The day B proposed, exactly 3 years ago today, was one of the most exciting days of my life, thus far (see story here and here).  For a few days we basked in Caribbean bliss, but were genuinely excited to head home and celebrate with friends and family.  After arriving back in Atlanta, as the flurry of shock and excitement started to become more realistic, the upcoming wedding planning and to-do lists naturally became overwhelming.  One of the most difficult tasks we discovered was deciding where to register and what on earth to register for.  B and I lived together for a few years before our engagement, so we had quite the collection of hand-me-down dinnerware, flatware, furniture, and appliances.  Needless to say, our mismatched towels and pint beer glasses weren’t exactly items I could be proud of. 

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Consulting with friends and family helped us decide both where to register and which items would genuinely help us begin our lives together in a better place (i.e. not the Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville machine B thought we HAD to have).  As wedding season has already hit us in full swing, hopefully this post will give you a few suggestions on functional and/or meaningful items to give upcoming newlyweds.

 

Our Favorite Practical Gifts:

Further down, I will share our favorite gifts individually, but the following are items we actually use on a daily basis.

Westport 1000 Count Egyptian Cotton Stripe Sheet Set // Charter Club Down Euro Pillow // The Cellar Dinnerware // Oneida Surge 50-Pc Set, Service for 8 // Ralph Lauren Palmer 58″ x 30″ Bath Towel – Bath Towels

 

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My Favorite Gifts:

1. Roomba (iRobot® Roomba® 650 Vacuum Cleaning Robot)
   • As you all know, our furry children are our pride and joy…the only problem is their shedding.  Both dogs are shepherd mixes and the cat is calico. So not only does everyone constantly shed, we have every color hair on this side of the moon.  Being a clean freak, I absolutely cannot handle mini tumble weeds of animal hair flowing across the living room, so I use to Swiffer Sweep and Vac daily.  It is a more cost conscious alternative that worked perfectly fine all through college, but now, I run the Roomba once per day (setting it to go off while B and I are at work) and only Swiffer the hard-to-reach places about once per week.  It is such a time saver!
2. Champagne Bottle Stopper (WMF Clever and More Champagne Bottle Stopper)
   • This little gadget is a must-have for Prosecco lovers, like myself!  It is a wonderful option for those friends who want an add-on for a nice bottle of Champagne or sparkling wine.  It truly does hold in the bubbles for days!  Disclosure: most bottles don’t last more than two days in our house… so I cannot personally vouch for more than three…
3. Custom Georgia shaped cutting board with a heart stamp on Milledgeville, the city where B and I met (similar here)
   • I love the personal touch this cutting board adds to our kitchen.  Not only does it work as a decorative and functional piece, it also tells a story.
4. Large canvas painting of my wedding dress (by my aunt)
   • My aunt asked my mother for a picture of my wedding dress almost immediately after I posted a picture on social media picking up my dress from the final round of alterations (see here).  She painted a beautiful canvas print of it that is textured and matches our guest bedroom perfectly!  Her and my uncle also included a gift card to one of the stores where we registered.
   • I adore giving a hand crafted gift that you physically make with love and adding on a gift card for practicality, letting the couple pick up the odds and ends they didn’t receive off of their registry (i.e. the last few sets of flatware or hand towels).
5. One of a kind, hand-made pottery bowls (5) from a local Blacksburg, Virginia farmer’s market
   • One of my long-time friends is an absolute firecracker and has always given the most thoughtful and unique gifts.  He is a Virginia native and has never missed an important celebration in my life (from taking me to junior prom when I didn’t have a date, to the yearly New Years parties during college at my parent’s house, right down to our wedding).  Sometimes we go years without seeing each other, but it’s these atypical gifts that are as unique as him that remind us of his lovable quirkiness when he’s afar.
   • Giving someone a local item from where you reside is charming and symbolic.  It is something that will remind them of you and definitely will not be given by anyone else!

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Brandon’s Favorite Gifts:

1. Knife Block Set (Calphalon® Precision Series 16-Piece Cutlery Knife Block Set)
   • B is the main chef in our family (due partially to the fact that I grew up on McDonald’s Happy Meals and Kraft Mac and Cheese) but mainly to the fact that he loves to cook, and is genuinely good at it.  After years of using hand-me-down knives from various family members, these knives are absolute heaven.  They slice like a ninja and cut like a razor blade, while adding a swanky edge to our kitchen counter.
2. Cookware Set (Calphalon® Contemporary™ Nonstick 11-Piece Cookware Set)
   • We opted for the Bronze Anodized Edition 10-piece set that is no longer available (see color here).
   • We use these almost daily.  B specifically wanted a 12″ fry pan strictly for making quesadillas (which we ironically used last night for that very reason).
3. iHome (iHome iDL100 Lightning Dock Triple Charging FM Clock Radio)
   • We keep this gaget on the kitchen counter.  It serves as a wonderful home charging base for all of our Apple products, while doubling as a speaker for parties or playing tunes while cooking and completing daily chores.
4. Vintage crystal lowball glasses and decanter set
   • These are nicer than our every day glassware (to give that fancy “I’m an adult” feel to a nice glass of whisky), but not on the level of our Waterford crystal that we only bring out out on special occasions.
5. “Underwater Dogs” by Seth Casteel – coffee table book
   • Coffee table books are a wonderful gift, as they can serve as both an item of entertainment and decor.  I like to keep hardcover books in various locations through the house, including the coffee table, on book shelves, and even in the guest room.  This book not only plays on our love for canines, but is entirely amusing!

B and I sincerely appreciate and cherish each and every one of our wedding gifts (obviously, not just the ones mentioned above).  Thank you to everyone who was involved for all of the support, time, and energy you all put into making this day the most memorable days of our lives thus far!