Mixin' & Matchin' - Tory Burch China

Y'all know I dearly love to mix and match beautiful china and my dream closet would look similar to the inside of a Tory Burch boutique, so I was super exited when Tory Burch debuted her new line of mix and match china, barware, and table linens last week.  I'm a big fan of Tory Burch's shoes, handbags, and especially her clothing, so I was expecting to have a similar reaction to her newest additions to her home collection.

Image Source: Tory Burch

At first glance, I loved all the elements of the abstract pattern of the china with the blue flowers on the linens and the pretty glassware.

Image Source: Tory Burch

However, as I kept looking at the individual pieces I just didn't find them quite as exciting on their own.  

I feel like I've seen this before!
Mackie Highball
$60 for set of 4
Image Source: Tory Burch

Jardin Place Mat
$98 for set of 4
Image Source: Tory Burch

Spongeware Salad Plate
$100 for set of 4
Image Source: Tory Burch

I found the prices to be reasonable and on par with Kate Spade china, but I'm a bit concerned about craftsmanship.  While other designers have come out with their own china, most of them partner with established and reputable china manufacturing companies - Kate Spade and Marchesa are with Lenox, Monique Lhuillier is with Waterford, and Vera Wang is with Wedgwood.  Tory Burch has not disclosed her manufacturer or even the country of origin...which makes me uncertain about the quality.  Generally speaking, if the manufacturer is special or the goods are made in a country known for quality (USA!, Italy, France, England, Scotland, Spain, Portugal), designers looove to call it out.  For example, Williams-Sonoma has a line of barware called Dorset that is unique to WS stores, but in their product descriptions they note that the barware is hand-cut and produced at an 80 year old Slovenian glasswork factory.  Tory Burch notes when products are hand-blown or hand-painted but doesn't say where or by whom.

Another issue I have with the line is that it is billed as everyday entertaining, but the glassware is hand wash and, although, the place mats say you can wash them on the gentle cycle they also suggest dry cleaning.  In my experience, if dry cleaning is suggested it's probably best for the long term care of your items.  Now to keep it real with y'all, I have plenty of hand wash only items, but that's because I'm using crystal glassware and fine china everyday (yes I'm cray-cray)....not because I picked out and purchased something that was marketed as "everyday."  I wouldn't want to pay a weekly dry cleaning bill for place mats and napkins.

Finally, my last complaint is the $395.00 plastic ice bucket (it says acrylic, but that's code for nice plastic).  It's so pretty and the square shape is different from most ice buckets, but the price tag on this super fun piece of plastic is just too high and acrylic can be easily scratched.  I can only imagine what they might try to charge for crystal.  I also can only imagine what I would do if someone scratched my $400 ice bucket (a simple "bless your heart" would just not cut it my friends).

Rae Ice Bucket
$395
Image Source: Tory Burch

With all my complaints, I still love the line when it's all paired together.  Overall, the price point is reasonable and it surely does make for a cheerful table!  What do y'all think?  Fans?

Sale Alert: Nespresso Machines for 40% Off

For those of you who don't know, Briana and I are obsessed with our Nespresso machines.  My aunt (aka Briana's mom) introduced me to them when I was down for a visit and Briana got one as a wedding gift.  I came a little bit later to the game and didn't purchase one until this past fall.  Nespresso machines aren't your average coffee pot and they are a bit different from other pod-based systems like the Keurig.  The Nespresso pods come in a variety of strengths which is great for entertaining.  I have one girlfriend who gets a shot of espresso added to her Venti iced Starbucks coffee and then drinks it...black.  Clearly, we are not cut from the same cloth as I prefer a high milk to coffee ratio with a ton of cinnamon tossed in.  HOWEVER, because I have the Nespresso, when she comes over for coffee I can give her a Nespresso with a 8 or 9 intensity while I drink my much more mellow 3 or 4 intensity espresso.  I know this is Briana's favorite feature, because people can choose how intense they like their caffeine (I barely like to know that I'm getting hit with mine, I can tell you that!) and she has a big family with lots of different tastes.  You can also pick how much water you use to brew your drink (small amount, larger amount, or even make a custom setting).  Mr. 3 doesn't drink coffee so it's a lot easier to make myself the one cup I drink everyday rather than brewing up a pot of coffee that goes to waste.  I can also make fancy pants drinks with the milk frother that Mr. 3 got me for Christmas like lattes (hot and cold) and cappuccinos.

