Wedding Blog
Yeah, I did!
I deleted all the formal china off our registry. Why, you ask?
Because we have no use for it.
When we started registering, formal china was a fairly simple decision to make. Easy, simple, classic, black and white. Done. We loved our choice, and moved on to something else.
The more I thought about it, the less I liked the idea of formal china. What do I need formal china for? I don’t entertain people who would even be comfortable eating off my “good china”. We have dinner parties, but they aren’t those kinds of parties.
(source)
That is not something you will ever see at my house. We’re more casual people. I’m usually barefoot (but not pregnant or in a trailer park). One cannot have a formal dinner party when she refuses to wear shoes. We like to sit around with our feet on the furniture and drink beer. I can’t serve beer with formal china.
It just didn’t seem logical or sensible to register for something I would never use. Formal china would become the albatross around my neck. I’d be forced to schlep it around with me the rest of my life. I’d be overridden with guilt for not using it. It would get dusty in a cabinet somewhere (in my likely too small house where I could really put that space to use holding something much more meaningful). I can’t imagine asking our guests to gift us $65 place settings that would get dusty!
So I dialed up Mr. CC at work, which is risky business anyway. He is often busy entertaining Generals and politicians, so interrupting his day for something important is one thing, but calling him for silly things like, “Is it ok if I take the formal china off the registry?” is a little ridiculous. Fortunately, I caught him at lunch. The conversation went something like this:
Miss CC: Do we really need formal china?
Mr. CC: I don’t think so. Why?
Miss CC: I don’t want people to buy it for us, if it’s going to be a waste of money. We’ll never use it.
Mr. CC: Okay, take it off, I don’t care. How is your day?
This was something I was stressed about! He blew it off like it was nothing… wouldn’t it be great to have that ability?
So, I went and did some registry detox and got all that formal stuff out of my way. The place settings, the stemware with the platinum rim, the silver. It was all gone. And it felt soooo good!!
That evening, Mr. CC said to me, out of the blue, “What if we want it later?” Um, well, we’ll buy ourselves some.
What are your reasons for registering or not registering for formal china? As a married person that didn’t register for china, do you regret it?
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I just plain wanted it. I would like to have lots of fancy plates to use on Thanksgivings, Easters, and Christmases. Or just regular nice dinners at home! And for things like platters, I won’ut use those often anyway, so they might as well be fancy.
Plus, in my family, you get china as a gift for YEARS after your wedding, and all the women in my family have a pattern that we all know.
I didn’t register for formal china either!!! I am so glad to hear that someone else has the same opinion. I have the same thoughts Mr. CC does, “We will just purchase some later.”
Have you kept your informal dishes on the fancier side of informal or completely informal. I decided on the middle, a bone china for everyday use and we can dress it up with different salad plates, an informal one color or a glass plate to change the mood. What about stemware? Are you registered for crystal?
Thanks for the fun/great/informative post!
I never wanted to put china on our registry for the reasons you said above; it’s just not us and it’d just collect a lot of dust, dust that I would end up having to dust! A few days after we decided not to get it, my grandma called me up and said she had something for us…her china! The second best thing about this is that it’s not so fancy looking that we can use it for everyday occasions and I won’t feel bad about not using it. The first best thing? I LOVE the design! It’s simple, clean and doesn’t have flowers 
We battled with it, and together decide we didn’t really want it, but FMIL insisted and bought 8 settings. So we’ll have it. I am coming around to the idea of it, since it’s not an option, it’s happening. So now, we can entertain the idea of a fancy-schmancy dinner party. But we were totally on your same line of thinking in the beginning, if we’re inviting someone over for dinner, they are coming to see us, we hope, and not to see how fine our place settings are.
Way to go, Miss CC!! I think it’s so strong of you to be honest with yourself like this!
We’re not registering for china, either. I figure, if I want something nice for a dinner party in the future, I’ll just go out and buy it already! Most of our dinner parties aren’t “fine china” dinner parties, anyways.
I worked in the bridal registry at Macy’s for a few years and I am definitely registering for Fine China. I plan on using it all the time, not just for holidays or special occasions. If you register for a good name brand like Wedgwood or Lenox, their china is very sturdy and can withstand day-to-day use. I have nice everyday stuff too that I got while I worked at Macys but I think it is nice to come home and suprise the hubby with a nice candle lit dinner on our fine china (even if I don’t cook and it is just take out! it still gives that nice romantic feel). But I am not registering for crystal or silver. We love Riedel stemware and plan on registering for that instead.
