If you’re reading this, congratulations on your engagement (!!!) This is possibly the only time in your life that you get to send a wishlist to all of your friends and family directly asking for the necessities to help you build a happy home, so you want to find the best wedding registry to get the job done. In this comprehensive guide, we’re answering all of your gift-related questions, including which sites to sign up for, and the best wedding registry items to include on your list. Let’s dig in and get inspired!
What is a Wedding Registry?
If you’re new to this concept, you may be asking, what is a wedding registry, anyway? To put it simply, this is a curated list of items, usually collected from one site such as Crate & Barrel, Target, or other favorites listed below, that your guests can use to guide their gift-giving. The items you add to your list aren’t just any item, though. These are particularly special pieces because they’ll help you build out your first home together as newlyweds. In the past (when couples didn’t typically move in together until marriage), these would be some of the first items a couple would share. Nowadays, it’s seen as a way to combine your two styles and necessities into one unit—whether you’ll be moving into your first home together as newlyweds or simply want to transform your current shared space into a grown-up abode (goodbye mismatched tableware, hello cohesion!).
When it comes to buying gifts for the happy couple, most people stick to the list. Unless they know you and your style/needs very well, or can’t find something in their price range/timeframe, guests tend to refer to the list. And if you’re worried a registry will make you look selfish, don’t be—the reality is that most people aren’t super creative gift givers… They want you to make it easy for them!
In short, a wedding registry is a rare opportunity to swap your old household items with new, fresh ones that better fit your needs as a couple.
How to Choose and Build a Wedding Registry
Each registry website will operate a little differently, but most of them allow you to add any item from the particular retailer you choose (more on that below) including the color, style, and quantity you prefer. Registry websites make purchasing and shipping easy for guests (whether they ship to their home to wrap it personally or send directly to you with a gift receipt). Many registries also offer a “completion discount” (typically about 15%) which means that anything left un-purchased on the registry after the wedding date is discounted should you wish to buy it yourself. Registries also make it easy to keep track of who bought what for those forthcoming thank-you notes.
So, how to choose the best registry? Here are a few things to consider:
- Style. Your registry should be from a retailer you can see yourself regularly shopping at. You’ll be adding lots of gift ideas, so it needs to suit your aesthetic. If you sign up and start having trouble with what to add, stop and consider whether you truly want the important items in your home to come from this site!
- Budget. Proper registry etiquette is to include a variety of price points, so guests can buy a gift within their budget with ease. That said, some registries are higher end, such as those from luxury retailers. Only choose a luxury registry if you know that it’s a reasonable ask for your guests. On the flip side, don’t choose exclusively lower-priced items just so your loved ones don’t have to spend a lot. Many of the people close to you will want to splurge on gifts or go into bigger-ticket items as a group, so give them the option.
- Adding a 2nd (at most) registry. It’s common these days to choose a curated retailer within your style, like CB2 or Lulu & Georgia, but also give guests the option to shop at Target or Amazon for those more practical (but equally essential) household items. Having familiar spots like Amazon is convenient for guests who are used to shopping and shipping from there, so they may appreciate the option.
What Items Should I Put on a Registry?
To start, kitchen tools are a main registry staple. These could include:
- Cookware (nonstick skillet, sauté pan, pasta pot, saucepan, etc.)
- Bakeware (roasting pan, casserole dish, baking sheets, loaf pans, muffin tins, etc.)
- Knives (serrated knife, paring knife, chef’s knife, etc.)
- Cutting boards
- Dutch oven
- Cast iron skillet
- Stand mixer
- Food processor
- Hand juicer
- Measuring cups
- Mixing bowls
- Wooden spoons
- Whisk
- Silicone spatulas
- Salad spinner
- Microplane
- Meat thermometer
- Oven mitts
- Salt and pepper mills
- Colander
- Pasta maker
- Rice cooker
- Immersion blender
- Cookbooks
- Toaster oven
- Instant Pots
- Coffee and espresso machines
- An electric kettle
- A high-powered blender
- Mandolin
- Carbonated water maker (SodaStream)
- Juicer
- Grill pan
- Barware (muddler, cocktail shaker, jigger, bar spoon, strainer, specialty ice trays, ice-makers, etc.)
- Toaster oven
- Compost bin
- Air fryer
Dining and Entertaining Registry Items:
- Everyday dishware (8 to 12 settings—dinner plates, dessert and/or salad plates, bowls)
- Everyday drinking glasses (8 to 12)
- Mugs (8 to 12)
- Flatware (8 to 12 settings)
- Steak knives (8 to 12)
- Wine glasses (red and white)
- Champagne flutes
- Salad bowl and serving utensils
- Serving bowls, platters, and trays
- Additional serveware
- Butter dish
- Gravy boat
- Pitchers (for coffee or water)
- Teapot
- Cheese and charcuterie boards
- Cheese knives
- Specialty glassware (margarita glasses, martini glasses, rocks glasses)
- Cake stand
- Wine decanter
- Trivets
Home decor, bed linens, pillows, a comfy mattress, bath towels, luggage, camping and sporting equipment and at-home workout equipment will round out the list.
Best Cash Fund Registry: Birdie
Perusing for a cash registry option? Many modern couples prefer to opt for a cash registry particularly if they are saving for the honeymoon or to buy a home. If you feel like your material needs are met and the money itself would be better spent this way, opt for cash rather than gifts. With Birdie, you can set up a cash registry that feels a lot more personal (and less awkward) than simply asking for money. Create an account by uploading photos and a personal message, and transfer money to your bank account for free.
