"Do you want a vacuum that vacuums for you? Absolutely. Do you want to buy it yourself? Absolutely not. Enter: your wedding registry—the place where every soon-to-be-married couple lists their “want-to-have” items. From quality luggage pieces to spendy kitchen appliances, adding wedding gifts to a registry can be a lot of fun, but we have all been on the other side at one point, asking ourselves, “does this couple really need this?”
Plus, you can pick them up at your local CVS right now!
There are an endless number of gifts that you can list on your wedding registry, but what are you going to be really, really glad you put on it? Our married editors are sharing all the details about their favorite wedding gifts—the ones they use every single day, the ones they didn’t even realize they needed, and the ones they never would have purchased for themselves.
If you just got engaged, keep this tab open and your wedding registry on another. Trust us, you’re going to want to add these products to your registry.
Living in Southern California means we spend a considerable amount of time at the beach or just outdoors in general. This Yeti mini cooler has already proven to be incredibly helpful in our lives. Just last weekend, we took it down to the beach with us and filled it with our favorite drinks and sandwiches and everything remained the exact temperature it was when we put them in the cooler. The temperature outside at the time was 92 degrees! Have I sold you yet?
– Kirra, Graphic Designer
After years of borrowing my friend’s carry-ons for various trips, I knew luggage was a must-have on our wedding registry. This Calpak set is sleek, gorgeous, and so well-made. I spent ages sorting through different suitcases and luggage sets. Finding ones that aren’t exorbitantly expensive or super affordable but really not that cute is an extreme sport. Save yourself the hours of research and go with the Calpak set. It’s high-end but still kind of accessible, and the quality is top-notch. If you travel frequently, also add the Calpak packing cubes to your registry—you won’t regret it.
– Garri, Managing Editor
Your wedding registry is the perfect opportunity to ask for gifts you’d never purchase for yourself, so make sure you take it! I’ve always wanted this beautiful toaster and was so thrilled to receive it. At this point, it’s hands-down our most-used gift (I eat a lot of avocado toast, OK?) and it brings a big smile to my face whenever I see it on the counter. Yes, any old toaster will do the same job, but when building your registry, look to the future. Is any old toaster what you want sitting on your counter every day? Or do you want the one that is so gorgeous it counts as home decor? I’ll leave that up to you.
– Garri, Managing Editor
You’re going to see this on every single “What should I put on my wedding registry?” article that comes up on Google. It’s the perfect registry gift: You’ll never buy it for yourself, it’s that high-ticket item a guest might surprise you by purchasing, and a good mixer is something everyone should have. I’m not even someone who loves baking, but as soon as our KitchenAid arrived, I started making things left and right. The KitchenAid’s reputation speaks for itself. This is a gift you’ll have for years and years and a kitchen must-have. Pro tip: If you’re putting countertop appliances on your registry, make sure you choose colors that go together! We went with gray and white knowing that whatever our future kitchen looks like, our appliances won’t look out of place.
– Garri, Managing Editor
My husband and I are self-proclaimed coffee snobs. We love speciality coffee and can definitely identify a properly prepared cup. We have been hand pouring our drip coffee for years using a chemex and electric kettle. While we both love the art of making coffee, we equally enjoy saving time. Since we both are up and at it by 6 a.m. every morning, we figured this automatic coffee drip machine might be a nice change of pace for us. We honestly were not expecting anyone to gift us it, but to our joyful surprise, they did! It has been a life saver for us in the mornings and carves out an extra 10 minutes of quality time together before we start work! This has to be the best gift we received—we literally use it twice a day!
– Kirra, Graphic Designer
The Hatch was the gift we didn’t know we wanted. Your Hatch membership gives you access to a seemingly limitless library of white noise sounds, bedtime stories and meditations, and completely customizable lamp colors that help you wind down for the evening and wake up in the morning more gracefully. The gradual wakeup lamp was a game-changer during dark winter mornings in New England and helped me actually wake up for early-morning workouts without snoozing.
– Anna, Graphic Designer
This is one of the most versatile and highest-quality kitchen items we own. We use it almost weekly from fall through spring making soups, sauces, and stocks, knowing it will withstand heavy use and last for years and years to come. Plus, it patinas really nicely and looks great on a styled open shelf!
– Anna, Graphic Designer
Linen sheets are such a little luxury, and now that I own one set, I want to replace all my sheets. They’re warm in the winter and cool in the summer, which means they’re a staple in our bedding rotation.