But I definitely understand why couples don’t register for it. It does take a lot of space and if you don’t have the room, you don’t have it. If I hadn’t worked at Macy’s then I probably wouldn’t register for fine china!
We’re not registered for fine china. It just seems so useless and since FI wants to live in the city forever, I doubt we’ll ever have the space to store it. Besides, I wanted dishes with a bold, fun pattern- we ended up registering for a mix and match set of plates by Mikasa from Macy’s and some fun bowls and platters from Anthropologie.
I didn’t register for china either, and my FMIL was appalled. My response was also: We just don’t have those kinds of get-togethers. “What about holidays? Thanksgiving dinner?” I didn’t grow up with china, so I’m okay with eating my turkey on the same plates we used the day before Thanksgiving.
We’re going to be moving around a lot after the wedding (mil couple), so we don’t want anyone to spend so much money on something that will get little use and will probably get broken.
Once we finally settle into our last home, we’ll probably get a nice, sturdy set for everyday use. By then, we’ll probably feel grown up enough to use the “fancy stuff” on a regular basis 
We don’t plan on registering for them either (if we ever do register). We’re very casual. And I haven’t really seen fine china that I like design-wise. I like simple contemporary stoneware - something not too expensive so I don’t have to worry handling them. I’m very clumsy.
We didn’t. Like you said, you can’t drink beer while using expensive, fancy china. Plus there are much more useful things on our registry that we really need if our guests want to get us something. My mom and both my grandmothers have a set, so I’ll probably end up inheriting some anyways, and theirs will be much more meaningful to me then something new.
We’re not going to register for china either. I wish I could register at Lowes! It’s home improvement stuff we really need!
I didn’t register for china because my Grandma had a couple of sets and before she passed, she said that my sister and I could choose which set we wanted when we got married. So I had a set of china passed down to me. We registered for things we would use all the time…Didn’t really need 2 sets of china and like you said, I’m a barefoot kinda gal as well and probably won’t use the fancy stuff much.
I look at it like this: If I have it then I have the option to use it. If I don’t have it I don’t have that option. I am a girl that likes options. I know that we are less formal but there have been occasions in my life that I have really wished I could make a dinner at home more special and fancy. Besides after reading all the stories on here of how china has been passed down I would love to do the same with mine one day.
I didn’t (am not going to) register for fine China either, much to FMIL’s protest. I am registering for some plain whiteware that can be dressed up with patterned salad/dessert plates that I can purchase separately later on. I did register for fancy (Riedel) wine glasses though! We’re really into wine, and will eat our food off of anything.
We registered for and received china for our wedding last summer - and I love it! We live in the city and it is stored in pretty quilted containers on the top shelf of my closet. And despite needing a step-stool to get to it - and having wrapped each individual piece in tissue paper and separating the plates with foam padding - I use them quite a bit. Last week I used them because my neighbor surprised me with adorable mini red-velvet bundt cakes - and they just had to be eaten off of china. And next weekend is the hubby’s bday and we are having 6 people over for dinner - and there will be china. I will also be barefoot, no one will be dressed up, and I’m not serving anything super fancy - but I just love using china. It says “This meal is important and we’re making memories,” not “we are fancy people.” We didn’t however register for cut-crystal anything (except champagne flutes) because of storage reasons and the hubby thinks they are silly - but he assures me I can get them when we live in a bigger place.
I whole-heartedly agree. I never got any resistance on my decision to not register for china or crystal, either (thank goodness!). I’m too klutzy and I feel like the money spent on china is better spent elsewhere on items we would really need. If we have a fancy dinner and I feel like decorating the dinner up a little, I’ll put out chargers, which are $2 at Hobby Lobby. Then, I can stow those away in the attic and forget about them until I need them again. No big deal!
We are registering for it, because we both love to cook and entertain, and hope to do so in the not too distant future.
On another note, isn’t it crazy how simple and no-nonsense our fiances can be about things that are stressing us out?!
I didn’t want to register for it either. We are deffinately not at a place in our lives were we have formal dinner parties or would be hosting any family holiday meals. So no china for me. Anyways I always feel like china is something old… there for finding out that my mom has a double set that could be passed down to both me and my sister took what little worries I had about it away.
