Life Hacks: Wedding Registry Wisdom
Registries are one of the greatest inventions out there. Seriously. It was one of the parts of wedding planning I enjoyed most. When else in life do you get to walk into stores like Crate&Barrel, Williams&Sonoma, or Bloomingdales and pick out what you would like for others to buy you? Never. Unless you are a 1st time pregnant woman but that is it and you don’t get nearly as much stuff. So if you haven’t had the opportunity to register yet look forward to that day. It’s a great one.
One of my good friends is getting married this September. Since I cook a lot she wanted my advice on what my favorite kitchen items were from my registry, so she suggested I do a blog post. Great idea! Registering can be fun, but also very overwhelming for many people. There is so much out there, and it is hard to decipher what items are worth it and those you can forgo. Wineabs is here to help! I put together a list with my favorite registry items, the things I wish I had, and the stuff that sits in shelves and collects dust. Hopefully this helps you on your registry journey. Before we dive in I want to warn you about something important when it comes to the maintenance of your wedding registries:
Do NOT drink and registry shop.
Don’t laugh. I doubt I am the only bride who has done this. It is too easy to log on to your Crate&Barrel account and start adding and deleting items like there is no tomorrow while you are sitting on your couch, glass of wine in hand. The purple drink may encourage this, but wineabs is warning against it. Most likely it will be the “wine” that thinks you need that extra fancy serving platter and when you soberly check your list the next day you will be upset to learn that someone actually bought that piece you will NEVER use. Trust me. I am a victim of wine shopping my registry. Put the glass down. Then click.
My favorite and most-used wedding registry items:
Cookware set: I would recommend going non-stick. You may be thinking why not go for the fancy stainless steel pretty looking set while you have the chance, but think about it first. I have a beautiful stainless steel Cuisinart saucepan and EVERY time I use it, the ingredients sticks to the pan and it is a major pain to clean. My non-stick Calphalon set is awesome and easy to clean. My husband even commented on how much he likes, and he rarely uses it! There are a few different brands, but I know Calphalon is well priced and durable for every day. Crate and barrel throws in 2 extra pieces too: a strainer and a large skillet!
Set of dishes: Stick with simple. White and neutral colors are the best and most versatile. You are going to be using these every day, so the last thing you want is something too loud that you may get sick of it quickly.
Flatware: This is so important. You use this EVERY day too, so make sure you pick wisely. Hold the utensils in your hand to test them out. Don’t go for the fancy patterns. Stick with a sleek design that can be dressed up or down depending on your place setting.
What I would change: I wish we ordered a set of 12. 8 is not enough.
Knife set: If you cook frequently, a knife block is a must. I don’t know what I did without it. We have this one, but there are other brands that are great as well. If you don’t have a lot of counter space and the knife block isn’t for you I would suggest registering for these knives separately:
A very good Chef knife because it is the most versatile and you will most likely use at least once a day. If I didn’t have the one that came in my block, I would splurge on this . Besides you’re not buying it, someone else is! Add it and see what happens. The beauty of wedding registries.
Sandoku – this will change your life for chopping vegetables – http://www.crateandbarrel.com/robert-welch-signature-5.5-santoku-knife/s233491A
Pairing knife – This is used for slicing fruit, lemons, and smaller items like cherry tomatoes.
Set of steak knives – or else what do you use to cut into that delicious ribeye at dinner?
What I would change: I wish I registered for the fancier “Wusthof” brand because I know I personally would never buy a set like that. I think the quality is slightly better too.
Cuisinart 9 cup Food Processor: this is the best! I use it all the time. The 9 cup is easier to store and I don’t think the 12 cup is necessary, but it depends on how many you plan to cook for I guess.
Spiralizer – if you’re into healthy eating this is a no brainer. It makes veggies fun and look like pasta. Who wouldn’t want this? Zoodles please.
