A KitchenAid is nice, but have you ever used a Ninja Blender? The idea that a wedding registry is a way for a soon-to-be-married couples to stock up on the goods they need to start their new life together is about as outdated as the idea of registering for a full set of fancy china. And that means today’s registries are waaay more varied than they were in the past, and just as likely to include your standard KitchenAid mixer as they are a request for the funds for a beachfront couple's massage in Tahiti.
But as wild as wedding gifts can get (lingerie from mom, anyone?), there are some classics that newlyweds will always appreciate — as well as some surprising ideas that even brides- and grooms-to-be might not even know they want. These presents are the ones real newlyweds admit to using most after the wedding.
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Barbecue
“My mother-in-law got us a barbecue, and we easily use it three to four times a week. We needed a new one so bad and we love burgers!” —Tina, 25
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Fancy China
"We use our fancy china as everyday tableware. Registering for china felt antiquated, but it was traditional and we envisioned one day hosting family holidays, so we went for it. We love the pattern we chose so much that we ended up using it all the time. It feels a little decadent — and expensive when something chips — but it means we enjoy this really beautiful gift our friends and family gave us all the time in our actual life, rather than putting it away in advance of a life we don't yet live. That feels worth the cost." —Margaret, 36, NYC
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Farm Table
“My father-in-law made 12 farm tables for our wedding. They were beautiful, both aesthetically and sentimentally. Three years later, we now use one as our kitchen table, even though it takes up a significant amount of room in our small home. The best wedding gifts are those that encourage a lifetime of gathering and celebrating!” —Abby, 29
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Ninja Blender
“We use our Ninja Blender every week day morning for smoothies, use it as a food processor, and are able to make soups in it at well. It's not the most glamorous gift we received, but it's our most used.” —Ashley, 24
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Espresso Machine
“We are coffee-mad, so we got lots of friends to chip a fiver towards our dream fancy espresso coffee machine. It has Heston Blumenthal's name on it for some reason. We use it every morning. Flat whites for life. And it hasn't broken yet!” —Jamie, 27
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Electric Griddle
“Our electric griddle has come with us on camping weekends, to hotels for other people’s weddings, and we use it whenever we have friends over — you can whip up a million drunk grilled cheeses super fast and it's incredible.” —Caitlin, 28
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Handheld Steamer
“I added a handheld steamer to the registry just because I was starting to get loopy in the store — and it ended up being the best, most practical item we registered for. We don't have room for an ironing board in our apartment so the steamer comes in handy at least once a week.” —Alex, 30
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GoPro
“A somewhat nontraditional gift that we’ve loved is the GoPro. I'm fairly certain my husband has used it to film something (from recording drum lessons for students to videos of our dog) almost every week.” —Liz, 31