Don’t regret your decision, everyone is different and lives differently and if you do not need china you do not need china.
You’re post made my day. I have been told often “you should register for fine china.” I feel exactly like you. I have dinner parties but not where fine china is needed. It seems ridiculous to ask for a 65 dollar plate.
I’m the type that loves fine china and crystal..I used to love to go to Fortunoff (sadly going out of business) and splurge on a platter or silverware set now and then..I love entertaining and my FI and friends get a kick out of me serving Chinese take out on fine china! who says fine china is only for occasions? 
I recently found out we were inheriting FH’s grandmother’s china. So, yeah, can cross that off the list.
I think I only wanted china because I remember growing up as a child looking forward to the special occasions when my mother would use the china.
I don’t even cook, but treasure it in that sense.
i took the china off our registry too. it’s nice to see that someone else is doing the same thing!
i am in love with several patterns on the market right now, but my indecisiveness means i’d never be satisfied with my final choice. i have an addiction to purchasing thrift store china anyhow, so someday i hope to have a mismatched collection of that.
i’m definitely still registering for everyday plates though.
I love this! Our every day plate ware is white porcelain. I know…boring, but you can spruce up the decor with any kinds of color, and all food is presented in its original color…no one has to say “What is this?” So if anything, I’ll be adding a few more sets of simple porcelain so that we could possibly have a dinner party for…um…well Thanksgiving maybe…or a fabulous socialite gathering, although we’d have to scrounge up some socialites…
We are registering for china. Mainly because I like it and think it’s perdy. But also, my mom has always used china (that I’ve always LOVED) for Easter, Thanksgiving, & Christmas, so it was kind of a no brainer for me to want my own set.
We registered for china and I really hope we get it because I definitely want to use it when we entertain (which we love doing and plan to do a lot of). I completely agree with Erin, I dont think it makes us fancy or anything, and we love our beer as well, but I can’t wait to have china! I think it’s great though that you were able to purge your china because it’s really an individual thing, and if you don’t think you will use it, why have it?!
Yay! Practicality! No china here either. My mom told me I could have hers, but even if it wasn’t coming my way, I didn’t want china unless I was a bit more settled. It is such a pain to move across the country. Knowing me, most of the pieces would get broken before they ever got used…
We’re just not china folks. Now the steam vacuum, there’s a gift! Instead of being worried that my fancy dishes will get broken, I can be the relaxed hostess who doesn’t freak when red wine is spilled on the couch.
We didn’t register for it, for all the reasons already given. But also, we only had 70 guests, and even without china on the registry, we didn’t get everything we’d registered for. Not even close. (And we didn’t register for much, I swear.) So it just never made any sense to me, if it meant people giving us china *instead of* all the functional things we actually needed.
Amen! We didn’t register for anyway. We are more the boho dinner party types and registered for dishes that can be dressed up, but are totally everyday. China just ain’t my aesthetic (and there is a lot more beer drunk than wine in this household as well–my partner is a brewer!).
This is an interesting set of comments. I come from a long line of “china” people. My mother inherited a set of her Grandmother’s wedding china. Her mother’s Christmas Lenox, and has her own 1960s era Lenox in addition to the classic Christmas Tree Spode. We have a tradition of serving Thanksgiving dinner on Nanny’s Autumn Leaf Limoges from her 1910 wedding. The Christmas Tree Spode is used from Thanksgiving through the middle of January on a daily basis. The Lenox Christmas pattern is for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, but is displayed throughout the holiday season. I inherited my Great Grandmother’s cut crystal compote and creamer and sugar on my father’s side from her 1900 wedding. In addition, I have begun a Belleek Shamrock tea set collection. My everyday china is a form of Wedgwood. It is the white on white Nantucket Basket, and can be dressed up or dressed down. It may seem fancy but it is stronger and more durable than the pottery/ceramic forms of china. I love having lots of options in serving pieces, and having the ability to make my guests feel that an ordinary day can seem special with a pretty plate. While I haven’t registered yet… it’s something that I look forward to doing. I have friends who have chosen not to pick china, and I wonder why not…I guess because I think that I would like to feel like an honored guest occasionally at their table.
