Wedding Blog

In keeping with my recent irriation with certain aspects of our registry (I’m having bedding issues, lol), I decided to be an optimist this Hump Day and talk about what I *am* thrilled with on our registry: Our china!!!

I love love love our fine china. It’s the Crestwood Cobalt Platinum pattern, by Noritake:

I love it because it’s simple and elegant and timeless without being too “stuffy.” Plus, color wise, it’ll look wonderful in our (eventual) dining room, which I’m already planning on decorating in the same colors as our wedding colors.

This is the stemware our consultant at B3 helped us choose (they were so unbelievably helpful there!!!). It’s “Paris” by Noritake:

I love how the tops turn outward slightly, just like the rim of the china’s teacup. Plus, of course, the silver edge matches the platinum on the china.

And, our flatware (Oneida’s “Julliard”–very popular and timeless!):

Another added benefit is it coordinates my current everyday china, a pattern that I’ve been collecting in antique stores for about 10 years now. It’s called “Currier and Ives” and was produced during the 1960’s.

Saucer:

Dinner plate:

Dessert bowl:

In keeping with the blue and white, here is the everyday china we registered for (once we receive it, we’ll put the Currier and Ives away and use it occasionally instead of everyday). It’s “Sirocco” by Dansk:

From our JC Penney registry, our everyday glasses:

Our everyday flatware (”Tuscany” by Oneida):

There’s a dark brown rim which is sort of difficult to see in the photo, but will work well with our dark cherry/mahogany finished dining set (which we’ll also hopefully someday own!). I’m a big fan of mix and match, and the Sirocco will mix well with the Currier and Ives if I ever choose to do so.

Here are some tips that my bridal consultant at B3 told me when we were choosing our china:

• Of the three elements (china, flatware, stemware), two should be intricate or more detailed, while one should be more basic. This is to avoid a “busy” table if you choose three detailed elements, or a boring one if you just choose one–unless the one that you choose is VERY highly detailed, i.e. with an elaborate pattern all over.
• Bone china is not vegetarian/vegan friendly–though you won’t be ingesting any bone (duh), it is actually made of bone ash. Porcelain, however, is. Just in case that matters for you.
• You can tell if something is bone china or not by holding it up to a light and holding your hand behind it. If you can see a faint outline of your hand, it’s bone china. If you can’t, it’s porcelain.
• Our fine flatware isn’t actually silver–it’s stainless steel of a higher quality than most everyday flatware. This is done not just for cost efficiency, but because of the new technologies in flatware production that allow stainless steel to have a fine, detailed look that was previously achieved only with silver.
• New technologies also make it possible for *some* fine china and stemware to be both microwave and dishwasher safe! You will want to check and make sure before sticking it in there, but it can be something convenient to look for.
• Fine tableware should be, for most people, of a more classic design, just because when making an investment of this magnitude it’s not advisable to choose something that you’ll just want to replace in 5-10 years when it’s no longer trendy. I suppose if you have exhorbinant amounts of money you can do whatever you want, but personally I don’t want to *ever* have to replace my fine china!
• Certain companies make a few patterns that will *never* be discontinued. This is generally noted on the big binder of patterns that B3 (or wherever you register) will have for you to go through, and can be very handy if you (or your FI!) are prone to breaking dishes.

As I am writing this, I’m watching the plane crash on CNN. I hope all Xangans, Weddingbees and readers are OK! My thoughts are with everyone in that building or in the plane.