totally normal. When it comes to registering, Bed Bath & Beyond suggests you relax, take your time and have fun. Go back to the store as many times as needed, or update your registry online.

Here are some additional tips to make wedding planning a breeze:

Plan ahead: Start a bridal registry as soon as you say “yes.” This way you will be prepared for your engagement party and bridal shower, as well as your wedding. Periodically update your registry by adding more products if you need to, even after the wedding. Be kind to procrastinators.

Don’t be shy: Register for gifts in a range of prices and categories. This will give guests and group givers lots of options to choose from.

Do the math: Here’s an easy rule of thumb: Add up all the gift-givers for both your wedding and bridal shower. Register for at least two times as many gifts as givers. Your guests will appreciate having lots of choices when they shop for you. Be sure to refresh your list regularly as gifts get purchased.

Register now, because you won’t buy it later: You may think you will… but you won’t. Now is the time to let others get you the stuff you’d never buy yourself. Your friends and family might even get together to purchase a higher priced “group gift.”

Remember the rule of three: When it comes to setting your table, if you choose bold patterns for your china and flatware, pick a more simple style of glassware. Prefer intricate stemware? Pair it with simpler patterns of china and flatware. So, it’s bold/bold/simple or simple/simple/bold.

Three sheets is a win: Register for at least three sets of sheets – one for the bed, one for the linen closet and one for the hamper. This way you won’t be forced to do laundry.

Once you’ve set up your bridal registry, take advantage of Bed Bath & Beyond’s Bridal Toolkit(R), the complimentary wedding planning tools available at bedbathandbeyond.com, including your own personal wedding Web site, budgeter, task manager, guest list manager, gift tracker and even a seating arranger. This way, all of your information can be stored in one convenient place.

Congratulations and best wishes on your engagement. Now get registering and let the gift-giving begin. (MS)