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This weekend Champ and I dove into our long avoided relationship with our registry. A few months ago, I started to browse online to get a general idea of what was out there. I figured by the time we were ready to register, we would have a better idea of what we wanted. Weeks would pass, and still no motivation to pick up the registry gun.
Last week I received news that a shower for myself and Champ is in the works, and that all of my mom’s friends have been trying to find our registry. Oops. I thought five months was pretty generous, but apparently this is another “bride memo” I missed. Note to self: early registries equal happy family friends. Got it.
We picked Macys to be our first registry experience, and our day started off strong. I promised Champ he could scan the first item and it could be anything he wanted. I figured he would find some large ticket macho item and scan away. Much to my surprise, I turned around to witness Champ scanning a meat tenderizer. What?! A meat tenderizer? I’ll never understand the relationship between a man and his red meat.
We moved along through the cookware and bakeware pretty quickly, and made our way to the china. Now I may be alone here, but strolling around the fine china was so fun! So here are a few of my favorite registry items so far:
Vera Wang Imperial Scroll China (White bone china)
Wilton Armetale “Shell” Small Hors d’oeuvre Server
And my favorite item?
Ralph Lauren “Mandarin” Trumpet Vase, 11 1/4″
(all images courtesy of Macys)
By the end of the day, we’d made it through the basics but we weren’t able to find one very important item- our everyday dinnerware. It seemed like all of the “casual china” was too nice to use everyday, and the “everyday” plates were all so boring. So we’ll have to keep looking!
If there’s anything I can say about the registry experience it’s that you shouldn’t expect to register for everything in one day. It’s all pretty overwhelming, and it was really difficult for us to choose accessories for our future house when we live in a small apartment. Macys, you wore us out…
How many days did it take you to really complete your registry? And for my own info, where on earth did you find your everyday china?!
that vase is gorgeous, I am already anticipating needing two days in different stores. sometimes you can get a better deal at one store over another. Also bed bath & beyond is always sending out coupons so that will make family happy
I agree registering is soo draining!! Are you registering at other places besides Macy’s? We are registering at three spots. I recommend places like Crate and Barrell, Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn have a really good selection for your everyday dinnerware. What is it about steak or meat with guys…my fiance got excited about a meat thermometer.:)
First, you guys are HOT! Ok, now that I got that out of the way….I love that vase. We aren’t really registering for gifts, but I might have to go buy one of those!
I had the same problem with everyday dinnerware! I finally ended up registering at Crate and Barrel just for their clean and simple dinnerware (we sadly couldn’t register fully there because there are no stores by our hometown!) They have super delicious stuff though (and affordable!)
I went with my friend when she did. It took her 6 hrs. I thought that was an insanely long time until I did it. Or at least tried to do it. I’ve probably spent 6 hr and 3 separate trips, but FH and I are indecisive. Result: we havn’t even touched the registry gun.
Our everyday dishes are the Mikasa Swirl, which is available both at Macy’s and BB&B. It actually took us four weekends to get registered, as I militantly limited our time in the stores to a half day each (for three total - one each weekend). Then we spent a few evenings playing with the registries online, and went back to two stores on the fourth weekend for a little in-store cleanup. All in all, it was an effort.
Our casual set is the white embossed set by Jasper Conran for Wedgewood - I love it! Simple and clean but a few steps up from our usual Ikea plates!
@Vic004: we’ll also register at crate and barrel and bb&b- hopefully we have better luck!
@Miss Dumpling: look who’s talkin hot stuff!
@Jessica: the registry gun was truly a big fear for us- you can dooooo it!!
We did all our registering (Macys, BB&B, C&B) in one day, just to get it all over and done with.
We had the same problem with not finding any everyday dishes that we liked. Well, I actually found stoneware dishes I LOVED straight away, but they were MORE expensive than our china, so my mother voted them. Sad. We never wound up registering for everyday dishes, because I never found anything I liked… but shortly after the wedding, I found a pattern I loved on cb2.com so I just bought them for myself with $$ we received from the wedding. I’d check out cb2.com if you’re looking for something a little more interesting! I LOVE what we wound up getting — and since a few pieces wound up broken in the first shipment, not only did they replace the shipment ASAP, they set us 4 extra settings as an apology, so now I have extras stashed away for when I break pieces by accident!
I’m pretty sure FH will register for something meat related right out the gate as well… he asks me every time he sees a meat slicer if we can register for one.
I just have one word for you, Corelle! I think it’s the best everyday dinnerware because it’s so freakin’ durable! And it comes with a lot of different designs now too.
