We were lucky enough to "inherit" lots of things we needed for our apartment, and I also bought a lot of things once we moved in together, which I know is the case for many couples. Some of our things are perfectly nice (like this pot and pan set that Kenny's mom gave us) but there are still things we're missing, or things we'd like to replace with a nicer version (like our dishes). I usually prefer to invest in high quality things that will last a long time, so I've held off on getting a lot of things until I can save up for them, or until I can do my research to decide on the best option.
At first I didn't know where to begin with our registry, so I started off by stalking the registries of all of the weddings Kenny and I had coming up for ideas (haha). It was really helpful to see what other people were asking for to help give me a jump start on realizing things that we'd need or want, so I'm hoping that sharing my registry will provide that benefit. I also thought back on things that my parents use a lot, and things that I liked to use at their house to get some more ideas.
I also didn't know WHERE to register, and frankly I didn't really care. I went with Bed Bath and Beyond for most of the items because they have a great selection and there is one local to me, so I can easily do any exchanges I might need. (Edit: a friend also let me know that Bed Bath and Beyond offers a discount on any of the items on your registry that don't get gifted to you by the date of your wedding so that you can "finish your registry," which is so awesome!) For several of my items, I registered at Williams Sonoma because they have a lot of nice things that are unique to other places. After registering there, I started to hear bad things about their registry system (items getting sent to the gifter rather than the couple, difficult exchange process, etc.) but since I had only registered for a handful of things from there, I went ahead and kept that registry.
Today I'm sharing the things that I registered for to help you out if your registry needs some work, along with some things that I have, LOVE, and recommend to any newlywed couple. I've broken everything into categories to make it a little more digestible because it's a lot of stuff!
Bedding
- Sheets: Good sheets are expensive and make a great gift! Kenny and I are planning on getting a new larger mattress as soon as we get back from our honeymoon, so I asked for new sheets to go with it.
- Throw blanket: This was a total impulse-add... I saw it in-store and fell in love. Isn't that how it always goes??
Appliances & Electronics
- Stand mixer: THE NUMBER ONE KITCHEN APPLIANCE FOR AN AVID BAKER! KitchenAid mixers have become a popular registry item even among people who rarely bake, but I swore by my mom's when I lived at home, so this was literally the first thing I added to my registry.
- Nespresso: I have an espresso machine, but I've always wanted a Nespresso. It just seems so easy, and I love that this one comes with a separate frother.
- Food processor: Every kitchen needs a food processor, this one has good ratings and is a good size for me.
- Blender: Along with a food processor, every kitchen needs a blender!
- Toaster: ...Along with a food processor and a blender, every kitchen needs a toaster, ha! Kenny and I have a toaster oven, but we both prefer traditional toasters.
- Steamer: I much prefer to steam clothes rather than iron them, and I've heard really good things about this one. The one I have now is a mini travel steamer and works just fine, but the water capacity is small so I want a bigger everyday one.
Cooking
- Colander set: You can't beat a solid colander set. I like plastic ones because I feel like the holes in metal ones can be sharp on the edges.
- Strainer: I like strainers for everything from blanching vegetables to topping baked goods with powdered sugar.
- Skillet: Kenny and I have a pretty good set of pots and pans, but one thing we're missing is a large, deep, wok-style skillet.
Baking
- Measuring spoons: I use these every single time I cook or bake! I have a set, but this one is nicer and has more measurements.
- Mixing bowls: This mixing bowl set is perfect, you'll always have the right size!
- Cookie scoop: Cookie scoops make baking cookies (and cupcakes/muffins) SO easy, with everything the same volume, everything bakes at a consistent rate.
- Icing spatulas: I greatly prefer offset spatulas to straight ones for frosting cakes and cupcakes, I think it makes things much easier.
- Cooling rack: Cooling racks are useful for a ton of things, especially cookies.
- Whisks: I registered for a bunch of different sized whisks, including this 10" whisk, this 11" skinny whisk, and this 11" balloon whisk.
- Spatulas: Along with whisks, I also registered for a bunch of spatulas including a jar spatula, small spatula, medium spatula, and spoon spatula. OXO brand spatulas are my favorite.
- Cookie sheets: I will wear these out! I use cookie sheets for baking and roasting on a regular basis.