Best Wedding Registry Sites in 2024 – Our Top Picks
Platform bed with European Flax Linen bedding and cotton quilt with the tiger bolster.
Lulu and Georgia
Let’s start with the newest, most exciting wedding registry to make our list: Lulu & Georgia just launched their own! This is a game-changer as Lulu & Georgia has become one of the best destinations for design-driven décor, furniture, entertaining, and more. Their style is timeless with a twist—you’ll find the latest interior design trends woven with classic materials and textures, quality craftsmanship, and beautiful colorways. Shop our top Lulu & Georgia wedding registry items below!
olive oil cruet / wood serving tray / pour over stand / decorative floor vase / steak knives / gold flatware / tiger round pillow / ceramic bowl / linen napkins / candelabra / brass pepper mill / striped bed linens / baskets / sculptural bowl / bolster pillow / clover pillow / wrinkle vase / scalloped tray
Crate and Barrel
Crate & Barrel’s Gift Registry has topped “best of” lists for years, especially among stylish couples that lean more classically modern. They feature the perfect balance of essential housewares and aesthetic décor items. Plus, their price points run the gamut from easy add-ons to investment gifts—this makes it ideal as an all-round registry that has something for everyone. Crate & Barrel is known for their quality and timelessness, so you can be sure that products you pick will last years to come. Find ideas for building your Crate & Barrel registry by perusing inspiration from our past partnerships with them here.
Anthropologie
You may be well-versed in shopping Anthro for bridesmaid dresses or wedding guest fashion, but imagine adorning your entire home with their dreamy, whimsical style. A best wedding registry pick for 2024, Anthropologie is the antidote to a boring, traditional registry. Build your list with Anthro and you’ll have your pick of pretty barware, artful bedding, and cozy bath goodies. As far as the essentials, they have you covered there too: they offer cookware from must-have brands like Our Place, Le Creuset, and Caraway as well.
Amazon
Registering at Amazon is a must even if you choose one of the other best registry picks among this list. Because Amazon is a marketplace featuring an endless array of products and brands, like Breville, Cuisinart, Le Cruset, Brooklinen, Riedel, Casper, Nest, Ninja, you’re able to round out your list there with anything that your “main” registry might be missing. So if you love one of the more design-focused sites on this list, like Lulu or Anthro, you might find that Amazon helps you complete your wishlist with some of the more practical basics, gadgets, and tools your home needs. Building an Amazon wedding registry also gives loved ones an easy shopping option with free and fast shipping, as almost everyone these days has a Prime account.
Target
Everyone’s favorite destination for everyday items and shockingly affordable (and adorable) home finds, registering at Target is a no brainer. Their in-house lines feature collabs with some of our favorite interior designers, like Threshold with Studio McGee, Hearth & Hand with Magnolia, and Opal House with Jungalow, allowing you to register for stylish goods at lower price points. While you’re there, you can also add essentials like small kitchen appliances, cookware sets and outdoor items. Even if you choose to registry at a more high-end site like those above, it’s still worth including a Target registry on your wedding website. People love options, and this allows those shopping at lower price points a wider selection, while allowing you to obtain more functional essentials you may miss on another registry.
Bloomingdale’s
Bloomingdale’s makes our best wedding registry list because of the variety of items offered from brands we all know and love. They are pretty much a one-stop-shop for the latest home goods lines from coveted designers like Parachute, Juliska, and Estelle Colored Glass. Here you’ll also find all the kitchen gadgets, bath essentials, and home accents you could ever need too.
Le Creuset Peche Collection at Bloomingdale’s
Neiman Marcus
If you love to shop designer fashion on Neiman Marcus, you’ll be delighted to know that they have a wedding registry as well! There you can register for high-end home essentials and accents such as MacKenzie-Childs, Jonathan Adler, and Michael Aram. You can register for anything from luxury bedding to high-end cookware and appliances, to designer décor.
Macy’s
Macy’s is a great option if you love the variety and price point of places like Amazon and Target, but want to include some more high-end options, too. Macy’s truly has it all, and with frequent sales your loved ones can scoop up a good deal on home items you’ll love. Extra perks include 10-20% off of select items, and a completion discount of up to 20% for anything that isn’t purchased by the time of the wedding. Add everything from a solid set of towels to that KitchenAid stand mixer you’ve been eyeing in Lavender Cream with a registry like this!
CB2
CB2 has grown over the years into the ultimate destination for designing a modern interior. Once seen as the hip sister site to Crate & Barrel, CB2 has become a hub for chic, architectural furniture and décor with mid-century modern influences and a playful edge. The best wedding registry items from CB2 include stylish barware, modern serveware, and luxurious essentials like organic bedding and bath. The best part? If you’re eyeing any of the more classic styles from Crate & Barrel, you can pull from both brands within one registry!Heath Ceramics
Heath Ceramics is so much more than beautiful plates and bowls—they are purveyors of timeless, elevated kitchen essentials for the culinary-loving couple. If the kitchen is your favorite room in the home or your love language is food, Heath Ceramics wedding registry is the way to go. Besides new handcrafted dinnerware and tabletop, you can register for quality knives, serveware, table linens, and cast iron cookware. You’ll also find beautiful vases, objects, and home décor that you’ll cherish for years to come. Browse their Registry Essentials to get inspired!
Find more registry picks in our shoppable collection here!
