Bridal Registry Must-Haves
Getting engaged is the biggest whirlwind. One second you’re in shock with a ring on your finger, the next second you’re stressed about color schemes and bridesmaids dresses.
Trust me, I’ve been there. William and I got engaged on December 9, 2018 and married on July 13, 2019. In total, we had a 7 month engagement— it was crazy!
All of the planning took place within a very short span of time. I wouldn’t trade it for the world— I was so excited to get married! I scoured the internet for lists and resources to help with the planning process (this guide from Kennedy Blue was so helpful and I’ve passed it on to so many friends).
One of my favorite parts of our engagement was getting to register for gifts. I love to shop, AND y’all know I love to cook! We registered at Target, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, and Finchers, a local boutique/home store in Greenwood, MS (where William is from). I’m going to share my favorite things that I registered for (and some things that I didn’t, but that I have now and love).
Kitchen Basics
Le Creuset Dutch Oven / If you request nothing else on this list, I think this is my #1 favorite. I truly use this everyday! I got this for Christmas before my wedding, and thus it wasn’t on my registry. I have the small size (I think it’s the 3-4 quart). If I could do it again, I would request a larger size (like the 7.25 quart or 9 quart).
Kitchen Aid mixer / Ok…just as I said that about the dutch oven, y’all can only imagine how much I use my stand mixer. I really think this is a kitchen staple, too, even if you don’t bake a ton. I literally use mine to shred chicken! It’s incredibly versatile, and makes baking so much easier.
Williams Sonoma cookie sheet set / I’m going to quit saying that things are my favorite because I’m just going to end up saying that about everything. While not glamorous, these cookie sheets are THE BEST. Two people gave them to me at my kitchen shower and were embarrassed about giving the same gift, but I truly meant it when I said “you cannot have enough.” I have 3 of the Gold Touch cookie sheets and one of the cooling racks and I could still use more. These are superior to regular cookie sheets because they’re heavy enough that they don’t warp in the oven (you know, that bang you hear when something is in the oven that makes you think there’s about to be an explosion? No? Just me?)
Liquid measuring cup / Don’t really think these need an explanation. But you can never have enough!
Dry measuring cups / Retweet from above.
Microplane / I talk about this a little bit on the recipe for my lemon cheesecake, but my mother-in-law put one of these in my Christmas stocking and obsessed doesn’t even cover it. You will never dread zesting a lemon again.
Silicone spatulas / Another necessity. The silicone makes a difference! It really gets everything out when scraping the sides of your bowls and pans.
Cast iron skillet / Another staple. My friend Emily makes so much in hers and I’m trying to get on her level. I’m still working on keeping mine seasoned…my mom never used one growing up so there’s a learning curve.
Pots/pans set / My friend, Kayla, just asked me about these the other day. When I moved into my first apartment, my mom surprised me with these. That was back in 2017 and they’re still in perfect condition!
Glass jars / This might be my favorite thing about my house. My mom and the Barefoot Contessa both keep their flour and sugar in glass jars, so naturally I do the same. I think they look so pretty on the counter top, and make everything super accessible, too!
Ramekins / Perfect for holding toppings for taco night, making individual brownies or lava cakes or creme brulee, etc.
Cookie scoops / More than just a cookie scoop- I use the larger size to perfectly scoop/portion cupcake batter, and the smaller one to do the same with ground meat when I make meatballs.
Mixing bowls / I love this 10 piece set from Williams Sonoma. I like the glass because you can use them for a double boiler on the stove or stick them in the microwave and have no worries.
Boos block / One of my favorite things in my kitchen. The best cutting board.
Whisks / Just as essential as the spatulas.
Ninja blender set / One of my favorite appliances. I love this set because it has the large blender, but also comes with blender cups. I love the smaller option to whip up a quick smoothie, dip, or salad dressing. AND— everything is dishwasher safe, making cleanup a breeze!
Strainer / Another essential. I use mine weekly for draining pasta and washing fruit!
Fun cookbooks / These are totally up to your personal preference. I love having cookbooks for inspiration! Some of my favorites are any of the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks (her latest, Modern Comfort Food is amazing, as is Back to Basics), Half Baked Harvest Super Simple, and The Defined Dish cookbook.
