Take These 10 Items off Your Wedding Registry Immediately (Plus 5 to Add ASAP)

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So, you're engaged. Congratulations! (See also: 8 Tips for Planning a Last Minute Wedding)

Amidst all the ceremony decisions, location reservations, and fancy wardrobe choices for the big day, you're probably registering somewhere. Before you do, read this article. Having been there and done all of that, I have some suggestions for items we've never touched, and others we've regretted not asking for.

Remove From Your List

Many of the following items are traditional wedding registry items, but honestly? Who needs them?

Fine China

In the seven years I've been married, I've not once needed fancy dinnerware for entertaining. Since we're more frugally-minded folks, our parties are typically pass-arounds or potlucks, and our colorful Fiestaware is holding up just fine. So, skip the fancy patterns and delicate wares and instead find a sturdy, casual set with a few extra servings (think eight or more, total) for when guests visit.

Formal Utensils

The same goes with those extended fork, spoon, and knife sets. Of course I understand all those different utensils have purposes, but not in my life. If you're like me and don't see stuffy dinners in your future, forego the silver and get an extra set of casual utensils you'll actually use on the daily.

Gimmicky Gadgets

Sure, an avocado slicer or garlic chopper might sound awesome in theory, but over the years? Well, ours got pushed to the back of our kitchen drawers never to resurface. Stick with the basics, like a good knife set and wooden spoons or spatulas.

Bread Maker

Making bread at home isn't much more complicated than tossing stuff into a bread maker and pushing start. Really. Plus, you'll never get bakery style crust in a bread maker. I gave mine away years ago. A good No-Knead Loaf Recipe is a great place to start.

Panini Press

Whenever I want a grilled sandwich, I slather my bread with butter or oil and cook in a fry pan until golden on both sides. We did receive a panini press as a wedding gift, but it just never seems to travel out of its spot in the lower cabinet. (See also: The 5 Best Panini Presses)

Other Task-Specific Appliances

Think about it. How often will you really use that margarita maker, a banana ice cream machine, fondue fountain, or cake-pop baker? If the answer is rarely, don't put it on your registry. Chances are that space is at a premium in your kitchen, so it's best to keep your fleet of small appliances lean and multipurpose. (See also: 7 Kitchen Gadgets That Save You Money)

Bathroom Extras

Our snazzy soap dishes, liquid dispensers, and toothbrush holders? I have no idea what happened to them. We have switched mostly to using castile soap for all washing purposes, so we usually use it right out of the bottle. For the rest, we have quite a system of simple ball jars for storage. And soap fits snugly in one of those shower caddies.

Ice Bucket, Etc.

Whenever I see "ice bucket" on one of those must-have registry checklists, I shrug my shoulders. Not once in the entire time I've been married have I needed an ice bucket — or a fancy pitcher, for that matter. Champagne, wine, and beer all chill just fine in the refrigerator. If we need ice at parties, we quickly grab it from the freezer.

Crazy Patterned Anything

Between bedsheets, shower curtains, towels, and all other fabrics you might register for, there are certainly a number of choices. I made the mistake of going with a very bold pattern and color choice for all. Now? I sure wish I could divorce these items for a more neutral, time-tested look since my tastes have (inevitably) changed. Concentrate your search on quality versus styled textiles, and keep it basic with neutral colors or solids that can mix and match as your years together roll on.

Lifestyle Items

Again: Resist the trappings on any formulaic checklists you might find regarding wedding registry items. You'll see lots of bakeware on traditional lists, for example. If you hate baking, you likely don't need extra sets of mixing bowls and cake pans cluttering up your kitchen.

There's no right way to live life, so your wedding registry should be as unique as you are. Ask for things you'll use, don't put on anything you feel you should just because it's what everyone else seems to have.

Stuff to Add Right Now!

Okay, if I had to do it all over again, these are the things I'd be sure to add to my registry.

