My Wedding Registry Essentials: Home

Welcome to the second installment of my Wedding Registry Essentials, friends! We’ve already tackled my Kitchen & Dining must-haves, so today we’re going to address all things Home.

Truth be told, I found registering for home items particularly tricky because…I wanted everything. For better or worse, I get an instant high walking into any sort of home-centric store and immediately lose my focus/sense of purpose. My internal dialogue is basically: Everything so soft! OOH shiny! Pretty! Can I lie on that??! Oops, don’t touch that.

My point is, if my roommate I hadn’t been so meticulous about taking stock of what was actually needed to fill in the gaps in our apartment before registering, I would have probably been buried alive by a mountain of unnecessary throw blankets and YETI tumblers by now. So, I’m hoping the below list—which covers everything from necessary barware to basic linens—will help you avoid registry remorse by streamlining the home section of your wedding gift wishlist.

I also want to issue one quick warning. When putting together your registry, try not to go overboard on things you “might need in the future.” Sure, giant lamps and oversized rugs may look great in your future fantasy house, but unless that house is imminent, storing a bunch of stuff you don’t currently need/have the space for will be a bitch. (And an expensive one at that.)

Now go forth and upgrade your nest, love birds!!

p.s. Friendly reminder that the below is a master list of my favorite home items. So, whether or not you’re getting married, I’m hoping it will be a helpful resource for anyone looking to make their space as cozy and awesome as possible.

My Home Registry Essentials:

BARWARE

Stainless-Steel Bar Tools Set. This set has everything you need to whip up any cocktail in your arsenal.

Cocktail Shaker. So necessary. I’m partial to something classic.

Ice Bucket. A fancy ice bucket looks fabulous on a bar, and when it comes to entertaining, I find it’s a rather nice touch to replenish drinks from an ice bucket rather than grabbing handfuls of cubes from the freezer. There are endless styles out there (many of which can double as wine/champagne buckets), but this one is a good basic.

Brookstone Connoisseurs Compact Wine Opener. I can’t use a traditional corkscrew to save my life (don’t judge), so I live for an easy wine opener. They make fancier/more expensive versions, but I’ve had this particular opener for years, and it never fails.

Coasters. Not gonna lie, I’ve never been the biggest fan of coasters, but they do protect our fancy adult surfaces, so let’s all be responsible. (Barneys has a great selection.)

GLASSWARE

Reidel Wine Glasses. If you drink wine, even on occasion, get yourself a decent set of wine glasses. I’m a die-hard fan of Reidel for classic stemware. Depending on what you like to drink, I recommend registering for a set (or two) of six red or white wine glasses, and champagne flutes. Or ALL OF THEM. (I did.) You’re getting married, dammit!!

Fancy Water Glasses. My roommate collects plastic tumblers (no explanation), but when it comes to entertaining, it’s sometimes nice to serve people water in “real” glasses. I recommend these Reidel “O” Celebration Cabernet Wine Glasses. Stemless and the perfect size for water, they look great alongside most stemware. (And you can always use them for wine as intended. Duh.)

Soho House Barwell Cut Crystal Rocks and Highball Glasses. Even if you’re not a cocktail or hard liquor person, it’s still a good idea to have some rocks and highball glasses in your collection. (Needless to say, they’re also great for water and non-alcoholic libations.) The barwell cut of these Soho House crystal glasses are timeless.

Moscow Mule Mugs. This rec really only applies to those who drink mules on the reg (virtual chest bump). If you do, you probably know that they just taste better when sipped out of a copper mug, so treat yo’self to a good-looking set. (These are great for traditionalists, while these may appeal to those with a more modern aesthetic.)

YETI Tumblers. This unofficial YETI spokeswoman would like to remind you that YETI products are a gift from God, and I believe everyone’s life is improved by the possession of YETI Rambler tumblers. They keep hot things hot and cold things cold for an outrageous length of time, and I use my 10-ounce for coffee (and wine), and my 20-ounce for smoothies daily. I couldn’t be more obsessed with them. It’s embarrassing.

HOME DÉCOR

Art prints. It may not be the most common thing to register for, but I think registering for art that you love is both practical and romantic. And people will love knowing that they’re giving you something that will be such a big part of your everyday life. Art is super personal, so seek out things you love, but Morrison Hotel Gallery and MPTV Décor have awesome prints if you’re into rock n’ roll and celebrity photography.

Coffee Table Books. You can never have too many! I recommend taking a peek at what Rizzoli, Taschen, and Assouline have to offer and picking a handful of favorites.

Vases. I think it’s good to have at least three, whether you plan to use them for holding flowers/plants or for straight up decorative purposes. Depending on your style, you may like a few from Williams Sonoma Home or Simon Pearce. (Keep in mind you’ll probably receive a couple unexpected vases from peeps who go off-registry. Like salad bowls, people seem to enjoy gifting them.)

Mirrors. Take a look around. Could you use a mirror anywhere? Full-length? Accent? Maybe something above your dresser or by the front door? If so, find the one(s) you love for your registry ASAP. Mirrors are both essential and expensive, so let someone else foot the bill. (Hair flip.)

Serving Tray(s). These come in handy for everything from serving cocktails to dressing up your bar or coffee table. CB2 always has good options, as do Barneys and Bergdorf (albeit more expensive).

Sheepskin Rug. This is semi-random, but have you ever stepped out of bed and onto a sheepskin rug??! HEAVEN.

Quality Picture Frames. Precious metals, leather, wood, something funky—you’ll never regret upgrading your frame collection. Your photos deserve nice homes!!

SHEETS AND TOWELS

Parachute Home Sheet Sets. Good, comfy, matching sheets/duvet covers/pillow cases are da best. I’m a big fan of Parachute, which offers simple but quality sets that last. I have sateen and linen sets, and like both, but highly recommend the linen for those who also happen to be/sleep with a human space heater. If you’re looking to go super fancy, Scandi Home also makes gloriously comfortable sheets.

Parachute Home Towel Sets. I’m not sure there’s anything that feels quite as luxurious as a fluffy towel on your face and bod. My roommate and I had a random collection of (very old) towels pre-wedding, and I am now extra grateful for our stacks of soft white bath towels/hand towels/washcloths. Also, owning washcloths is very adult.

HOME APPLIANCES

Black+Decker Cordless Lithium Hand Vacuum. I am extremely attached to my dustbuster. This one is strong, has a long narrow nozzle to get into those hard to reach places, and isn’t overly heinous to look at. Highly recommend.

Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner. Dyson is king of the vacuum game, and this crazy thing will help keep your newlywed love nest super duper clean. (This is important to some people. Like my roommate.)

Dyson AM10 Humidifier. Humidifiers are the best, especially if you suffer from allergies, sinus issue, asthma, or skin conditions exacerbated by dry air. I have a shitty one, and I wish I had registered for this bad boy, which is expensive BUT provides even humidification year-round (it will cool you in the summer) and kills 99.9% of bacteria in the air.

Amazon Echo Plus. Whether you use it for Alexa (she can be a pain sometimes, but overall, she’s helpful), or as a speaker, hands-free phone, or hub for your “smart home,” the Echo can help make your life a little bit easier.

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