We didn’t register for formal china, but registered for an everyday white porcelain set (the kind of that has all the pieces for 8 people already) and some nicer stoneware. We are also not fancy folk (as evidenced by the fact we never eat at the dinner table, but in front of the tv and our computers =P), but I hope to entertain more in the future and would like some nicer plates to replace our cheapo IKEA stuff =).
Haha, my FI is like that, too. He doesn’t stress over anything!
No china for us. No need for it. We’re more of a “cocktail & entertainment” party couple.
I’m not married yet, but no china for us… no way, no how! Fiance’s mom has like 4 sets (if we need one for some reason)… so we’re fully covered. We’re getting beautiful Noritaki stoneware, which we love!
I agree completely!! We opted for no china as well. Instead we had a family friend make a set of ceramic dishes that we love - slightly fancier than my Fiesta dishes, but still able to put them in the dishwasher! It does feel liberating!
No formal stuff for us either! We couldn’t justify having our guests spend that much money on us for something we would rarely use.
We aren’t registering for fine china either. I just know it’ll never get used — my parents and grandparents don’t have any fine china they use for special occasions. The idea of having fine china for dinners etc is a totally foreign thought to me!
If it isn’t ever going to be used, I guess I can see not registering for it. But if you don’t register for china because you just don’t think you would use it NOW…I think that is a mistake. While you may not use it now, there is a time in your life when you may want it and I can promise you that you won’t feel like buying it. Let your guests buy it for you now so you aren’t redoing the house in your 50’s with three teenagers and wishing you had the time, inclination or money to go buy yourself some china.
I inherited my china set, so it’s difficult for me to separate the practical from the nostalgic, but I applaud you for this! I love my grandmother’s set, but I tend to angst over its usefulness; I haven’t even taken it out of the box since I got it five years ago.
We didn’t register for “formal” dinnerwear (though our Denby patterns may as well be cost-wise) for much the same reasons - we don’t have those kinds of dinner parties. And to be honest, I didn’t want something I couldn’t run through the dishwasher after hosting a big meal!
I will eventually inherit a formal flatwear set, but by then we may be inclined to use it more than once a year.
We did register for it…mainly because we just figured that’s “what you do” ya know?
Honestly though, I don’t expect anyone to actually buy it for us. I mean, it’s like $140 for ONE place setting….lol
I am jumping on the no china bandwagon. The only china I liked was something really girlie that didn’t match anything we owned or registered for. We actually didn’t even find everyday china or standard dinnerware we loved more than what we had so we are waiting until we stumble upon ‘the ones,’ and getting them then. I definitely don’t regret not having china.
I had the same problem when I looked at formal china. I can’t serve tacos on bone china. Can’t. So we opted for a fun set of place settings instead. Hopefully we’ll get those! We also didn’t register for the seventy different types of liquor glasses. If someone wants vodka and tonic I don’t think they’ll care if it’s served in a pint glass or a coffe mug.
Nice, Miss CC! It sounds like you are satisfied with your decision. I agree that if you don’t think you guys will use the formal china, there is no reason to register for it. I am grappling with this, too.
We did the same thing when we realized we have 3 full sets coming to us from parents & grandparents. Unfortunately I was home this weekend and caught alot of slack for that decision…apparently registering for china is “the southern thing to do”
I most definitely plan to register for china, because I most definitely plan to use it!
We registered for china, but only because we actually plan on using it! But good for you for removing it from your registry if you aren’t going to use it!
We didn’t register for fine china for two reasons, the first being the same reason you took yours off. I also HATE moving. I can’t image how irritated I would be when I had to move the lovely and very breakable china to a new home. A dumb reason? Probably, but who cares.
I agree Miss Crab Cake. We haven’t registered yet, but neither of us have a desire to own china or fancy crystal stemware. I have no desire to own a china cabinet and in fact the idea makes me squirm. Nor would I want to store them away in quilt containers. I’d rather have a nice set of pots and pans and cool kitchen gadgets (I love to cook) than some china.
I agree 100%! I have been hauling my china around for the last 26 years! Mind you my uncle gave me beautiful china he bought in Japan when he was in the millitary, and I was but a wee baby. But it has moved with me my enitre life. It is beautiful and I do use it for holidays but honestly it is not something that gets used as much as it should. I will never part with it because it holds a special meanig for me. So I am doomed to relocate china service for 12 for the rest of my life.