That said, Nespresso machines are a bit of an investment and range from $150-$700 depending on the model you choose.  That's why I'm happy to report that Williams-Sonoma Outlets are offering 40% off this weekend on all Nespresso Machines!

Nespresso rarely go on sale more than 20%, so this is a great opportunity.  For those of you who aren't located near an outlet, call up the outlet and ask them to ship you one (shipping fees are based on the dollar amount of the purchase - so, the more you buy, the higher the fee).  I bought my Nespresso when Williams-Sonoma outlets were offering 30% off from the Nashville location.  You may also be able buy one that comes bundled with a milk frother (which also rarely go on sale).  

If you want to save even more moo-lah, ask if they have any refurbished machines.  Refurbished products from well-regarded companies are a great way to get what you want at a drastically reduced price (refurbished products are supposed to be restored to factory-line quality and may have only been originally returned for small defects which are corrected at the factory before hitting the shelves again).  I actually wanted a Nespresso Citiz in a cream color which was discontinued and the only place I could locate it was at the Williams-Sonoma outlet.  They had one at the regular price and a refurbished one that was discounted. I decided to go with the refurbished product since Nespresso has such a great reputation and save some money.  I've had absolutely no problems and I'm super happy I got the color I wanted!  Purchasing the refurbished product, at the 30% off price, including all shipping (about $20) and tax, got me the $250 Nespresso Citiz for $165, which saved me about $40-$50 over the non-refurbished Nespresso (shipping would have been much higher).  I should note that this machine will also probably wind up saving me money in the long run...my Starbucks habit has drastically decreased to maybe twice a month (unless it's Pumpkin Spice Latte season, where I can't control myself...but that should be a given).

Briana and I definitely recommend the Nespresso to anyone to upgrade their coffee machine, brides filling out their registries, or those of you who love to entertain.  This is one of those items that we believe it is worth the investment because there is such a big happiness pay off!

*This is not a sponsored post and we aren't receiving any Nespresso or Williams-Sonoma swag (sadly).  All opinions are our own...we simply love love love our Nespresso!  

Posh Purpose Tips for Mixing China Patterns

Image Source: Linzi Events

Last week, I blogged about the Kate Spade Charlotte Street Dinnerware which I'm totally loving right now. I'm pretty fearless when it comes to mixing patterns, but if you can't see yourself committing to all that pattern on one table, just buy a few items to mix in with your regular white dinnerware.  If you can, I recommend taking in a white dish into the store to check it out next to your patterned options.  If you're picking out items for your registry or just wanting to update your table here are a few options to consider:

1. You can do all your serving pieces in the Charlotte Street pattern (or any pattern for that matter) with maybe one item from the place setting like the salad plate or bowl.  

2. Another option would be to pick two patterned items from the place setting such as the dinner plate and mug and add in two of the serving items that you use most (i.e. salt and pepper shaker and a serving bowl or platter).  

3. Another great option is to buy half of your place settings in full out pattern and half in regular white (with maybe 1-2 patterned serving pieces thrown in)...so, if you plan on having 12 place settings, buy 6 in white and 6 in a pattern.  This last option is a way to get a lot of pattern on the table without being too overwhelming.  You can either make each place setting 100% white or 100% patterned...orrrrr you can have one place setting with a few pieces of each and really mix it up!

4. Finally, one last idea would be to pick one of the options above AND mix up the white china.  There are lots of great subtle designs on white dinnerware, pick a couple and try them all together!

Anyone else a fearless pattern mixer?  Send us photos of your dinnerware mix and match and we may feature them on the blog!

Recently Spotted: Kate Spade Charlotte Street Dinnerware

Y'all know I have a love affair with china...especially Kate Spade formal china and she has come out with another great line of casual dinnerware.  Meet Charlotte Street:

Kate Spade Charlotte Street Dinnerware Collection
Image Source: Bloomingdale's

Usually her casual dinnerware is a bit more on the bright side (i.e. bright green) or colors I don't gravitate towards (i.e. brown) and I would find it hard to commit to using an entire collection set long term, but I'm really loving this navy blue and white pattern!  The collection is made from porcelain and are microwave and dishwasher safe.