Air fryer / Hear me out. There are so many funny memes about people with air fryers (my personal favorite— comparing air fryers to easy bake ovens HA) but in all seriousness, having an air fryer is a game changer. Yes, they’re big. But MAN they are awesome. I cook so many things in mine, but probably my favorite is leftover french fries. You probably never bring them home when you eat out because “they won’t be any good the next day.” WRONG. Air fryer changes the game. Leftover fries become good as new! I know people with all different kinds. We have this one, but I know a bunch of people with the Ninja version, and I love my Ninja blender so I’m sure the air fryer is equally amazing.
Crockpot/Instant Pot / I think this one is up to personal preference. I haven’t jumped on the Instant Pot train, but so many of my friends are obsessed. However, I STAND by my Crockpot, and use it at least once a week. I totally understand the beef with having a billion small appliances, but I think having one of these timesavers is beneficial.
Tupperware / Tupperware is something that you’re always going to need, and aren’t necessarily going to want to buy. Investing in a nicer glass set is something I wish I had done with my registry. Glass lasts way longer than plastic, is more sustainable, and doesn’t release harmful chemicals over time the way that plastic can.
Cake stand / So useful and not just for cakes! It’s great for serving at a gathering and giving a variety of height on the table. I love this one from Target!
Salad spinner / Another lowkey/underrated staple.
Casserole dishes / I love this set from Target. It’s great to have a couple square bakers and a couple 9x13 sized. I have the small and the large size in this style from Casafina, too!
Meat thermometer / This is such a handy tool. If you’re anything like me, you’re terrified of undercooked chicken and other meats. This will save you every time!
Waffle Iron / Makes for the perfect weekend breakfast.
Oven Mitt set / There’s no reason these can’t be pretty. I grew up watching my mom use the ones from Williams Sonoma and always thought they were so pretty. I had to put these on my registry!
Loaf Pan / Perfect for a quick cake or banana bread, or even for freezing homemade ice cream.
Can opener / You can go for a fancier version, but I have a manual one and it does the job!
Barware / Serving Pieces
Cocktail Shaker / One of my favorite things about our house is our bar cart. I love having guests over and usually my first question is, “Can I get you something to drink?” My best friend Maggie gave me a beautiful cocktail shaker from Anthropologie for Secret Santa this year— I can’t find the exact one online, but it’s similar to this one. William and I registered for this traditional one on our registry. I use both!
Bar Tool Set / I love this bar tool set. It’s got everything you need!
Bar Cart / Nothing wrong with putting bigger ticket items on your registry. We needed a bar cart, so I put one on our registry! I can’t find our exact one, but it was from Target so I’ve linked a similar one from there.
Wine Glasses (Stem & Stemless) / I registered for these along with my china at Fincher’s in Greenwood, MS. It’s a beautiful store, and Melissa, the owner, made every step of the process so easy and fun. I am a huge fan of gold, so I went with these gold brushed wine glasses. They’re hand-wash only, so keep that in mind! I already had these plastic ones (a great grab during a Dirty Santa party in college), and they’re still some of my favorites.
High Balls / To keep with the gold theme, I picked these gold rimmed high balls. Again, they are hand-wash only. It’s not a huge pain, but something to keep in mind.
Martini Glasses / I didn’t put these on my registry, but actually bought this exact set on Amazon. William and I got very into martinis during COVID lockdown…
Martini Pitcher / Yes, I asked for this and forgot to put martini glasses on the registry…ha! I just thought this piece was so beautiful in the store. My favorite professor from college gave me this— that same professor saved my “Miss Ole Miss” campaign sticker because he told me it would be worth big money one day. It warms my heart every time I think about it; I hope I make him proud. I have a weird memory for who gave me wedding gifts…I’m sentimental like that.
Wine Decanter / I registered for both this one and this one. Love them both! Makes the $20 bottle of wine (Team Bonanza) feel so much fancier.
Liquor Decanter / This one is so beautiful. It’s on sale right now with a set of four high ball glasses, too!