– Anna, Graphic Designer
A pricey blender might seem unnecessary, but I love our Vitamix so much and use it often to make smoothies, soups, sauces, baby food, and more. We’ve had it for five years, and it’s going strong. The quality is worth the cost.
– Amanda, Senior Manager of Brand Partnerships
This brand actually didn’t exist when I got married, and I registered for a different pan set. Since then, I’ve upgraded to Caraway, so I’d highly recommend this for anyone currently working on their registry. I love that they are ceramic and free of chemicals. They are super easy to clean and an all-around favorite in our kitchen.
– Amanda, Senior Manager of Brand Partnerships
My husband and I used to fight over who would clean and set up our coffee maker each night, so switching to a pod-style coffee maker that requires no prep or cleanup was well worth it. I love how easy it is to brew a cup of coffee in the morning and that I don’t have to think about measuring or cleaning. This machine is a life saver.
– Amanda, Senior Manager of Brand Partnerships
Getting a full set of beautiful, quality, matching flatware that we use every day of our lives was a gift we needed and love. It’s one I’d encourage everyone to add to their own list, and if you’re buying the gift, it’s a great collection to help the couple complete for their new life together. I recommend registering for service for eight to 10 people!
– Alaina, Chief Executive Officer
We registered for a variety of sizes of this classic French serving collection, and we use it every time we entertain guests or family during the holidays. The beautiful, traditional style works with any other pieces you have and for any occasion, making it a perfect set to add to your registry.
– Alaina, Chief Executive Officer
My husband and I had already been living together for six years by the time we got married. When it came time to register, we felt so blessed to already have everything we needed in our home and to also be celebrating with so many of our family and friends from all over the world, so we didn’t want to opt for a traditional wedding registry. Instead of registering at a retailer, we asked guests to make a donation to one of three charities close to our hearts. Our wedding ended up falling on the same weekend as Hurricane Sandy, so we also asked guests to donate to the Red Cross and to different Amazon wish lists associated with that event. Using a tool like The Good Beginning is helpful because couples can search through various charitable organizations and create one easy-to-use link for guests.
– Robi, Editor-In-Chief
This gift certainly leans on the practical side, but I’ve been married for almost 14 years and we still use our Pyrex storage every single day. Whether it's for dinner leftovers, work lunches, or potluck parties, this is a gift you will use. Plus, the color-coded tops make it easy to match the lid to the container.
– Kathy, Editor
This roasting pan was something I thought I’d never use. Why would I need a roaster when my mom, my grandma, or my mother-in-law hosted every family gathering? Well, holidays change as you get married, get older, and grow your family. Sometimes, the adjustment makes you sad, but it can also be exciting to create new traditions together. The first times we hosted Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve were so memorable (and we felt so accomplished!). And guess what we needed to make the main course for our holiday dinner guests? A giant roasting pan. We may only use this roaster a few times a year, but I’m so grateful to have it on hand when we need it.
– Kathy, Editor
In addition to the practical, there are also the gifts you’d never buy yourself but that you'd love to have. By the time we got married, my husband and I already had a 4-year-old fur baby who even made a surprise appearance at our wedding. So we wanted to spoil him too by registering for a quality, personalized dog bed—and it was one of the first gifts someone bought from our registry!
– Kathy, Editor
A Roomba is truly the expensive home gadget I never thought I needed, but after we received one as a wedding gift, it was a game-changer. I was hesitant to add this to our registry because it’s expensive, and I didn’t really think anyone would buy it for us. But then I thought, why not just add it and see? And let me tell you: I was so delightfully surprised when we did receive this as a gift, and we truly use it so much. You can use the app to set automatic cleaning times (like when you’re both working outside of the home) or manually start the Roomba whenever you want. For us, that’s when we’re running errands or hanging out with friends—just set it, forget it, and come home to cleaner floors! It surprisingly sucks up a lot of dirt and dust, and I find myself having to vacuum our apartment less because the Roomba really picks up so much.
– Julia, Managing Editor
One of the best gifts we received off of our registry was a set of beautiful picture frames. When we got home from our honeymoon and settled into married life, it was so fun to go through our wedding photos and choose a few to frame around our home. Three years later, we still look at these photographs every day and are reminded of the love and joy we felt on the day we said “I do.” These frames added such a special touch to our home decor, and I truly cherish them!
– Julia, Managing Editor