Bridal Registries Reflect Our Casual Lifestyles
Brides building their
bridal registries today are thinking twice about china
cabinet classics, turning instead to home items in
which the luxury is a bit more casual.
“Five-piece place settings are for my mother’s
generation,” says new bride Julie Mathers, 31.
“We wanted gifts that would work with our lifestyle
and help make our home more inviting and luxurious
-- and luxury for me is a home where my husband and
I can escape from the world.”
Like many brides, Mathers is
finding her own definition of luxury in home décor
items that she says are embraceable, such as handmade
pottery serving pieces and Egyptian cotton bath towels.
Absent from her registry were more formal items including
fine china, sterling flatware and silver serving dishes.
“Silver is fine for some
people, but we wanted gifts we knew we would use,”
says the North Carolina native.
And since Mathers and her fiancé
had separate homes before they married -- today’s
average bride is 27 and her groom is 29 -- they already
had many of the essential items needed to set up a
household. They used their bridal registry to embellish
their home, asking for patio furniture and a gas grill
for casual entertaining and choosing high-end linens
and towels and an oversized showerhead to make their
bathroom a home spa.
“Bridal registries are
becoming less utilitarian and more personalized,”
says Leslie Gillock from Wamsutta home fashions, which
recently launched wamsuttabridal.com to help brides
organize their bridal registry thoughts. “Brides
are still using registries to outfit their kitchens
and build their linen closets, but they’re also
adding an eclectic mix of home décor items
that are fun, functional and luxurious.”
That’s the case for bride-to-be
Lani Britten. “How often would I use fine china?
In my lifestyle, it’s impractical, and my taste
will probably change over the years,” says the
28-year-old South Florida bride. “I will put
luxury in my bedroom though,” says Britten,
who registered for high-thread count, 100 percent
cotton sheets, a silk comforter and even a bedskirt
and throw pillows. “Nice sheets will never go
out of style,” she says. “Plus, they’re
something my fiancé and I can both enjoy.”
Along with hopes of possibly
getting her first set of Court of Versailles 500-Thread
Count sheets, Britten is excited about adding soft
chenille rugs, a spa bath pillow and a CD player to
her home -- items she defines as indulgent yet practical.
They will allow her to create the bedroom retreat
she’s always imagined.
And since Britten and her fiancé
like to entertain, they’re hoping their bridal
registry will allow them to add finishing decorating
touches to their home with artwork, outdoor games
and barbecue tools.
“We want a nice home,
but we want it to be comfortable for us and welcoming
to our friends,” she says. “Some day,
we may decide we need fine china, but right now, our
lifestyle is casual, and our luxuries unpretentious.”
Bridal Registry Tips
Keep these guidelines in mind
when creating a bridal registry:
* Select items from two categories:
What you really need -- such as utensils and dishes
-- and what you really want -- such as that set of
indulgent Court of Versailles 500-Thread Count sheets.
* Give gift givers choices:
Men might like to buy their buddies a gas grill from
a Wal-Mart, and girlfriends will enjoy the decorative
selections at home stores such as Linens’n Things
and Bed Bath and Beyond.
* Stock Up: You’ll want
at least eight to 12 dinnerware place settings and
utensils, three sets of sheets for the master bedroom
and enough towels for you and your first guests.
* Check Up: Review your registries
periodically to take off items that you’ve already
received and add new items as you better plan your
new home
