What should I register for?

View your registry as a wish list. This is the chance to think about those items you look at and think one day I am going to have that.

I purchased a Vita mix. I use it all the time. It makes soup, smoothies, frozen stuff. it has a 2hp motor. It can make dry flour.

and I have to agree a kitchen aid. Everyone needs one of those.
Both the Vita mix and the Kitchenaid are made in the USA!

You also need to add smaller items to the registry. Not everyone wants to buy one thing or not everyone can spend a few hundred dollars. You want to register at few stores, but keep the departments to one store. so the kitchen at one store, bathroom at one store, bedroom at one store.

I wish you the best. and years of happiness!!!

Congrats!!

I would add a few nice tablecloths and napkins, some copper pots (maybe a bowl and
a large saute pan), your favorite coffee maker that you wish you owned, a cake stand, I second on AJ's choice for pitchers, and various shaped tarts pan with removable bottoms.

the classics--good china, crystal and flatware. 12 place settings. Because now that the kids are older, we do use them often and it's a pleasure to set a really beautiful table. Register for enough, because 1) some patterns go out of production or 2) become way more expensive over time, and 3) if you choose to have a family, they'll get to a certain age and not want to be the only ones at the table using the Corelle.

I do rely on my KitchenAid mixer, pressure cooker (large size) and good pots, but I found those myself on sale over the years at excellent prices. As AntoniaJames said, crystal water pitchers are wonderful & useful. I used mine for entertaining for 19 years until it bit the dust.

For serving pieces, it's sometimes nice to register for two of a particular piece if you are serving at a large table with lots of people.

get stuff that you'll use and love for a long time!

my favorites:
dutch oven
debuyer mineral pan
lodge cast iron
dishes i love and use everyday
kitchenaid
food processor
rosle kitchen utensils
adjustable pepper mill
a few good knives (chef, bread, paring, boning)

have fun!

Second the pressure cooker. It's amazing being able to cook dry beans in under an hour in a pinch. (Soaking is still recommended, but sometimes you've just gotta eat!) Got a fancy European one for the wedding, but couldn't get replacement parts for it so now I use a Fagor and it's lovely. No working person who cooks should be without one.

No one has said rice cooker yet. If you get a fancy fuzzy logic rice cooker (I don't know what that means either! I think fuzzy logic=magic!) not only can you have the grain of your choice waiting for you when you get home from work, you can have hot porridge waiting for you when you get up in the morning.

If you don't already have dishes that make you smile every day when you take them out, get some. Denby's stoneware is elegant, but not too fussy.

There were a few things on our registry that surprised me in how useful and beloved they became. One was a SimplyHuman kitchen garbage that opens when you step on the pedal but closes silently. Love that and think of my uncle every day when I use it. Also love the pricey but elegant dish drying rack that seemed like a huge extravagance at the time.

Finally, make sure your partner selects a few items. Too often it's clear that half the couple gave no input to the registry!

Bonne chance to the happy couple!

@latoscana

Those sound like perfect Thanksgiving place settings. Embrace the tackiness. What's tacky then is retro now. You kids will LOVE IT!

I love my inherited 'turkey' plates. They're single use really...only for turkey day.
Brown..with just a bit of color around some details...and big ol' turkey in the middle of the plate.

And love the matching platter..only used one time a year..and love it.

Whatever else you do, register at least eight place settings of sterling, with a bunch of extra spoons in several sizes. Then use it, every day, three meals a day, without exception. If you are not already doing so, it will make your life a little nicer. ;o)

I think presents should be things you would never buy yourself but would just love to have and use. What do you love to cook or serve? What do you aspire to do? What would you enjoy using and looking at every day or every year for many years? Then, reach a little higher than your pay grade to ask for things of real quality that will provide years of service and be a joy to use.

I didn't register when I got married 30 years ago - it seemed so contrived and greedy. What a mistake! People gave me things that were so wrong for me, it was hard to compose thank you notes. One of my dearest aunts hand-carried on a plane from England a china service for 12. My mother had told her my taste was simple and modern. She heard that as country and casual. The pattern she chose had brown cows, barns, and decaying leaves (and made by Wedgwood - how is it possible?). It was awful. If I had registered, she would have seen what I might have liked.

I agree with the knives, the kitchenaid (with extra bowls and a pasta attachment), a good food processor, and a Le Creuet dutch oven. Other suggestions: a good quality, large wood cutting board and an ice cream maker. An ipad for cooking related apps?

