By Joey Cahue
Registering for wedding gifts can be fun, but also stressful. Women have pushed marriage back to later in their careers and many couples already live together before getting married. So, the items our parents registered for like basic pots and pans because they were leaving their homes for the first time don’t really apply.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of chic gifts to register for that you likely don’t already have at your apartment. Take a peek at some of the products we highly recommend for registry lists!
Carved Solutions Personalized Cutting Board –$103: I came across a brand named Carved Solutions and loved their high-quality, engraved products. The first that immediately caught my eye was their giant cutting boards, which are the best gift for newlyweds. You can have each of them engraved with the couple’s new initials, wedding date, etc. I have one and it’s something everyone comments one when we have parties and use it as our giant cheese board. They have an entire catalog where you can pick the design you want — ours has a pineapple with our name in the middle, but we loved the nautical-themed ones, too. Not only do we suggest you register for this, but we think it makes a great engagement and housewarming gift, too.
Picnic at Ascot Sussex Willow Picnic Basket – $81.89: I’m sure any set of newlyweds would appreciate a picnic on a nice fall afternoon or evening. This picnic basket for two has everything you’ll need such as 8” ceramic plates, matching cotton napkins, glass wine glasses, stainless steel flatware, corkscrew, and an insulated food cooler. This basket serve well at an outdoor jazz concert with some wine and an antipasto board. The fact that an insulated cooler comes with it will guarantee that none of your food will go bad. My editor and her fiancé use theirs several times a week when they eat dinner on their roof. It’s spacious, so can fit a bottle of wine and some beers, as well as the food you’re preparing. It’s an elegant, beautiful gift that’s also the right amount of practical.
Duralex Lys Clear Stackable Bowls, Set of 10 – $39.95: These glass bowls are perfect for cooking and baking, as ingredients are easy to get mixed together on accident in opaque bowls (trust me, I’ve made one too many baking mistakes like that). The fact that they’re stackable makes them easy to store for limited cabinet or drawer space. I also love using them when we have company, for dips and such. They are high quality, BPA-free because they are glass, and incredibly practical and easy to store.
John Boos iBlock Cutting Board & Stand, – $106.95-$170.95: For those who use their devices for cooking (me!) , this gift is for you. The John Boos iBlock Cutting Board and Stand is a thick and durable cutting board that doubles as an iPad stand! It’s on the fancier side of iPad stands due to its high price, but the quality of wood makes it worth every penny. This stand comes in three types of wood: Hard Rock Maple being the cheapest, American Cherry ranging in the middle, and Black Walnut being the most expensive. It also comes with a chopping block, making this a great pair for when you’re preparing a complicated dish.
Holland Bowl Mill Cherry Bowl – $149: Everyone needs a quality salad bowl and wood bowls are so stylish and on trend right now. This salad bowl from Holland Bowl Mill will last long because the bee oil finish keeps wood safe from chipping or wearing down. I think this would look elegant on a kitchen table for a holiday feast or for a summer barbecue. It would also look great with the new trend of exposed shelving in kitchens.
Woodward & Charles 3-Piece Salad Bowl – $54.99: We are very much of the mind that you cannot have too much wooden cutlery and standout serving pieces. This salad bowl comes with eco-friendly pieces for tossing. Wooden salad bowls must be treated with care to assure that they do not chip or wear down, so if you happen to purchase this and are about to wash it, wipe it with a damp cloth and dry carefully. Do not leave it in water for long, either.
Sagaform Glass Wine Carafe – $37: Carafes are my favorite. I love going to restaurants and having a carafe of water set on the table. They just add a little more elegance to a meal. Whether you’re serving wine or water out of it, part of you will feel like the drink tastes better. I think they’re great to pull out for dinner parties. This one comes with a cute oak wood stopper. The Sagaform carafe is from their Oval Oak Collection and the shape of this bottle is so unique. This is a gift for someone who you feel like has everything, because you could never have too many of these. It’s also a gift someone wouldn’t typically buy for themselves since they can get pricey. I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t adore one of these.
Gabriel-Glas “One for All” StandArt Wine Glass – $29:
Before you assume this is just a wine glass, it’s not. It’s a “one for all” wine glass, meaning that you could drink any type of wine out of this glass. I think this is a brilliant idea because at home we have a whole cabinet (or should I say, multiple cabinets) of wine glasses taking over valuable cabinet real estate because they’re all for serving different types of wine. Narrowing it down to just one glass for any type of wine is a fantastic idea. I’ll take six of these, available here!
Gabriel Glas – Single Set – Mouth-Blown Austrian Crystal Wine Glass – Gold Edition – $62:
If you’re feeling extra generous, this glass is just like the previous one but it’s the “Gold Edition”. Gabriel Glas is an Austrian based brand and they specifically made the gold edition to be much thinner and lighter than the original. It’s not much different than the original but again, if you’re feeling extra generous then I’m sure someone would appreciate it!
Linnea’s Lights Candles $34: We are big proponents of candles in our house. Pretty much anytime we are home, we have one lit. It is a small luxury who scent can transpose you to another place. We have recently been burning Linnea’s Lights because their scents are so unique and refreshing. We are huge fans of their Cashmere scent and Persian lime, for instance. They also have a Reserve collection (try the Santal scent!) that is really rich in scent. They look beautiful on my bar cart and kitchen island, making that and added bonus.
Read More of Our Wedding Coverage:
The Best Wedding Planning Podcasts For Brides to Be