Wedding Registry Must-Haves

Needless to say, building a wedding registry was awesome.

I’ll be the first to tell you that when I got engaged and it was time to make our wedding registry, I was super excited to build up our home with it. Rob was away in Spain, and I definitely coped with planning our wedding. Plus, running around Bed, Bath & Beyond with a scanner was like a shopper’s dream. I felt like Oprah in my head thinking, “I get a spatula, I get new towels, I get everything!”

It’s important to keep in mind that Rome wasn’t built in a day. (and neither is your home!) However, building your wedding registry is a good leap in the right direction. I mean, who doesn’t like getting presents that you basically got to pick out for other people to buy? It’s time to channel your inner Joanna Gaines, ladies!

The most important thing I could say about your wedding registry is this. It is best for you to build a registry that is best for you and the lifestyle that you have. It’s also important for you to build a registry that gives your guests a lot of options and price points. Rob and I love to cook and host together in our home, so a lot of our registry must-haves were for the kitchen and dining room. However, not everyone is like us! With that being said, registry must-haves are different for each couple depending on the lifestyle that they have. It’s not always so cookie-cutter on what you should and shouldn’t register for. Do what’s best for you, boo boo!

So what are some of those must-haves across the board regardless of lifestyle?

Dishes, Glassware, and Silverware

Even though you may already have dishes between the two of you, they probably have been passed down to you from your parents because, let’s face it, they get abused in college. They sit in the sink forever waiting to be washed, and your roommate is bound to break a few. Dishes and glassware are investments for you to build your home. That’s why they’re so stinkin’ expensive! Keep in mind that most of the time your guests want to spoil you with these high-quality items so that you can build your home. They get it, they’ve been in your shoes.

You may not need fine china, but you’ve got to at least have dishes to eat off of that aren’t ruined from your college years, right? I recommend to at least register for ‘every day china’. It’s great quality that’s suitable for every-day use while still nice enough to serve as your china.

Pots and Pans

Like your dishes and glassware, chances are your pots and pans from your college days have been handed down to you because, well, your family knew they would either get abused (or even not really used) in college. Like nice dishes and glassware, pots and pans are an investment. Plus, most of the time your guests want to spoil you with these high-quality items so that you can build your home. Take advantage of it! P.S. If you’re struggling with the idea of what to do with your old (but perfectly decent) stuff like I was, consider donating it so that a family in need has the opportunity to use it.

Crockpot

You may not be Bobby Flay in the kitchen, but it’s no secret that our lives seem to be getting busier and busier by the day. Having a crockpot (or two!) is a great way to take some stress off of preparing meals if you’re both having crazy weeks at work. There’s a million recipes on Pinterest, and it’s as easy as dumping the food in, pressing a button, and eating it later! Buy some crockpot liners, and you’ve even cut out the clean-up time.

Basic Cooking Utensils and Cutting Boards

Like I said with the crockpot, you may not be Bobby Flay in the kitchen. (and that’s fine!) But when it is time for you to cook, you’re going to need a set of assorted basic cooking utensils to get the job done. You may already have some from your previous college years, but another set to avoid always doing dishes (I love dishwashers…) is a must.

Vacuum

I’m not talking about just any vacuum. Register for a high-quality vacuum that will last. Like pots and pans, dishes, and glassware, a nice vacuum is seen as a necessity for your new home among your guests. We got a Dyson off our wedding registry, and I swear I will never turn back. It is seriously a game-changer.

Bedding Sets

This is where Rob and I messed up on our wedding registry. We got a bigger bed when we got married. (hallelujah for King beds!)  However, we only registered for a couple sheet sets. Especially when you change them as often as I do, you can never have enough sheets. There’s nothing better than fresh, new, clean sheets!

Shower Curtain and Liner

Shower curtains, especially the liners, can get gross after a while. Call me a weirdo, but I like to replace our shower curtain liner regularly. They’re roughly inexpensive, and this is a must-have that can be a part of your lower price points.

Towels, Wash Cloths, Bath Mats

Because even if you have them, there’s nothing better than fresh, new towels. (except sheets) While most people think of bathroom towels right off the bat for their registry, don’t forget the kitchen towels! (Those dishes aren’t going to dry themselves, mate!)

Iron and Ironing Board

Chances are you are both now adults with adult-like jobs after your wedding. Unless you were in the business school in college (ugh, so much business casual!), you may have not exactly needed them before and got by off Downy Wrinkle Releaser (my husband’s favorite!). Regardless of who is actually stuck doing the chore, you’re going to want to make sure this is on your registry. Plus, making sure you have a good ironing board cover makes ironing clothes so much easier!

Storage Boxes

There’s chances that you both have a lot of stuff. If you’re like Rob and I who both lived on our own before getting married, it’s a lot of the same stuff. If you’re combining households into the size of just one of your homes, you’re going to want storage. (and a lot of it!) You can always donate items that you may not have a use for anymore, but if you’re planning on upgrading to a larger space sooner than later you may want to save the stuff for now (so you’re not stuck buying what you gave away later!)