Congratulations! When I got married 10 years ago, you HAD to register at a couple of stores. You may want to consider doing a universal wish list via Amazon. That way you can request items from any store or website that your heart desires! It's easy and pretty cool: http://www.amazon.com/wishlist/universal
For items, I would have to say, I love my knives and my Le Creuset pans. Don't forget some really pretty dish towels, ask for a bunch & put them away for anniversaries, such fun!

My most beloved/useful gift has been a waring pro juicer- hubby's idea but so far the best one (how apropos). Wish I'd let him have more say ;)

A soda stream soda maker!
A sous vide supreme. http://www.sousvidesupreme.com/department.aspx?deptid=3&gclid=CLXdyu-EyKkCFdMn2godkSMxcw
A Food Saver.
A GOOD picnic basket.
A mini-prep food processor.
Good Glasses of all types. (not just fancy crystal ones).
A big wooden salad bowl.
A Japanese grill for yakatori. http://korin.com/Base-for-Small-BBQ-Konro?sc=7&category=122382 (I want one---that's why).

Crystal water pitchers. They're so nice for parties of any kind, you'll use them forever and they'll never go out of style. So many young couples these days don't register for crystal, but no matter . . . Mr. T and I buy gorgeous crystal pitchers always for wedding gifts. They are universally appreciated, and will give many years of pleasure. Have fun! ;o)

Congratulations! Ahh, Wedding Registry!

First off, screw those big stores that try to tell you you *have* to register for china, plates, linens, cookware, etc ... register for what YOU want and need!

We do registries here at Whisk, and we're always telling our registry couples to register for what they want a need. A recent couple, who have been living together for years, have registered for tons of barware and bar supplies, and a few upgrades here and there for kitchen stuff they already have. Have you always wanted an ice cream maker? Do it!

Additionally, don't worry about registering for too many things or looking greedy. It's great to give your guests a lot of different options at many different price points. We've had friends of couples pool and get an expensive smoker - how great! In addition, most "good" registry stores will offer you a discount on unpurchased items off your registry.

This, just like your wedding, is just for you! Don't do things because you "have" to, and don't register for things you don't want!

I bought a Le Creuset enameled oval "french oven" this winter and it's become one of the most useful things in my kitchen. Specify color though, I bought mine on sale and it's a sort of odd ooze green.
A proper burr grinder for coffee is a good thing too; blade grinders work well, but are nothing compared to just having it come out perfectly ground every time.

When I did this last year, I went for a really nice set of oven-safe plates and the exact KitchenAid standing mixer I wanted. The mixer is the best kitchen tool I've ever had. Another fun tool to consider: a VitaMix (or knockoff of a VitaMix) blender.

Agree with everyone - I would first want great knives, then great cookware, then a cuisinart, then a large Kitchen Aid stand alone mixer, then a Vita-Mix. Serving pieces would be last on my list because they can be picked up anywhere on sale.
Best wishes to the bride and congratulations to the groom!

Congratulations! Things I use all of the time - iron skillets - from very small to GInormous. Food processor ( I have a full size and a mini for various applications), mandoline (carefully!) all sizes of knives, pressure cooker (good beans fast!) Kitchen Aid stand mixer, a separate coffee grinder for spices only, my nested glass bowls (Williams-Sonoma) two sizes of ramekins for mise en place, THREE peppermills - one fine grind one coarse grind one white pepper ... OK so we over do it a bit but ... love kitchen stuff! Also LOTS of different (non matching) bowls and plates and serving spoons and forks. Oh and various cutting boards that can be used for cutting or serving cheese and stuff. Go nuts!

I'd go for a few really attractive serving pieces. They don't have to matchy-match your dishes as long as you love them. For instance, there's this really beautiful (and expensive) Provencal platter at Williams-Sonoma... this is your chance to let your friends know what you love and maybe soem will go together to get them for you.

Also, if you've been wanting some new crystal, now's the time to make that known as well. I agree about the suggestions above, just wanted to come up with some additional ideas. And Congratulations!

Pressure cooker. We registered for one on a whim, and it was one of the best gifts we got. We use it ALL THE TIME. I echo the mixer, good knives, and pots and pans, and the congrulations!

Quality pots and pans and a variety of different types (and brands) of them. I also agree about the knives and the mixer and a new food processor if you haven't upgraded in a while. Congratulations!

Good quality knives. (And then get them sharpened periodically, we do it one a year).

A KitchenAid mixer might be a good tool for some of your friends to go in on together for you. Especially if you use it to make lovely things for them. And congratulations.