What I would change: I would have researched this a little better. I find that my spiralizer is not as sturdy and I have trouble spiralizing starchy veggies like butternut squash or potatoes
Glassware – Simple is your friend. Remember, you will be using these every day and you don’t want to get sick of them
What I would change: I think ours are a little too fancy. The tall glasses are a little too skinny for my liking.
Wine glasses- Clearly I use these almost every day and I love them! The same applies for wine glasses as it does for water glasses- go simple and do not register for the most expensive ones. If you are anything like me you will end up breaking them. I broke at least 5 in the year after we got married. I know I know but one of them wasn’t me! Crate&Barrel has a variety of awesome options at affordable prices.
Set of glass mixing bowls – Luckily I already had this set, but if I didn’t I would definitely have registered for them. I use for baking, cooking, EVERYTHING.
Small appetizer plates: we don’t use these every day, but they come in handy when you are hosting and entertaining! I love the set we have from Crate&Barrel.
Cutting boards: We already had a good amount, so I didn’t register for them. However if you don’t have any make sure you register for these babies in various sizes- small, med and large.
Kitchen Tools or a Kitchen Tool Set: If you already have a good amount of cooking tools then I suggest registering for tools you need or want individually. However if you need a good amount, I would register for the whole set. Oxo and Cuisinart both make great non-stick sets. You want the non-stick! This will prevent from damaging your pans!
Kitchen Aid mixer: I will be honest here and tell you that I rarely use my mixer unless it’s the holiday season, or a birthday or special occasion. This is because I don’t bake cookies on the regular. If I didn’t have to worry about my waistline I would bake ALL the time, BUT I like my skinny jeans. Anyways it doesn’t matter though whether you use it 3x a year or every day because this is a staple registry item. You have to register for a kitchen aid mixer for two reasons a) it looks awesome on your counter and b) when you do decide to bake you will be so happy you own this beautiful piece of hardware. This past Christmas I was so thankful for my kitchen aid mixer. I could not have gotten through the holidays without it!
Roasting Pan: If you ever plan on hosting a Thanksgiving you will want a roasting pan for sure. All Clad makes a great one that I love.
What I wish we had…
1. Le Creuset dutch oven: One day I will get this. Think soups, sauces, chilis…the list goes on and on. This is a classic kitchen staple that you will cherish forever.
2. Appetizer Serving Dishes: Proper appetizer serving dishes for chips, dips, and cheese plates. We have started entertaining a lot more and I realized we don’t have much in that area. I would suggest a good chip&dip platter, small bowls for nuts, boards for cheese and charcuterie.
3. Crockpot: Please make sure you have a good crockpot. Mine is from the 80s and is completely shit the bed. Time to start researching for a new one.
4. Baking Set: You may not be a consistent baker, but when you want to whip up cookies and cakes these are clutch to have. You don’t have to go fancy but make sure you have some cookie sheets, muffin tins, and cake pans. This is a good one that I may just have to buy: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/cuisinart-6-piece-nonstick-bakeware-set/s650643
Things we rarely use…
Wine Decanter: I used this once. It is rare we just drink the same bottle of wine when we are entertaining, so I don’t find the point of using a decanter bc 1 bottle only serves 4 people or two or one…all depends on the occasion right?
Le Creuset cast iron skillet: I wanted this sooo bad, and now I never use it. My Calphalon pans are all non-stick, so I find them a) easier to use and b) much easier to clean
China: If I could go back and do it all over again I still would have registered for my china. Even though we don’t use it every day it is really special to have. I love the classic navy and gold set and how it looks on my holiday table. Once we started hosting holidays I think I gained a deeper appreciation for it. So, my suggestion to you is to pick out a set you both love and throw it on the registry and see what happens. If you don’t get it all, fine. You can always go back in the future and complete your set. It will make those holiday dinners with your families a little extra elegant.
This was our first Thanksgiving we hosted in Atlanta. It was so special being able to use our wedding china. I break it our for holidays, birthdays and sometimes just because. Life is too short to be boring. Enjoy your nice things in good health with good food, great company and even better wine :-). Cheers!