I have done my looking in the store with FI and my registering online. FI just doesn’t care about anything except the dishes so that was easier.
We are still negotiating our everyday china, I agree there’s not much not so expensive but fun stuff out there! I like the basic looking but chip resistant stuff (Lenox “Tin Can Alley”), FI thinks it’s too “plain jane.” But the pattern he liked (Lenox “Simply Fine” Flourish) is as expensive as our china, and I don’t think anyone will buy it, so we’re registering for a less expensive set, and I’ve promised him that if we get enough stuff from the registry, we’ll return some of it and get the everyday china he likes.
Who knew a guy who is still eating off his mismatched college plates would care so much about china?
It took us 2 trips to BBB and one to Target.
As for “everyday” china, I registered and received (whoot!) some Mikasa china that BBB carries. They’re kind of a bone color and pretty much every accessory you can think of is available (platters, gravy bowl, S&P, etc). There are two types; One is called French Countryside and the other Italian.
I BTW am not feeling the whole tying up greater than $100/setting in china I’ll use about once a year. That being said, when I’m going for a more formal look I’ll just dress up the pretty neutral set with any kind of charger and some nice linen.
Be sure to let us know what ends up making your list. Good luck with your search.
@Darlene: Corelle is amazing, isn’t it? I got a bunch of the plain white open stock when I moved into my own place for senior year of college, and it is still used today for utility things like cereal and as a resting place for meats. 
And they really hold up so beautifully.
Miss Champ: We went with Fiestaware (I’ve had this obsession with the line since I was…12?) for everyday, and then a super-simple C&B line for china (specifically, Madison, with some other lines mixed in when I really liked them). And don’t forget the merits of registering online–you can do it whenever you want, and it’s just as much fun as scanning things. And as for the meat tenderizer, well, men are strange when it comes to the kitchen–my fiance says the kitchen is the center of his power (he is the chef de cuisine in our house!), and he is getting all of his groomsmen awesome chef knives. To get to the point: men like tools/toys. End of story. 
I did the same as Julie… all in one day. Crate and Barrel, Macy’s. Figured it was easier to keep it all straight if we did it all at once.
We got Noritake colorwave stonewear in blue. We’re not getting fancy china. Doubt we’d ever use it!
I chose the Ralph Lauren Mandarin Blue as the everyday. Note***the vase matches the china! They even have champagne flutes in the same pattern too! The only change we made was to ditch the butterfly accent plate. I wasn’t too fond of that. We agonized over it for a while but figured that was really the only pattern we were going to still like 30 years from now.
Highly recommend the “everyday restaurant” dinnerware from Williams Sonoma. It’s heavy duty stuff, and really clean looking. Crate and Barrel’s plain white dishes felt delicate to me.
We’ve been registered for 7 months and just last week we finally registered for the Cellar White Rim China at Macys… I liked how they were heavy restaurant style
Another huge Corelle fan here! My mom received some when she got married and still has the plates! So when I set up my first apartment in college she got me the Classic Cafe Black pattern (except by going to an actual Corelle store she was able to find sets that have glasses rather than the kind of ugly mug). I love it because it’s a really simple pattern that will never go out of style, and will totally coordinate with any other pattern I decide to branch out to eventually once Corelle discontinues this one, should I feel the need to update!
My boy and I were really excited about registering when we got engaged (two years before the wedding date!), so we ran out to our local BB&B and had at it. We were so overwhelmed that day that we couldn’t think about going back for another six months, at least.
By the time we did, we agreed to basically start over, keeping only a few items, and starting in a different section. It was much more refreshing and fun the second time! We’re not done yet, but that’s okay, there’s plenty if people want to get started.
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Mrs. Champagne, DC/Vail/Colorado Age and Occupation: 26, Eye Doctor Fiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Attorney Engagement Date: March 13, 2006 Wedding Date: February 2009 Blogging Since: July 30, 2008 Venue: Small church ceremony with mountain-view log cabin reception About Me: I'm a small town mountain girl with a city heart. Found my way to the east coast, and Mr. Champagne kept me here so we're planning a wedding from afar in my hometown Vail, Colorado. I'm secretly obsessed with reality TV, Wii games where I can shoot a gun, country music, and Caesar: Dog Whisperer. I also spend time pretending to golf, backseat driving, having one way conversations with our MinPin Maxwell, loving champagne, and wedding perfecting… I mean, planning. I use way too many repeated symbols and letters when I write, and I'll love Mr. Champagne endlessly…
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