20 Must-Have Items For Your Wedding Registry List

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You'll want to add these must-have items to your wedding registry list!
These list of wedding registry items is so helpful for the bride-to-be!

Must-have Wedding Registry Items! 

No one can deny that wedding planning is stressful; I’ll forever remember planning my wedding as a hectic process that caused me copious amounts of anxiety.  I never understood why brides panicked over minute details, until I got engaged!

Luckily, there were a few details I did enjoy planning, and one of them was choosing things  to put on our wedding registry list. It was actually more exciting than I thought it would be; it’s one of the first major ways that a couple prepares for married life together. However, it’s important to remember that these gifts should be chosen wisely, otherwise you’ll end up with gadgets you never use, and that’ll just take up valuable space in your house or apartment!

Below is my list of items I’m SO thankful I registered for, as well as a few that I wish I had included on my list. Remember: this is the time to have fun and enjoy looking at all the amazing products you might get before and after the big day. While the number of choices out there can be overwhelming, preparing a list in advance can help you stay focused.

Without further ado’, here’s my list of wedding registry must-haves:

BEDROOM

1). Sheets –

While sheets aren’t as fun as, say, a Kitchenaid mixer, they’re something you’ll use everyday, so you should include it in your registry. Also, a decent set of sheets can be pricey, and not having to pay for one yourself is nice, especially after all the money you’ll be spending on the wedding. Trust me when I say you’ll be thankful when you receive them; it’s a basic necessity.

KITCHEN

2). Kitchen Knives

This is a non-negotiable. You HAVE to have good knives in your kitchen. After all, you’ll be cooking for two people now, (granted you do  most of the cooking in the house!) and not only will you be making your primary meals like breakfast and dinner, but you’ll likely be making snacks like sliced apples, sliced cucumbers, sliced cheese, etc. Just in case I wasn’t’ clear before: you NEED a good knife set like the Utopia Kitchen Stainless Steel 6 Piece Knives Set

3). Flatware

Do you have a nice set of flatware? Are they ones you wouldn’t mind your visitors using? I think getting a nice flatware set adds a little something special to your dining experience when you sit down to eat dinner at the end of the day with your husband. Additionally, if you’re going to get a nice set of dinner plates, it only makes sense to get a new flatware set, too. Pick a style that you love, and include it on your list. I like this Lenox Portola 65-Piece Flatware Set because it’s elegant, and top rated on Amazon. 

4). Dinnerware Set 

A brand-new dinnerware set is a really nice wedding gift to receive. Choose a set that you love, and that you think will go well with your dining room or kitchen. I like this Mikasa Antique White 40-Piece Dinnerware Set because it’s classic and elegant, and it serves 8. It’s also porcelain so it works for fancier dinners when you invite your guests over for a nice evening in your home.

5). Toaster Oven

This has been an absolute blessing! When my then-fiance first suggested we get a toaster oven, I never imagined that it would make my life so much easier, especially around dinner time. On most days of the week, our toaster oven gets used twice a day: once for breakfast when I need to toast bread, waffles, or bagels, and once for dinner when I want to bake something like veggie lasagna or a pasta bake. I honestly can’t believe how convenient it is, especially during Summer months when turning on the conventional oven can heat up my entire home!

It’s simple to use, too: all I do is prepare the dish, set the temperature, and pop it in and set the timer. My toaster oven has different settings for bagels, toast, pizza, and reheating. I love it and I won’t ever go without one ever again; I think it’s a worthy investment. My husband is a big fan of the Breville brand, so of course, we got the Breville BOV450XL Mini Smart Oven with Element IQ, and I highly recommend it because it works phenomenally. Plus, it’s sleek and makes our kitchen look more upscale, which I love!