Vacuum Cleaner

And another one bites the dust. That used to be my motto for the cheap vacuum cleaners I had in my early 20s. I don't know why I didn't register for a good one when we got married. In fact, we just recently invested in a quality vacuum (set us back a few hundred dollars — ouch), and it's made a huge difference, especially with our cat hair issues.

Garbage Can

So, if you've always used those cheap open-top plastic garbage cans you can buy at big box stores, you might not realize how much money a good garbage can actually costs. Thing is, they're worth every penny if you want them to last and (eventually) keep your trash out of your toddler's (or dog's) inquisitive reach.

Crock Pot

I feel like a bit of a hypocrite with this one. I wrote to stay away from a bread maker, and now I'm going to tell you to absolutely add a crock pot to your registry list. For me, a slow cooker is extra insurance for not letting my food go to waste. I toss in whatever veggies we have leftover and make soup or stew at the start of each week before I head to the grocery store. (See also: 35 Slow Cooker Recipes for Busy (or Lazy) Vegetarians)

Dutch Oven

I use my cast iron dutch oven at least every other day. Whether I'm simmering a soup or baking crusty sourdough bread, it works wonders — but it was also quite expensive. You need not register for the most pricey, name-brand version. Instead, find one with enough room for your purposes, and it will last you a lifetime.

Food Processor

A lot of my friends immediately put a stand mixer on their registries. And — yes — I use my stand mixer often for cookies, breads, cakes, etc. However, what I use even more frequently is my food processor. I can blend together homemade peanut butters, sauces, veggie burgers, and even make my own oat flour. (See also: The 5 Best Food Processors)

What do you think of this list? Agree? Disagree? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

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Guest's picture
Guest

Bone china and porcelain actually are stronger than many stoneware items, even though they seem more fragile. It's just that a lot of them can't be put in the dishwasher--not because of the stability of the piece itself, but because the patterns can wear off over time.

Also, we bought good china and used it every day, because we are good enough for the good china. We only added dishwasher-safe plates to the array when we started having more parties, so that we weren't throwing away paper plates all the time.

I'd say that a better piece of advice is to only register for one kind of tableware, and use it, unless you know for a fact that you're going to use more than one kind on a recurring basis.

Guest's picture
Sarah

I inherited a used panini press and I use it all the time! We use it whenever we would use a George Foreman grill. They are basically the same thing! Of course, if you would never use a George Foreman grill, then you clearly wouldn't need either ;)

Otherwise, I totally agree with all of these. I registered at Bed Bath and Beyond so I could return all the crazy stuff my mom thought I would need and get good quality basics that weren't so glamorous and therefore, didn't make for good presents! I haven't missed any of it, especially not in my tiny apartment! I do hope one day to inherit one of my mom's beautiful sets of china, but it does not fit my lifestyle right now, that's for sure.

For food processors, my Ninja is perfect (another hand-me-down) for blending and food processing. I also said no to the stand mixer, but I'm still feeling the social pressure to use my last bit of wedding gift cards on it! My mom uses her's a lot, but I'm not sure if I would.

I have 2 slow cookers, and I use them both regularly. My large Ninja one is amazing, with multiple functions and my smaller and inexpensive Crockpot is perfect for smaller portions.

Ashley Marcin's picture

I use my stand mixer a ton when making cookies. With breads and some other baking, I tend to do more mixing by hand. So, I think you can get away without it. And I LOVE MY NINJA!

Guest's picture

I totally agree on the ice bucket...just use a regular mixing bowl....and nowadays depending on how fancy your fridge is the ice is in the fridge...

Ashley Marcin's picture

That’s a smart idea with the mixing bowl!

Guest's picture
Jessica

I've had the same plastic garbage can for 10 years, and it has done the job just fine. Will someone please explain why the expensive kitchen garbage can is so much better?

Damian Davila's picture

I added the panini press to my wedding registry and I use it at least 4 times a week. Besides a great tool for pressed sandwiches, it is very useful to warm up tortillas, pancakes, and croissants.

Ashley Marcin's picture

I never thought to use it that way -- awesome suggestion! Thank you :)