I love mix and match dinnerware and this collection is no exception, but it has even more room for mixin' it up within its own collection!  Select pieces come in three different pattern options - North, East, and West:

North Dinner Plate
Kate Spade Charlotte Street
$22
Image Source: Bloomingdale's

East Dinner Plate
Kate Spade Charlotte Street
$22
Image Source: Bloomingdale's

West Dinner Plate
Kate Spade Charlotte Street
$22
Image Source: Bloomingdale's

My favorite pieces in the collection are the sugar bowl and the tid bit plates:

Sugar Bowl
Kate Spade Charlotte Street
$65
Image Source: Bloomingdale's

Tid Bit Plates
Kate Spade Charlotte Street
Set of 4 for $50
Image Source: Bloomingdale's

Soooo cute and fun, right?  A four piece place setting is $80, which isn't too shabby!  I would totally love to own those tid bit plates!

I really like this line because you could 1) buy the whole set in all its stripe-y patterned wonderfulness, 2) mix it up with your everyday white, or 3) introduce a whole new color like red, green, or even pink (preppy ladies rejoice!).

What do you think, fan or not?  Would you consider registering for it?  Let us know! 

Psst..Also check out our article on Kate Spade Pierrepont Place line!

We Love Ebates!

Melinda introduced me to Ebates about a year ago, but I didn't really get into it until it was time to order my fine china from Bloomingdales. For those of you who have not heard of Ebates, let me explain how wonderful it is. Ebates gives you cash back on things you are already planning on buying. Before I place an online order, I check to see if the store is listed on the Ebates website. If so, all I have to do is log into my Ebates account and click on the link to the store I want. You have to place your order through the window that pops up to get the cash back credit. My trick is to fill up my basket on the store website, and then visit ebates to click on the store link right before placing my order so I know that I will get the cash back. Cash back percentages vary between stores, but Sephora is usually 8% back and Macy's is 6% just to list a few.

Anna Weatherly Simply Anna

That is my china above. Love it! Now let me tell you about my amazing cash back story and Ebates review. Remember that I mentioned my fine china above? Well, normally Ebates offers 3% cash back on all Bloomingdales orders but they often schedule double cash back opportunities with coupon codes and sales. When I went to order my fine china (almost 12 whole place settings plus serving pieces), Ebates was offering 6% cash back and Bloomingdales had a 20% off coupon that I could apply to my china. I ended up saving a TON of money! Around $850 total! Ebates gave me $166 back just for clicking through their website before placing my order. Talk about an easy way to save money!

My Ebates payout history, Melinda's is far more impressive :)

Ebates sends out payments quarterly, so I got a check in August and will get another (much smaller) in November for cash back that I earned from purchases that I needed to make anyway. There are a ton of stores available through Ebates, although Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma are not on that list (get with it, Ebates!). Right now, there is a sign up bonus of a $10 gift card to Macy's, Walmart, Target, or Kohls, or you can select the $5 Ebates credit which means you already start out with $5 for your first check! Click here to start saving!

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Ebates is not paying us to blog about them, however this article does contain affiliate links. If you sign up through our link and make a purchase, we will be compensated. But we want you to sign up for Ebates regardless of if you use our link or not - Melinda absolutely loves it when people save money!

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Registry Returns

Over the weekend Mr. 3 and I headed out to the mall to make some returns and spend some gift cards.  We wanted to take back a few things to Bed, Bath, and Beyond that we had gotten as repeat gifts and pick up new sheets for our bed.

I just want to say how EASY it is to make returns at BBB (besides the waiting in line part).  If you don't have your receipt but it was purchased off your registry, they can look up the present and give you cash back for what your guest paid...IN CASH!  If your gift giver used a coupon on your present, they also "give you back" the coupon that the guest used by printing it out on store register tape (such smart marketing, what girl can resist re-spending a fistful of moo-lah when she also has coupons in hand!).  If you don't have a receipt, BBB will issue a store gift card.

We had no issue making our returns or our purchases and our bed looks great!

I <3 Linens!
Wamsutta 778 Sheets
Image from Bed Bath and Beyond

We also went by Williams Sonoma to spend some money and found out that the 10% completion discount is good on everything for the next 6 months WITHOUT having to go through the hassle of adding it to the registry before you go to buy (which is something I feel is so sneaky!).  The sweet ladies at Williams Sonoma also told me to wait to buy my glassware and cereal bowls because it goes on sale tomorrow!  They then placed everything I wanted in the back stockroom to hold for me until the sale starts.  Wahoo for 15% off tabletop, plus 10% registry completion!

Hope these tips help you out as you make your registry returns!  If you have any registry tips, send them our way!

