The Top 10 Things I Wish I Put on My Wedding Registry

1. Bedding

It can be tempting to run straight to the glassware and serveware sections of a store, but bedding is a practical wedding registry item that you’ll truly use every day. Bed/bath products may seem boring now, but you might regret not adding it to the list when you’re faced with having to buy luxury bedding on your own.

Pro Tip 1: Register for bedding in-store.
“It’s always great to touch and feel the fabrics in person and decide together what bedding you’ll love,” says Lizzy Frost, Crate & Barrel’s Registry Director. “Plus, our store associates are super knowledgeable about each and every fabrication.”

Pro Tip 2: Attend a Private Registry Event.
Attend one of Crate and Barrel’s private registry events, where you can watch product demos, connect with a registry representative, and shop the store almost entirely to yourselves.

2. Bathroom supplies

We get it. Bathroom supplies, from towels to bath trays, aren’t as fun as registering for say, champagne glasses, but you won’t regret wrapping yourself in a fluffy new towel at the start of each morning. Plus, as Jessica, a Crate & Barrel registrant from Cleveland, puts it, “It’s so satisfying to have matching towels!” Here are the bed/bath items couples wished they’d registered for:

Two kinds of bath towels
Register for a monogrammed set of towels to celebrate newly-married life.
Also register for non-monogrammed towels for guests and everyday use.

Bath sheets, for a more spa-like experience
A bath tray holding candles or a book

3. Bakeware

It’s likely that you’ll remember to register for baking sheets, but there are a few other baking or dessert-related items that are equally important—if not more!—that couples tend to forget, and then regret not having later. “Couples remember to add the things they use every day, but baking or serving dessert is often reserved for special occasions so these things might not be top of mind,” says Frost. Here is the less-obvious bakeware couples wished they’d included.

Casserole dishes
If you’re the couple who’s always hosting friends or family, you’ll need a casserole dish for oven-to-table serving of big-batch meals like lasagna, roasts or even brownies.

Measuring cups and spoons
Even novice cooks and bakers will appreciate a full set of measuring tools, especially ones that nest neatly in the drawer.

Rolling pins
That old wine-bottle-as-rolling-pin trick just won’t do for Thanksgiving pies. A rolling pin is an essential for holiday (and all year-long) bakers.

Ice cream scoops
Sure there’s something romantic about one pint and two spoons, but when guests come over you’ll want to be sure you have an ice cream scoop too.

Cookie dough scoops
From forming uniform chocolate chip cookies to making the most round meatballs, this tool is an underrated essential.

4. Specialty Electrics

A blender, a toaster, and a coffee machine—there are certain kitchen appliances that people will always associate with wedding registries. But it’s the less obvious cooking tools that may be more helpful in the kitchen, especially on a lazy Sunday when you’re craving waffles. “Sometimes couples are so focused on upgrading the old appliances they use regularly that they forget to think about new ideas and look at all the latest innovations,” says Frost. Here’s what couples say they wish they’d included.

Food processor
Every aspiring cook needs one to whip up dips and chop vegetables. The latest models can even do more specialty tasks, like peel potatoes.

Waffle iron
Fans of brunch will appreciate this kitchen upgrade for family breakfasts for years to come.

Soda maker
LaCroix-obsessed millennials will love making seltzer in their own kitchen.

Immersion blender
Useful for everything from soups to smoothies, an immersion blender will get used every day.

5. Bar Tools

Wine glasses, flatware, and table linens are an obvious wedding registry item, but many couples forget that you always need a few tools for making cocktails, too. (That highball glass won’t fill itself!) Whether you’re mixologists-in-training or just fans of a great margarita, couples say they wish they’d added these items to their bar carts.

Corkscrew
Fans of vino? This is an essential for opening every bottle. If you already have a basic one, upgrade to an electric one.

Bottle openers
From beers to soda mixers, this tool makes every party you host a total breeze, so make sure you have a few (chic) ones floating around

Ice bucket
Save yourself multiple trips to the freezer with a stylish ice bucket that’ll help guests serve themselves. Feel like a luxury, but will quickly become an essential.

Cocktail shaker
Whether you’re hosting special occasions or just having drinks at home, a shaker makes every drink feel like a pro made it.

Jigger
Designed to pour the most common ounce measurements cocktails require, it’s really all you need to take your negroni from “meh” to “pro.”

6. Kitchen Knives

Odds are, you probably own a few kitchen knives already, but now is the time to upgrade your mismatched set and finally get a chef-worthy assortment of knives. “We use our Wusthof knives daily, and they allow us to prep foods with ease. They are worth every penny, and will last for years with proper care,” says Mallory, a Crate & Barrel registrant from Sioux City, Iowa. Here are the other picks couples recommend.

Individual knives
If you’re not much of a home cook, a few knives—a paring one, a chef’s one, and a serrated one—are the perfect starters.

Knife set
An avid cook will want a matching knife set that’ll help them slice, dice, and peel like a pro.

Knife block (especially nice when gifted alongside a cutting board)
Any level chef will appreciate a smart way to store their knives. (And a cutting board is a nice compliment to this gift, hint, hint.)

7. Neutral decor

Many couples look back and wish they’d registered for neutral decor that can work alongside more heavily patterned ones. “If you’re going for a timeless registry, neutrals are always a smart choice, whether you’re talking about tabletop or throw pillows,” says Frost. After all, you can use neutral items any time of year, and for any occasion. “Neutral serving dishes are more versatile and easier to build without mismatches, and they allow for holiday pieces to blend in,” says Erica, a Crate & Barrel registrant from Boston, Massachusets. Plus, you’re more likely to use neutral pieces for years (even decades) to come over more decorated items that might become dated.

8. Kitchen organization

Just like bedding and bath essentials, it can be easy to overlook kitchen organizing products because, well, they’ll never be as exciting as party glassware or serving dishes. However, couples often regret forgoing a clutter-free kitchen by choosing the pretty over the practical. Thankfully, with these kitchen organization options, you can have both.

Canisters
Decanting bulk ingredients like beans, grains, oats, cereals, flours or sugars lets you stay organize and keeps everything looking neat.

Utensil holders
Corral your whisk, spatula, and mixing spoons into one space, and you’ll always know where to find them.

Butter dishes
Bakers and entertainers alike will appreciate a neat and tidy butter container for the fridge or the counter.

Soap dishes
Your inner neat freak will love a place to store your soap neatly on the kitchen counter.

9. Grilling essentials

It’s easy to overlook grilling tools on your registry, especially if you’re registering in the winter, which is often peak seasons or registry thanks to holiday engagements. But couples often say they wish they’d registered for grilling essentials, especially when BBQ season hits. Here’s what they wanted specifically:

A grill itself
Yep, couples wished they’d registered for the grill itself because it’s a big-ticket item they might not buy on their own.

Grilling tools
From tongs to spatulas, grilling tools are a thoughtful addition to your wedding registry.

Grilling apron
You’ll need an apron, too, and there’s never been a better time to ask for one: A grilling one is extra durable and designed to be outdoors.

Meat thermometer
A meat thermometer isn’t the first thing you think of while registering, which is exactly why many couples wish they had. It’s great for everyday meat cooking and Thanksgiving as well.

Grill lighter
The exact kind of practical gift that you’ll appreciate the first time you have friends over for burgers.

10. Honeymoon

A major benefit to making a honeymoon fund instead of a traditional wedding registry is that you won’t have to dip into your own bank accounts to take a post-wedding trip. Plus, couples who live together typically have all the home items they need already, and making a traditional registry might feel redundant—just another reason why some newlyweds regret not setting up a honeymoon fund.