Wedding Registry Tips

Lindsey's wedding day is getting closer and closer, which means it is time to register. It can be especially tough to come up with a list when you've been living on your own or together for many years, already own pots & pans, and don't have room or need for crystal champagne flutes. As I approach my second wedding anniversary in May, I've had plenty of time to use the generous gifts that we received for our big day, and hope that I can offer a little bit of advice to her and to others getting ready to register!  While there truly isn't anything that I regret adding to our registry, some items do get more use than others, and there are a couple of items that would have been nice additions in retrospect.

KitchenAid stand mixer: The patron saint of wedding registries. And for good reason. Not only is the KitchenAid an awesome accessory on your kitchen counter, but it works. Really well. I am not an experienced baker, but find myself trying new recipes and wanting to get better because I have this handy device to help me. There are also many attachments which can take the place of other kitchen appliances (we did not register for a food processor, ice cream maker, pasta maker, etc.).

Matching glasses: We have dozens of pint glasses that have been smuggled out of bars over the years, but registered for a simple set of a dozen matching glasses (these tumblers). These might be the most used items off the registry. I love that they can be dressed up with a fun straw for cocktails, or are the perfect size for a glass of water. It's also nice to set a table that matches and isn't advertising breweries.

New sheets: Yes, you already have sheets. But are they high thread count Egyptian cotton? Probably not. You will use sheets every day forever, so why not add a few luxurious sets to your registry? They are so comfortable. And worth it.

New towels: Same goes for towels. You will use them, and you most likely don't have the fluffiest ones on the market, or matching sets. We registered for 4 sets of white towels, and were able to donate the scratchy hot pink ones I still had hanging around from freshman year of college.

China: Depends on who you ask, but china was a must for us. I had already built up a pretty extensive collection of dishes (Fiestaware), so we were not in need of durable, everyday dishes. We both knew that if we did not register for china, we most likely would never purchase it for ourselves. We fell in love with Kate Spade's Library Lane collection with Lenox. It is classic, well sized, and even dishwasher safe (although we hand wash). We've had guests over and used the china on multiple occasions, and the two of us use it on our stay-in date nights. Plus, it looks great in the china cabinet!

Table linens: Mike and I both grew up in "cloth napkin houses", with paper napkins reserved for birthday parties and school lunches. While we don't stick to it now (and use paper towels for dinner on the coffee table more often than not), we plan on adopting that policy once we have in-unit/house laundry. We already pull out the cloth for special occasions, and love the versatility of these Pottery Barn napkins from our registry.

Decorations: Remember to think past the bedroom & kitchen. We registered for this clock (thanks Brett & Lindsey!), which will hang prominently on our wall forever. Wanting new throw pillows, table lamps, side tables, or a rug? Register for them! Even if they aren't purchased as a gift, you will most likely get a discount on them after your big day.

What we wish we registered for:

Honeymoon registry: Honeymoon registries are a great supplement to a traditional registry, especially when you already have a lot of home items or don't have space for 12 place settings of china.

Luggage: For my college graduation, my parents gave me a set of luggage. It has gotten a ton of use, but is showing its age, and its days are numbered. With honeymoon and travel to friends weddings at an all time high last year, it would have been smart to register for a new set each.


Bonus tip: We found that Macy's had the best registry program for us. We registered in person and were given discount upon discount, helpful advice, and were enrolled in bonus programs. We ended up getting a free china place setting and serving bowls, 10% off registry completion discount, and a giftcard equal to 10% of the total purchases made off of our registry, which we used to purchase a good knife set.