Tips For Registering For China: Part One.
I have quite a few engaged friends now. And I have a feeling that I will have a few more engaged friends in the not too distant future.
Given my experience having worked in the bridal/wedding industry in my former life, I always welcome my friends to pilfer me for advice when needed. I don't give it unsolicited, of course. But I am always open to questions.
Recently I had a conversation with one friend about registering for china. I kept listing off things for her to keep in mind about choosing a pattern that I finally said, "I should just do a post on this!" So below are my tips for what you should keep in mind when registering for china...
How do you clean?
Seriously... Are you up for washing things by hand? Or do you rely heavily on the dishwasher? If it's dishwasher, you need to look at china that is "dishwasher-safe." So this means no metallic paint or hand-painted designs on your china. No platinum bands. No gold bands. No pretty Anna Weatherly decals. Those will be ruined by the dishwasher.
Do you see yourself ever having a formal dinner?
If not, stick with less-ornate china. I have seen some really beautiful designs in my time that I absolutely love. But I am not a formal dining person. So I went with a more casual pattern. (That, no surprise, is dishwasher-safe.)
Do you like color?
If you choose a pattern that has color to it, remember that this is supposed to be china you keep for life. So just try to make sure you will love the color and pattern 50 years from now.
Be sure to ask if the pattern is in danger of being discontinued anytime soon.
I have had this happen to brides I work with... They fall in love with a pattern, and a year after they get married, when their mother-in-law wants to add a platter to their collection, the pattern is no longer available. Or, they break a few plates in an apartment move, and they can not replace them.
Consider registering for a couple different patterns.
Love two patterns? Hate the idea of having to choose between them? You don't have to! Not really. Do your dinner service in one pattern, and do a dessert service in another. This is what I did when I registered. We did most of our service in the Bernardaud "Louvre." Then, I did dessert plates in a feminine Kate Spade pattern.
Register for way more place settings and pieces than you think you'll need.
Eyeing that soup tureen in your pattern, but afraid no one will cough up the $400 for it from your registry? Think again. People get very generous when it comes to gifts for weddings and babies. And it never hurts to have a wide variety of things on your registry. And you can always use more platters and serving bowls in your pattern. So add many.
That's all I have for now. I will be doing a second post in the next day or so on what the purpose of each china piece is used for, and why you might want to add it to your list.
Given my experience having worked in the bridal/wedding industry in my former life, I always welcome my friends to pilfer me for advice when needed. I don't give it unsolicited, of course. But I am always open to questions.
Recently I had a conversation with one friend about registering for china. I kept listing off things for her to keep in mind about choosing a pattern that I finally said, "I should just do a post on this!" So below are my tips for what you should keep in mind when registering for china...
How do you clean?
Seriously... Are you up for washing things by hand? Or do you rely heavily on the dishwasher? If it's dishwasher, you need to look at china that is "dishwasher-safe." So this means no metallic paint or hand-painted designs on your china. No platinum bands. No gold bands. No pretty Anna Weatherly decals. Those will be ruined by the dishwasher.
Do you see yourself ever having a formal dinner?
If not, stick with less-ornate china. I have seen some really beautiful designs in my time that I absolutely love. But I am not a formal dining person. So I went with a more casual pattern. (That, no surprise, is dishwasher-safe.)
Do you like color?
If you choose a pattern that has color to it, remember that this is supposed to be china you keep for life. So just try to make sure you will love the color and pattern 50 years from now.
Be sure to ask if the pattern is in danger of being discontinued anytime soon.
I have had this happen to brides I work with... They fall in love with a pattern, and a year after they get married, when their mother-in-law wants to add a platter to their collection, the pattern is no longer available. Or, they break a few plates in an apartment move, and they can not replace them.
Consider registering for a couple different patterns.
Love two patterns? Hate the idea of having to choose between them? You don't have to! Not really. Do your dinner service in one pattern, and do a dessert service in another. This is what I did when I registered. We did most of our service in the Bernardaud "Louvre." Then, I did dessert plates in a feminine Kate Spade pattern.
Register for way more place settings and pieces than you think you'll need.
Eyeing that soup tureen in your pattern, but afraid no one will cough up the $400 for it from your registry? Think again. People get very generous when it comes to gifts for weddings and babies. And it never hurts to have a wide variety of things on your registry. And you can always use more platters and serving bowls in your pattern. So add many.
That's all I have for now. I will be doing a second post in the next day or so on what the purpose of each china piece is used for, and why you might want to add it to your list.
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