6). Basic Baking Set

I don’t know how I could manage, especially around Fall and Winter, without a good baking set. Most baking sets include the most commonly used baking pans like the 13×9 baker that you can use for lasagnas and casseroles, a loaf pan for making pumpkin and banana breads, and a classic round cake pan. I didn’t get the set I registered for, but I did receive one that I absolutely love now. I’m a big fan of the Calphalon Nonstick Bakeware Set because it not only bakes well and does its job, but it is very easy to clean, which is a big plus in my eyes. Everyone loves homemade desserts (well – mostly everyone!) but I doubt anyone loves the clean up – washing those pans afterwards is no easy task. If you’d like to improve your baking skills, head over to my post about must-have baking tools

7). Blender (Nutri Bullet)

Odds are, you’re going to need a blender. Even if you don’t use it every day, or even every week, a blender will prove valuable when you’re craving a smoothie, want to make a green juice, need to mix a protein shake after a workout, want to make salsa, or even margaritas and frozen drinks for your guests! I love our NutriBullet 12-Piece High-Speed Blender. It’s powerful, easy to clean, and you can even drink straight out of the cup and take it on the go with you.

8). Slow Cooker/ Rice Cooker

Once married life begins, you’re going to need all the extra time you can get. Sometimes, you won’t have the energy to make a full meal from scratch when you get home from work, which is why a slow cooker is worth getting even if you just use it to make rice (TIP: Make a batch and use it for different meals of the week, just add different spices for flavor).

I especially love my slow cooker during the colder months because I love to make all kinds of soups and stews. Slow cookers make excellent batches of soup and it makes it makes my job so much easier. The Instant Pot Multi-Use Slow Cooker has an impressive 21,000 customer reviews on Amazon

9). Kitchenaid Stand Mixer

This is my absolute favorite baking tool. I actually didn’t include it on my wedding registry because I already had one, thanks to my sweet husband. Why is the KitchenAid Stand Mixer so popular? The answer is simple: it makes more advanced baking recipes easier to manage and really cuts down on time, since it enables you to multitask. If you enjoy baking, or if your husband loves sweet treats, I recommend a stand mixer. While it is on the pricey side, it’s a good idea to put a few pricier items on your registry because you might have someone who wants to splurge on you and your husband, and a stand mixer is an excellent choice.

10). Pots & Pans

Again – you’ll be cooking for two people now, and then maybe three or four if you plan to have babies soon. You’re going to want a nice set of pots and pans that are sturdy and reliable, and yes – pretty too, because I find that having nice things in you kitchen makes cooking and baking more of a delightful experience. The Rachael Ray  Hard-Anodized Aluminum Nonstick Cookware Set  has great reviews and is good for even heating.

11). Cutting Board

Don’t settle for old, cheap cutting boards; they’re bad for your knives and can harbor bacteria. It’s a good idea to get a few that are sturdy and of varying sizes. Sometimes, you’ll only need to use your small board for cutting up things like apples, or garlic and onions. Other times, you’ll need a large cutting board for handling larger portions, like when you make a big batch of stew and need to cut up all the vegetables at once.

12). Glass containers

Leftovers…you’ll soon be cooking in larger loads than you’re used to, which means you’ll likely have leftovers. Health wise, it’s safer to opt for glass containers, rather than plastic ones. The added benefit of using glass containers is that you can heat your leftovers right in the microwave without having to transfer to another dish. Before you register for or buy glass containers, make sure to thoroughly read the reviews first, as some are more sturdy than others. I like the Glasslock 18-Piece Assorted Oven Safe Container Set because the containers are airtight and BPA free, and they come in a variety of sizes. 

13). Electric Tea Kettle

Are you a fan of tea? Do you wish you could enjoy loose-leaf tea on a whim, but hate the hassle of having to boil water beforehand? Well, if you love a good cup of tea – let me tell you – you need an electric tea kettle!

