Hi there! It’s Kate from DomestiKated Life here. You may remember me from my last post on My Way Home—I’m so excited to be back and talking about wedding registry planning!

I’m in the middle of planning my wedding and have just started tackling some research for building out our registry. Like many couples today, my fiancé and I already live together— in fact we’ve lived in 3 different apartments over the past few years and have accumulated lots of kitchen items—but most of those things are hand-me-downs and college-era relics. After asking around for the expert advice of a few of my already-married-girlfriends, I realized that what I need is a registry full of ‘upgrades’ to bring our home into a bit more of a grown-up state. Here are a few ideas where you can upgrade with your registry:

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1. Glassware. The current state of my glassware collection is a bit of an embarrassment—we mostly use pint glasses that were collected from the bar-hopping days of college, and most of my wine glasses are mismatched pieces from various sets. Champagne flutes and wine glasses that match sounds like a real luxury to me, and I can’t wait to add those to my registry. Another fun idea is to invest in a set of coupes that can be used on your wedding day and then again for special occasions after you get married!

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2. Kitchen tools. When you went off to college did your parents buy you one of those ‘kitchen in a box’ sets from the big box retailer? I’m still working with a few ancient kitchen tools from that era and can’t wait to upgrade those utensils. There are also a few items that I’ve never had before that I’m going to add to my kitchen repertoire: quality salt and pepper mills are on my wish list. And a solid butcher block cutting board or a marble pastry board are great pieces that can used for both prep and for serving.

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3. Small appliances. Living in a tiny apartment means that my appliance roster is pretty light. This is a great time to invest in classic appliances that are going to be high use. A Kitchen Aid Mixer is a registry staple, and well-built coffee maker is another great idea to include. Think about how often you’ll use these appliances and consider registering for just one or two low-use items like a waffle maker or pasta machine.

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4. Entertaining goods. I’m turning in the solo cups and paper plates and prioritizing some more formal entertaining goods for the registry like cake stands, a set of monogrammed linen napkins, and wine chillers or an ice bucket for hosting dinner parties.

What tips do you have registering? I’d love to hear them!

- Kate

Finder's Keepers

Invest in a set of coupes that can be used on your wedding day and then again for special occasions after you get married!

• A KitchenAid Mixer is a staple of the wedding registry; it's an appliance that will last you for years.

A set of linen napkins is a great way to elevate your table when entertaining; consider getting them monogrammed with your new initials.

A marble board can do double duty, both as a surface for making pastry and also for displaying cheese or appetizers during a party.

I like the idea of having all of the kitchen utensils matching in a clean white color palette to keep your counter looking less-cluttered.