Yeah, no fine china for us either. We definitely won’t have any use for it.
We didn’t register for fine china either. I just think its totally impractical for us. I also hate the inclination that people have that our Thanksgiving dinners won’t be as nice because we wont be eating off of $100 plates.
Maybe if you grew up with your elders having nice china and using it you would be more likely to want it. No one in my family owns china and if they do, they’ve never used it- which is a total waste if you ask me.
Kudos to those that say they’ll use it all the time, I would probably be afraid to use it knowing how much is costs. Target paltes here I come
I didn’t register for any because I have some already. It’s black, with a foil stripe around the sides. My Aunt’s divorced neighbor was getting ready to sell them, when my aunt spotted them and claimed them for me. I got them for my birthday 3 years ago.
It was a happy day when Mr. googleLiz and I got our house, because then I fetched my dishes, where my mother had been storing them, and got to use them.
We use them every few months, when we have guests over. It can just be my sister and her husband. Why wait till special occasions to use them? (other than the fact they don’t go in the dishwasher).
Basically, if it’s not just us for dinner, we pull them out.
We didn’t register for it, even though we were very strongly pushed toward it at the stores at which we registered. I can’t imagine asking people to buy us something SO expensive. Goodness.
I didn’t register for China. I had a few pieces of Spode Blue Room that my mom had started me on when I graduated from High School. I’m also getting her Lenox Christmas set for Christmas. So- what more do I need? As it is, I have no room for any of it.
Like others here though, DH’s mom and grandma and aunts were a little appalled. They especially felt we should have crystal stemware- something I really DID NOT want. But- we got it anyway from his aunt.
Ididn’t register for china when I got married 5 years ago, and I wish I had.
Like some said already, fine china is not just for guests. My DH and I have dinners with just the 2 of us, and it makes it even more special to use fancy china. The fancy china we’ve bought ourselves definitely gets more use than the toasters, smoothie makers, and George Foreman grills sitting in the cupboard.
I still don’t know if we will register for chins but most likely not. My parents have a nice stoneware set that they don’t even use and my Aunt has already told me that she is gifting us her wedding china for our wedding. I like the idea of passing china through a family and since my aunt displayed hers instead of using it it is not broken at all but I would also like to host the kind of holiday dinners that look good on fine china one day so maybe we should have our own and just pass hers down to the next generation.
I come from a china family–my mother is obsessed. Thus, I’m inheriting a good bit, both from my family and my FI’s. I’ve gotten a set of Spode India Tree from my grandmother (dinner plates, salad plates, coffee cups), as well as a set of red and gold Wedgewood from my FI’s mom. So…I’m lucky that they match–in fact, they look beautiful together, and I can have an enormous dinner party. I’m also inheriting an unbelievable set of 12 Christmas plates from my grandmother–they’ll look great with the Wedgewood for fancy Christmas dinner, and be cute for the rest of the season too.
So, what we’re doing is registering for a set of red French pottery “casual” plates that will still look good with our formal set, the Spode especially. They’re the Emile Henry from Williams-Sonoma–I’m in love. We’ll be able to keep them forever, match them with tons of different types of china, and use them every day.
No silver (I’ll be inheriting an enormous set of Grande Baroque one day from my mom via my grandmother). Reidel Grape glasses for every day wine drinking, and I’m toying with getting some plain Baccarat crystal for formal occasions (everyone keeps telling me my registry isn’t big enough, so why not?). And almost no silver serving pieces either–I just got a ton (10!) very nice bowls and platters from my grandmother.
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Mrs. Crab Cake, Columbus, GA
Age and Occupation: 25, Registered Nurse
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Director of Education and Living History for a museum
Engagement Date: April 6, 2008
Wedding Date: June, 2009
Blogging Since: November 26, 2008
Venue: Holy Family Catholic Church, reception: National Infantry Museum
About Me: I'm a perfectionist trying to balance two jobs, motherhood, my craft obsession, and wedding planning. I am obsessed with all things wedding, especially creative ideas for saving money and DIY projects. A Southern Belle at heart, I love anything southern, especially sweet tea, grits, afternoon thunder storms, crab cakes, and good old Southern hospitality. Mr. Crab Cake and I are planning a vintage inspired wedding with tons of Southern flare (can y'all say that with a thick Southern drawl?).
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