I’ve loved tea for years, and I drink green tea every morning to help me wake up. What I didn’t know is that every type of tea should be made with water that’s set to a certain temperature. In fact, green tea can taste bitter if you use water that is too hot. Additionally, black tea requires water that is much hotter than what’s used for most teas. The Cuisinart Electric Kettle, which my little brother actually got me, is one of my favorite and most used gifts off my registry. All I do is pour in filtered water and press a button according to what kind of tea I’m making that day. Most days I hit the “Green Tea” button, and the water heats up to 175 degrees. My husband sometimes uses it to boil water for a cup of coffee, so it has multiple uses.

14). Coffee Maker

If you’re an avid coffee drinker, and you’ve been using the same coffee maker for years, you might want to upgrade to a new one. These days, there are so many options for those with busy schedules, such as the ever-so-popular Keurig K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker, which is especially useful if only one of you drinks coffee. Plus, you can get the Keurig K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter and fill it with your favorite ground coffee so that you don’t have to keep purchasing and throwing out those individual plastic K-Cups. 

My husband is a huge coffee enthusiast, so he got himself a fancy Breville Espresso Machine. If you’re a fan of espresso and take your coffee beans seriously, we highly recommend it!

15). SodaStream

This isn’t exactly a necessity, but it’s a must-have in my book because my husband loves drinking carbonated water. It’s actually how he overcame his addiction to soda! We use to buy cans of sparkling water from the grocery store all the time, so when we were picking out things to put on our registry, we figured it’d be a good idea to include the SodaStream Sparkling Water Maker . It’s worked out well for us. It’s super easy use, and it makes tasty sparkling water that makes dinner a little more exciting! The bonus is that it’s cost effective because we don’t have to buy cans of water anymore. We love it so much and are so glad it made our wedding registry list.

16). Vacuum 

Do you have a dog or cat, or plan to adopt one after you get married? If so, you need a good vacuum cleaner. If you don’t have pets, you still need a good vacuum cleaner. Odds are, you’re going to have carpet in your new living space, even if it’s only in one room, like your bedroom.

A quality vacuum cleaner will do a good job of scooping up all the dust and pet dander from your carpet. If you don’t want a heavy vacuum, you can opt for one that’s much lighter, but still effective, like the Hoover Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner. We actually have this one in our home, and we like it because it’s convenient for those times that we just want to quickly clean up our area rugs near the front door or in our living room. We also  a second vacuum like the Shark Navigator Lightweight Upright Vacuum that we use about once a week for heavy lifting, 

BATHROOM

17). Bathroom Rugs

You can usually find decent bathroom rugs for an affordable price if you shop around, but if you fall in love with  specific design, why not add it to your registry? It can give a whole new look to your bathroom without much effort on your part at all.

18). Towels

Towels usually fall under the category of the-more-the-better. You’re definitely going to need a few bath towels in your home, so pick a design and material you like, and that suits the theme in your bathroom. You won’t be sorry when you have an abundance of towels in your home; you’re going to need them!

DECOR

Don’t be afraid to add a few decor pieces to your registry! Some decor can last a lifetime, so don’t feel like it’s a waste to include it on your list!

19). Things like this beautiful this Caskata Flowering Cylinder Vase, are classic pieces that can adorn your home for years. My husband and I both love the color blue and it goes with everything in our home.

20). This Silkscreened Corinthians Verse Mr & Mrs Wood Picture Frame is a gorgeous piece of decor and can make you remember your beautiful wedding day!

Now that you’ve read through this list of must-haves, I hope you enjoy registering for your wedding gifts; it’s such a special time that will (hopefully) never come again. Just remember, this is a time to start thinking about what your new life with your husband will look like, bake sets and all. I truly hope you get all the gifts that will make your new life easier and lovelier. Happy registering!

4 Comments

  1. It’s been 14 years since I got married, but these are definitely must-haves. A fun thing to add to the list is board games for the family and beach towels. Cant forget about the fun stuff! 🙂

  2. Such a great list! I wish we would have registered for flatware because we just have a mix-matched set of silverware now. We did do the vaccuum, and that was one of the best things we got. Registering is so much fun, and it is great to have a list like this along with you.

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