What a delight to walk downstairs to breakfast at the B&B where we were staying to find the table beautifully laid out with Bernardaud Louvre. If you're like many, you may not know what that means. If you're like me, you know it's a most lovely collection of china. White on white on white, each piece a unique design, with intricate detail work and heavenly translucency - what a joy to sit down to! I voiced my appreciation of his wife's taste to our host, and he said, "Oh, actually I chose that pattern." Julian, you're a guy after my own heart!
Envision Your Life
Do this with me - Close your eyes and imagine the best dinner party ever. Wine flowing, sumptuous food, music and candlelight, laughter and great friends. Or a cup of hot coffee on a cool Spring morning while looking out onto your kitchen garden. Create a vision for yourself - not just of your wedding day - but of your life afterward as a couple. Imagine the type of joy and beauty you want to surround yourself with in your own home each day. That's what your registry is all about.
Casual vs. Elegant
In working with so many couples over the years, what I've found is that "casual elegance" has become a bit more casual and a lot less elegant. And while you may not see yourself ever serving formally, and all you really want are basic white plates, why settle for basic? Why not turn that white table into something magnificent?!
And believe me, the people in your life want to treat you to the reality of your vision. Wedding guests love a good registry, and truly want to buy you a nice wedding gift. Click here for an excellent customizable checklist so you can not only create the wish list that you deserve, but also give your loved ones something wonderful to present to you!
Keep or Replace?
Your wedding registry is an opportunity to bring newness and unified, lasting beauty into your home together. One of the first things I recommend is, together with your intended, do an honest assessment of your current belongings. Use these questions to determine whether something needs replacing, or whether it's going to be a meaningful part of your life together going forward. For each item in your kitchen, dining room, bedroom and bathroom, ask:
Does this item have actual personal significance - Yes = Keep
Are we in love with this, or do we just like it - Love = Keep, Like = Replace
Is this a high quality item that will last (concurrently with do we love it) - Yes = Keep, No = Replace
Is this something we can see passing down to our children - Yes = Keep
Is this from our college days - Yes = Replace!
When we're done using this will it go to the Goodwill - Yes = Replace > Donate
Upgrade
Even if you've been living together for a while and you think you already have everything, trust me there is always room to fill in, upgrade or perhaps indulge in something you may not ever purchase for yourselves. Sure you have a blender and it cranks out tasty margs, but is it a Smeg? Your sheets are fine and you just bought them last year, but are they luxurious 400 thread count Supima cotton?
Tips + Tricks
Take someone with you who you'll have FUN with. Your intended, your bestie, your sister. Then go to lunch or drinks afterward, make it a special event!
If your intended is someone who gets overwhelmed with too many options, do a recon visit on your own first. Narrow down choices so that when you go together, it's option A, B or C, rather than the whole alphabet all at once. (Gulp!)
Just for the day, put yourself first. I've heard it over and over, that couples don't want to "ask for too much" or they feel awkward requesting certain pieces or patterns. There will be guests who are looking for that upper price range, and you deserve beautiful gifts! Just balance your list with some moderate and lower priced pieces as well.
Upscale a bit so you're not having to replace your dishes or towels in a few years. Quality counts!!
Allow your registry consultant to guide you. These professionals know what they're talking about and they love helping couples. Use their expertise to help your registry be something not only useful to you but to your guests as well.
Make an Appointment - Making a registry appointment gives you the dedicated assistance you may need, and the time to do it right.
Atlanta's Best Registries
fête - Tres Belle Fête is the most wonderful addition to the Atlanta wedding scene! In their sparkling new boutique in the heart of Buckhead, you'll find gorgeous high-end lines of china, crystal, everyday, flatware, kitchen and gifts. Couples are choosing place settings in all manner of combinations, with mix and match being a sophisticated way to bring traditional formalware up to modern day cool. Presented in pristine fashion, you'll see Juliska (with some surprising new pieces!), Haviland, Mottahedeh, Gien, Raynaud, Vietri, Baccarat, Arte Italica, Staub, Smeg, Annie Glass, Mason Cash, and oh my goodness, the list goes on!
fête couples are today's dinner party influencers. They know that quality makes a difference, they know how to style a stunning table, and they will be entertaining to the nines for years to come!
All images on this page are from fête. Can we say eye-candy?!!
Also...
Beverly Bremer - All things SILVER! So many lovely pieces to compliment your fête registry. You'll fall in love with silver all over again!
Bloomie's Lenox - Best Villeroy & Boch selection in town, plus fabulous cookware, cutlery, bed/bath and luggage. This is a great place to round out your home.
The most important thing to keep in mind as you develop your registry - Go for what you LOVE, not what you think you should put on your list. This is the time to dream up something yummy and watch it all come together as each package arrives on your doorstep! Let the fun begin!