Wine opener / This is a great price point for a gift, and is one of my favorite things. I much prefer this to the electric kind— they always seem to run out of power at the most inopportune times! My in-laws brought one on our beach trip this summer, and it died mid-corking. I pulled it out the rest of the way with my teeth, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen my father-in-law laugh so hard. If I remember correctly, his exact words were, “That’s a coast girl if I’ve ever seen one!”
Wine Rack / This is especially necessary if you don’t have a bar cart or if your bar cart doesn’t have a wine rack.
Chargers / Again, me loving gold. I loved these and thought they were a more affordable option than Annie Glass. I love that they have more of a gold leafing— a perfectly imperfect look!
Everyday China (Salad Plates, Dinner Plates, Bowls, Coffee Mugs) / This took me a hot minute to decide on, but I choose the Juliska Puro collection in “Whitewash.” I opted for 12 settings of this and did not register for fine china. That was a personal choice for me! My parents have two beautiful sets of fine china and my mother in law has several sets as well. My generation is so much more casual, and with my love of cooking, the food is usually the star of the show. Again, this was totally personal preference and worked for me! I love that I was able to get 12 place settings of my everyday because a) it’s dishwasher safe and b) I hope to have really big dinner parties on the reg one day! :)
Salad Bowl / I love this acacia wood salad bowl. It’s beautiful and makes even a simple salad look fancy. Not pictured here, but it comes with matching salad tossers.
Water Pitcher / Water or sweet tea, or even sangria— this is another staple.
Platters/serving pieces / In Mississippi, McCarty Pottery is a big thing. It’s very recognizable, upscale, and a staple in every Mississippi woman’s home. That didn’t translate to Alabama. Before I came to Ole Miss, I had never seen it before. In fact, honesty hour…I thought it was hideous. It wasn’t until I went to a very nice engagement party for another couple and saw it EVERYWHERE that I realized it was super nice. I know that probably speaks very poorly of me. In my defense, the same thing happened to my mother in law. Someone gave her a piece as a gift and she thought the same thing…until she saw it at a friend’s house as the centerpiece of her coffee table…after which she proceeded to go home and put it on her coffee table. She now has the most extensive collection of anyone I know. Even if you’re not a pottery person, some kind of wood, marble, or hammered metal platter is perfect for cheese boards or serving dips.
Home Goods
Pom Pom Blankets / These are my favorite blankets of all time. They are so soft and cozy, and stay that way even after being washed.
Starburst Mirror / This is similar to the one that I registered for at Fincher’s.
Bedding / This is very similar to the duvet cover and shams that we have. There’s nothing that I love more than crisp, white bedding. I am a big fan of Euro shams, too. A karate chop to the top of the pillow makes for the perfect touch.
Record Player / William and I stayed at a hotel shortly before we got married that had a record player in the room, and we thought it was the coolest thing ever. I randomly added it to our registry and now it’s one of my favorite things that we own. Vinyl records are such a fun thing to collect!
Wine Tote / I can’t find the exact one that we registered for, but this one is similar. It’s perfect for taking wine on the go!
Luggage / I really think this is one of the most practical things that we asked for. This three piece set is affordable and the plastic exterior makes them very durable.
Remember that every bride has different needs. If you’re older and have a larger supply of stuff to furnish a home, this could be a great opportunity to replace older pieces or try items that you’ve never wanted to invest in. If you’re young and don’t have a lot to furnish a home, use this as an opportunity to request any and everything. Also, most retailers give you a discount code to use on items not purchased from the registry for the full year after your wedding. This is even more reason to put everything on your list. I put a bar cart AND kitchen island, fully not expecting to get either one and we were gifted both of them.
Typically, about 50% of invited guests will attend a given wedding, but in many cases, those who cannot attend will send a gift. Enjoy this process and enjoy picking out beautiful things to fill your home with! Marriage is about so much more than material things, but this is an incredibly fun process. Despite the bigger picture, if 2020 taught us anything, it’s how much time we spend in our own homes— it should be a beautiful space that brings you joy, calm, and happiness.
XOXO,
-Bess