Registry Breakdown: Most Popular Choices for Your Guests

If you engaged (or getting engaged anytime soon), figuring out your registries can be difficult.  Besides dealing with uncooperative fiances (luckily Mr. 3 was more than helpful as long as he was fed and caffeinated) and figuring out what you need (pots and pans usually) vs. what you want (toss pillows! crystal barware! monogrammed anything!), you have to also think about the number of gifts, the price points, what stores are going to be accessible to both you and your guests.

Mr. 3 and I chose to register at Macy's and Bed, Bath, and Beyond (BBB) because we figured that they would be the most accessible to our families in North Carolina and Virginia.  We also decided to put in Williams Sonoma because we LOVE their kitchen gadgets and kitchen linens.  From there, I decided I wanted to put Pottery Barn on the list because I love their home decor items and bed linens.  Finally, I added a Bloomingdales registry because they were the only vendor that carried these pretty bowls (and yes, that is the sole reason I registered at Bloomies...although after their wonderful registry store event, I definitely added a few more pieces).

So cute for fruit or sorbet!
Iittala Kastehelmi Bowl
Bloomingdales
$19

I figured that our guests in DC would like all of the options because we have brick and mortar stores near by that are easy to get to.  For our friends traveling from afar who have a very limited selection in their hometowns, I figured they would appreciate the variety of places to scout out free shipping.

All of our guests were extremely generous and thoughtful in their gift giving, but Macy's and BBB were by far the most popular choice among all of our guests for both shower and wedding presents.  I would say about 90% of our gifts came from those two registries and all of our gift cards we received were to those two stores.

Macy's also has a great rewards program and BBB always has a 20% off coupon (btw...did you know that they never expire despite what the coupon says and you can combine coupons in the same transaction?!?!  try it!).  BBB also offers a $25 coupon for ever person you refer who sets up a registry, so tell all your engaged friends after you set up your own!  Both stores offer free shipping if you go to a location and they don't have the item you want to order in stock.

One thing I learned was that if you really want something, like your pots and pans, but them in multiple places and check back often to delete the duplicates as your guests purchased them.  This really works out well for the couple and the guest!  For example, All-Clad Copper Core is carried at Williams Sonoma, Macy's, BBB, and Bloomingdales. 

All Clad Copper Core
Image from Williams Sonoma

Macy's and Bloomies will sometimes put All-Clad on sale, but BBB does not .  However,  BBB may offer your guest free shipping and Williams Sonoma will sometimes offer price breaks on specific pans.  Williams Sonoma and Bloomingdales carry this brand in store, but you can usually only find it online at the other stores.  By putting the All-Clad at all the websites, you will increase your odds of receiving the pots and pans you want and your guest can 1) look for the best deal or 2) look for the easiest way to send you these pots!  It may be a little time consuming to check everything (Mr. 3 said I watched the registries like the stock market), but it definitely pays off.

All that stated, here is a ranking of our registries in order of guest popularity:

1. Bed, Bath and Beyond (BBB)
2. Macy's
3. Pottery Barn
4. Williams Sonoma
5. Bloomingdales

What's your favorite registry?  Any perks you want to share, let us know!

Review: Bed, Bath, and Beyond

Poor customer service is one of my greatest pet peeves.  When I get unhelpful cranky people telling me they can't help me it drives me nuts and makes me think "clearly the economy isn't that bad if people can afford to lose customers."  Poor customer service is also demoralizing...I can't tell you how many people I've seen accept bad service because it seems too troublesome to bring to someones attention.

That stated, I try to always tell people when I have a great customer service experience because I feel like it helps boost morale!  One of my dear sweet mama's, dear sweet friends ordered me three casserole dishes as a shower present from Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  She had them shipped to my house so I didn't have to cart them back from my house in NC aaaalllll the way to DC.  I just received the shipment yesterday and based on the box's condition and the rattling I heard when I lifted the box, I knew something was up.  One of the casserole dishes was completely broken due to sub par bubble wrapping.

See how that beautiful and functional bubble wrap lies to the side?
Like I said, sub par.

I immediately called BBB to report the damage (they have 24 hour service!) and after a quick conversation with a very sweet lady named Marilyn, BBB is replacing the broken dish and shipping me a new one free of charge.  Marilyn asked me for my registry number to confirm that the item was purchased/shipped from my registry and then asked me to email me a picture of the damaged piece in the box (she was very concerned about me cutting myself on the broken stoneware and told me to throw the broken one away immediately after sending the photo...ah, the joys of liability concerns).  After emailing her the picture, she responded within 2 hours telling me that she had what she needed and BBB would process my shipment.  Although I feel like BBB did their due diligence in making sure I wasn't a fraudster, I never felt like BBB was hassling me or providing me with poor customer service.  I highly recommend using them for your bridal registry.  I like knowing I can get my broken dishes quickly resolved at all hours of the day..plus, they always have a coupon!  

