Wedding Registry Guide: Traditional Tabletop Essentials

Education
Written By Mary Huddleston

Here is my ultimate guide to registering for tabletop essentials, including favorite brands and products. It’s important to remember that when you register for your wedding, you’re not accumulating every single piece you’ll ever own. You’ll add pieces as your life evolves (and you have more storage!), so don’t feel pressure to imagine that one day, you might need 15 serving trays. The goal now is to create a solid foundation.

 Everything I recommend here is for a more traditional wedding registry. Be sure to check out my post on non-traditional registry items if you have most of this covered (LINK TO NON-TRAD REGISTRY POST).

Everyday Dishes, Service for 10-12

  • Neutral, white dishes are a must. Of course you’ll use them daily, and you can jazz them up with pretty linens and salad/dessert plates for casual entertaining.

    • Get two sets so you can change it up and keep your table feeling fresh.

    • Set 1: Classic and simple.

      • Pottery Barn Emma, Crate & Barrel Aspen, Pillivuyt Queen Anne (Williams Sonoma), Crate & Barrel Marin, Vietri Lastra, Target Threshold line

    • Set 2: Something with a little more interest (square plates, basketweave, bamboo rim).

      • Juliska Berry & Thread, Pillivuyt Bamboo Porcelain (Williams Sonoma), Pillivuyt Basketweave Porcelain (Williams Sonoma), Pottery Barn Juliana, Vietri Incanto Stone, Dillard’s Southern Living Collection Richmond or Alexa Collections, Provvista Basket Jubilee

  • Colorful salad/dessert plates are easy to layer with your everyday pieces for a dinner party or lunch. Plus, they’re easy to store and fairly budget-friendly.

    • Favorite resources: Anthropologie, Mrs. Alice, Duggan Society, Helenita Home, Dillard’s Southern Living Collection Cabbage Plates

Flatware, Service for 10-12

  • For everyday use, an all-purpose, stainless steel set is always right.

    • Robert Welch pieces at Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn’s Riley flatware, and Fortessa sets are great and also look chic on a formal table.

  • A second, “fun” option gives you some flexibility in your tabletop designs.

    • Dillard’s Southern Living Collection Bamboo Flatware, Vietri’s Aladdin line, Fortessa Arezzo in brushed gold, Pottery Barn Tortoise flatware, Oliviola cutlery sets (via Amazon)

  • Steak knives (Williams Sonoma has every option you could want).

  • Don’t forget serving utensils. Get the set that matches your flatware. In fact, get 2 or 3 (you always need more serving spoons).

  • Sterling silver is of course lovely for fancy events, but I don’t think it’s a must. If it’s your thing, go for it, but the options I’ve listed here all work on a formal table.

    • If you have family pieces and want to complete your set, Replacements LDT is fabulous.

Special Occasion Dining, Service for 10-12

  • Fine china. Yes, you need it!

    • Mix and match. You don’t have to get a full set in the same pattern and color. It’s chic to combine different designs.

      • I love Anna Weatherley chargers. Setting a formal, elevated table is all about layering and these are perfect. You can also use them as oversized dinner plates.

      • Focus on the dishware and skip the super-dainty teacups, saucers, etc.

      • Favorite resources: Herend, Bernardaud, Anna Weatherley, Ginori, Hermes, Mottahedeh, and Royal Crown Derby are fabulous but pricey. Lenox, Wedgwood, and Twig New York have beautiful, more affordable options.

  • There are so many resources for dinnerware that’s not fine china, but definitely a few steps above your everyday plates. It’s nice to have pieces that fall in this middle range. Lean into the colors and patterns and just have fun with it.

    • Favorite resources: Mrs. Alice, Duggan Society, Helenita Home, Pomelo Casa, The Elements, Provvista Designs, Misette

Serving Pieces

  • Stock up on white serving pieces in various shapes and sizes. Mix and match different styles; the white unifies it all and looks chic on a buffet.

  • Cake stands aren’t just for dessert. They can be ideal for cheese displays, hors d'oeuvre, and small, savory bites.

  • List of essentials:

    • 6 trays/platters (2 large, 2 medium, 2 small)

    • 4 serving bowls (2 large, 2 medium)

    • 1 cake stand

    • Slate cheese tray & cheese knives

    • 6-8 ramekins to serve dips, butter, and other spreads

    • Appetizer forks, knives, and spoons to serve small bites and spreads

    • Pitcher

    • Pretty, small bows for apps like nuts and cheese straws

    • Wood serving boards for everything from charcuterie and pizza to décor

    • Small appetizer plates (Crate & Barrel sells the perfect set of 12)

    • Bread basket

  • Favorite Resources: Apilco and Pillivuyt at Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, etúHOME, West Elm, Target (esp. Threshold and Hearth & Hand), Beatriz Ball, Annieglass, Juliska, Serena & Lily, Estelle Colored Glass (gorgeous cake stands), Michael Aram

Table Linens & Placemats,These often come in sets of 4, so get 2-3 sets of each item

  • I have a full post on linen tips and resources here (LINK TO TABE LINEN RESOURCES POST).

  • A supply of mix-and-match linens is the easiest way to make a table special. Think about colors/patterns that complement your dishware and work interchangeably so you can use them for multiple table settings.

  • Remember that stripes and checks/gingham are neutrals.

  • Monogrammed napkins instantly elevate a table. Get simple, hemstitched napkins from Williams Sonoma or Pottery Barn and take them to a local monogrammer for embellishment.

  • Don’t forget rattan or wicker chargers; they’re seasonless and pair well with casual dishes and fine china.

  • While I love a clever napkin fold (see my post on that here LINK), napkin rings make life easy. Don’t forget to snag a few sets.

  • Favorite resources: Mrs. Alice, Pomegranate, Solino Home, Misette, Leontine Linens, Courtland & Co, D’Ascoli, Fenwick Fields, Flying Sheep Country, Klatso, Sweetgrass Home, Loulou La Dune, Maison Margaux, Sophie Williamson Design, Juliska, Kim Seybert

Glassware, Service for 10-12

  • I have a full glassware breakdown in my Bar Essentials post (LINK TO BAR ESSENTIALS POST). The bottom line: everyone has limited storage, so prioritize glassware that pulls double duty.

  • Beyond the basics, drinkware really comes down to personal preference. If you’re an oenophile, for example, you probably want separate red and white wine glasses. Think about what you like to drink and serve most often.

  • Stick to clear glass and crystal for most drinkware, but it’s always fun to have some colorful water glasses or goblets that complement your tableware. Just don’t serve red wine in a colored glass – it never looks good!

  • I can’t overstate the ease of dishwasher-safe, stemless wine glasses. Perfect for weeknights, they’re easy to store (stackable) and less likely to tip over.

  • Favorite Resources: Riedel, Simon Pearce, William Yeoward, Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, CB2, Target (Riedel does a great line for Target), Anthropologie, Estelle Colored Glass, Zafferano America, Mrs. Alice

Holiday Essentials

  • Think of the holidays you celebrate and the pieces you’ll need to host in your home.

    • Examples: seder plate, menorah, gravy boat for Thanksgiving, deviled egg plate for Easter

  • Spode, Vietri, Lenox, Williams Sonoma, Juliska, Crate & Barrel, and Pottery Barn are go-to brands for seasonal dishware (think Lenox Holiday, Spode Christmas Tree, or Juliska’s Country Estate in red).

  • While these aren’t the highest priorities, eventually you will host holidays, and people often forget to register for celebration-specific items.

Mary Huddleston https://www.maryhollishuddleston.com
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