Gadgets & Utensils
- Cheese grater: Somehow, Kenny and I don't already have a cheese grater! I like that this one catches the cheese so you don't have to gather it up.
- Knife block: Kenny and I have a good set of knives, but no good way to store them, so I wanted a knife block to keep them all together.
- Masher: I mash bananas and avocados for recipes all the time, and a good masher works MUCH better than forks.
- Zester: I'm a citrus fiend, so a zester is a must. They're also nice for grating chocolate on top of desserts or fancy coffees.
- Pepper mill: Freshly ground pepper is far superior to pre-ground. I love having a pepper mill around to add freshly ground pepper to any dish.
- Peeler: My parents have this peeler and it's SO good, I had to have my own.
- Tongs: Tongs are really handy in cooking when you need to be precise and a spatula just isn't gonna cut it.
- Serrated knife: Out of all of our knives, we don't have a serrated knife for things like bread and tomatoes.
- Pie server:You can serve pies or cakes without a server!
- Kitchen shears: Kitchen shears are one of the most useful kitchen gadgets in my opinion. You can use them to open packaging, trim greens, and even cut through meat.
- Brownie cutter: This is something that once you have, you can't live without! It cuts prefect brownies, as well as other "deep dish" things like lasagna.
Dinnerware
- Serving bowls: All of my parents dishes are Fiesta brand, and I love them. They're super durable and practical. I registered for a ton of different Fiesta items including these serving bowls.
- Small bowls: They call these "chowder bowls," smaller than cereal bowls but still big enough for serving things like fruit or yogurt and granola.
- Pasta bowls: I eat out of a pasta bowl pretty much always, it's a perfect balance between a plate and a bowl.
- Dinner plates: Tried and true dinner plates!
- Lunch plate: Smaller than a dinner plate but just as much of a staple.
- Butter dish: There are two types of people: people who think it's perfectly fine to leave butter sitting at room temperature, and people who wouldn't dare. In my opinion, nothing is more annoying than hard butter, so I've gotta have a butter dish to keep my room-temp butter in.
- Glasses: Gotta have glasses! Small for me and my small drinks, large for Kenny and his large drinks, ha.
- Silverware: Because we're civilized and don't eat with our hands. Not usually, anyway...
Bar
- Muddler: I'm a self-proclaimed cocktail queen, but one thing I don't have is a proper muddler.
- Bar spoon: Could I use a regular spoon? Yes, but why would I when they make cute long cocktail spoons??
- Wine coaster: One of my friends on Instagram posted about this and I immediately knew I had to have it! So bougie, so right.
Other Recommendations
- Riedel glasses: It's no secret that I am Riedel's biggest fan. This is my number one recommendation if you are a wine drinker! You'll never go back to "regular" glasses.
- Hand mixer: Along with the stand mixer, this is another baker staple. It's great for whipping things like whipped cream, pie fillings, and batters.
- Pyrex glass containers: These are my favorite dishes for serving leftovers. You can eat straight from them or bring them on the go.
- Cocktail shaker: Any self-proclaimed mixologist like myself has to have a trusty cocktail shaker! Shaken is ALWAYS better than stirred.
- Liquid measuring cups: Pyrex makes my favorite liquid measuring cups, I use one almost every day.
- Baking dishes: I also love Pyrex baking dishes, and I like that these come with lids for storage or travel.
- Towels and washcloths: If you don't have a good matching set of towels and washcloths, you must! Most of ours are leftover from my college apartment, but they get the job done.
- Nutribullet: I got this as a Christmas gift a few years back and it's great if you make a lot of smoothies or want to blend a small quantity of something.
- Mattress topper: This is a great way to revamp your sleeping situation without investing in a whole new mattress. I have one on my bed at my parents house and it's the comfiest!
Am I missing anything?? Let me know if I am! I hope you enjoyed reading my items and recommendations, and got some ideas for your own registry if you're struggling for ideas like I was.
If you made it this far, I have one more bit of exciting news - Kenny and I picked up our marriage license on Monday! Kenny was so freakin cute when we were in there signing the forms, he could not stop smiling! I love him so dearly. We also finalized the details of our ceremony with our pastor yesterday, so all that's left is to put it all together at the rehearsal. Eek!
Cheers!
xoxx, Laura
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