Bridal Shower Weekend and Amazon Registries?

I am so excited! Melinda's bridal shower is this weekend AND I will see her today AND I am going to her fitting AND I am checking out a favorite bridesmaid dress option for my wedding. Big weekend, I know :)

I'm flying into D.C. and riding over to Charlotte with Melinda and Mr. 3. We haven't seen each other in forever - hopefully Mr. 3 is in a good mood so he finds it easier to deal with a Melinda and Briana reunion during the long car ride. Melinda mentioned that he might leave us behind at a rest stop, but I am confident he loves her too much to leave her and she definitely loves me too much to leave me. We plan on chattering, crafting, and planning the entire way.

We are meeting up with my little sister in Charlotte which will only add to the (possibly only our) fun. She will be our bridesmaid model for the dress. Last time I had her try on bridesmaid dresses, she seriously looked good in everything.

Instead of sleeping, I have been redoing my registries every night for the past week. Crazy person.. but I made a huge discovery! Amazon is an authorized retailer of my flatware, sells it for less than Bloomies, and it is available with free amazon prime 2 day shipping. Bloomies gives a 10% discount after the wedding, but Amazon is still a better deal, especially for the hostess set. I will definitely have to check out my other items like my formal china and amazingly luxurious sheets :) Amazon now has wedding registries. Have any of y'all used it? I am tempted but I don't want to make one just for flatware, so it will depend on what else I find.

J and I may have some big news in the near future, so stay tuned!

Fresh Idea Friday: Design Your Own Bedding

As I pour over the home goods for my registries, I find I have become obsessed with certain type of items.  I tend to put way more than I need, but  Briana has been really good about going through and telling me I don't need 12 juice glasses aaaaaand 12 water glasses or the super expensive copper core stock pot (a regular stainless steel accomplishes the same objective for about a third of the price).  However, one of my particularly troublesome areas is bedding.  I love layering a duvet, a quilt, and sheets with an optional extra blanket during the winter.  I'm also a sucker for shams and pillows...I think every bed needs a set of pillows with shams, a set of pillows with cases, and a toss pillow or two.

Unfortunately, I have had a really hard time finding bedding that Mr. 3 and I can both agree on.  The man loves his blues and greys, whereas I prefer brighter colors like green and yellow in the house.  After much discussion, we found one set of bedding that we both love and one set that he can at least live with, so both of our beds will be covered in wherever we wind up living together (apartment hunting its ongoing).

I might have been able to avoid this whole discussion if I had known about this website, InMod, which allows you to design your own bedding and toss pillows.  You can selected from a variety of prints, fabrics, styles, and sizes (they go up to a "super king", which I believe is their version of the California king).  Prices start at $160, but when I built my bedding using a silk dupioni duvet cover, mine was $494 for a queen sized duvet and king sized shams.

More later on my eensy, weensy addiction to glass...

Wedding Tip Wednesday: Throwing a Bridal Shower

If you are planning on throwing a bridal shower and do not know where to begin, Pottery Barn has come to the rescue!  The home decor store not only has fantastic choices for your registry, but helpful guidance on throwing a bridal shower.

Check out their website for etiquette information, theme ideas, invitation and other templates, and an itunes playlist.

I especially love the idea of having all the napkin linens used for the shower monogrammed with the brides wedding date and giving them to her as a gift (just make sure you launder them to get all the cake and bellini stains out)!  Of course, it's no surprise...we all know I dearly love a monogram! 

Wedding Tip Wednesday: Go to San Francisco!

OK, so this isn't exactly a wedding tip...this is a life tip.  You absolutely must go to San Fran and while you are at it drive down Route 1 to Santa Cruz.  You might have noticed that I've been a little absent from the blog this week, that's because I've been on business out in beautiful California!  While I am a Southern Girl through and through, I find myself dreaming of relocation and I'm very tempted by the Bay area, gorgeous coastline, yummy sour dough bread, and perfect weather.  Mr. 3 is not as enthusiastic about my love for California and is eagerly waiting for my return to East Coast civilization....

When you do eventually wind up in San Francisco, make sure to check out the insane seven floors of the Macy's department store (including two floors devoted to home goods and registry) and the four floors of the Williams Sonoma (the two registry meccas are conveniently located across the street from one another).  They have EVERYTHING and because I was able to spend a little time over the weekend at both stores, I was able to 1) confirm my choice of crystal stemware and 2) reject my initial casual china choice (it wasn't available for me to see at any of the stores in DC).

I'll be back to blogging next week...although, I must say Briana is doing a great job manning the ship solo while I've been off in a different time zone, don't you think?

Wedding Tip Wednesday: Macy's Registry Review

Ahhhh the wedding registry. So much fun and I feel like this experience was the closest I could ever get to being a guest at Oprah's Favorite Things (one can only hope that her new network will do a swag special from time to time...I, errr America, is still very much interested in the Queen of Talk's favorite items).

Mr. 3 and I picked Macy's as one of the places to register because we felt that they would have a good selection of items at all different price points, there would be a Macy's location in every mid-size and major city, and Macy's generally has lots of sales and coupons that our guests could use.* After sitting down with a consultant, we found out that Macy's also has a great rewards program. In addition to the 10% discount for all items that the couple purchases after the wedding, you can also participate in the Macy's Star Reward program. This program links your registry to your Macy's credit card account (I had to sign up for one), so that after your wedding you receive 5% of the value of the items purchased in a gift card reward. So if your wonderful guests purchase $1,000 of items from your registry, you will get a gift card in the mail for $50 to use at Macy's. In addition, during your engagement period, you also earn 10% rewards on any purchases that you make using your Macy's credit card (just make sure to pay it off in full every month...paying interest defeats the purpose of getting reward dollars). I think this is especially great considering Christmas is upon us (according to the not to subtle marketing ploys that would have us believe that Christmas season starts November 1st and Thanksgiving is just that pesky eating holiday to tide you over until the real deal).

Other perks about registering at Macy's are: free lipgloss with consultation at the Clinique counter, 15% off fine jewelry, and local wedding vendor information. I'll keep you posted on the ins and outs of the other places Mr. 3 and I registered, but what do you think of Macy's?  Briana is ~not~ a fan of Macy's...however, she is deeply conflicted because she is ~such~ a fan of Martha Stewart (whose home goods line is only carried at Macy's).

*When taking your future husband to register, please be prepared for endless questions and comments along the lines of : Who is going to buy all this stuff? Where are we going to put this stuff? Why do we need that? Can we get the meat grinder for the Kitchen Aid, I see myself making sausage. I don't care which color, I pick the one you like.

You can combat these comments with the same tried and true method for carrying out a successful shopping trip when you actually do buy things: frequent snacks and a place for your favorite man to park it. Despite these precautions, be prepared for your man to have a meltdown at the end of your registry shopping. After 2 hours at Macy's (with lunch preceeding and a snack break during mind you), Mr. 3 hightailed it around the store registering us for assorted china, one serving fork, and a children's backpack with skulls on it.  I then spent the last 10 minutes printing out our registry and marking it up with frowny faces :( next to these items so I would both know which ones to remove when I got home and express my displeasure in his rogue registry etiquette. I feel like this tactic fully conveyed the gravity of the matter and I tell myself that his laughter really indicated his remorse.  Let those frowny faces be a lesson...

Thrifty Thursday: Macy's Home Sale

Macy's currently has a lot of home items marked down and you get an extra 10% off all home items by entering the code "FALL." If you know a bride who is registered at Macy's, you should definitely check out what she has on her list. You should be able to find plenty of marked down options for a wedding or bridal shower gift. Some deals are so great, you could end up purchasing far more than expected while staying within your budget!

Wedding Registry Checklist

Martha Stewart has compiled an amazingly thorough registry list. The list contains practically every basic item a newly wed couple will need for cooking, dining and entertaining. Martha Stewart also includes explanations of options brides will encounter when deciding on what exactly to put on the registry. Do you want to know the difference between a copper pot and a stainless steel pot? What about the quality of various cottons? You can find it all in this eight page list. The list also has space for recording selections (brand, style, quantity) which is great for keeping track of what you have already chosen or for including in a wedding scrapbook. One thing to note is that the list does not specifically suggest dish towels but does leave extra space in each category for miscellaneous that were not already mentioned.

Melinda will be basing her registry location on where she can get the Raspberry Ice KitchenAid. I encourage this behavior. In fact, we are currently decorating her dream kitchen around it :)