What Every Bride Wants {to entertain}

The extent of my entertaining these days is having a couple of friends over for dinner, or hosting my parents for the weekend.  However, Reagan and I can't wait until we throw more parties. Here are some recommendations of what every bride wants to entertain!

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1. Cheese Board/Tray: I got a marble cheese tray (pun intended) from none other than Rebecca herself. It's so pretty and I put out cheese and crackers for guests to snack on any time I can!

2. Placemats and Napkins:  I received several sets of pretty placemats and napkins from a store I registered at in my hometown. However, you find pretty table linens anywhere from Crate and Barrel to Anthropologie or Pottery Barn.

3. Snack Bowls: We eat A LOT of chips and salsa in our house, so naturally these Fiesa Fruit Bowls are used for salsa as opposed to fruit. 

4. China: To register for china or nor to register for china? Granted, picking a china pattern is "old-fashioned" and not for everyone, but I just couldn't help myself.  We always ate on my mom's china during special events or holidays, and I couldn't imaging not having my own.

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5. Pottery Barn Classic Stemware: I thought long and hard about where to register for stemware. (Wine glasses are important, ok?) Finally, I decided on Pottery Barn due to the fact that all the glasses are sturdy and I don't feel like they will break easily. 


6. Screwpull Wine Pump Set: Another Rebecca recommendation, "Perfect for people who have husbands that don't want wine every night. Pour a glass, put the rubber cork on and pull the air out and it stays fresh!" 

7. Specialty Food Items: Perfect for a foodie or cook. For example, specialty spices, sauces, coffee or drink mixes.

And that wraps up my gift-giving recommendations. Did anyone get a gift (wedding related or not) that everyone has to know about?

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What Every Bride Wants {for the home}

Continuing with my lists of "What Every Bride Wants", the next installment is for around the home!

1. Bedding and More Bedding: Now that I live with a boy, I had to get rid of my "girly" bedding and try to make our bedroom look more gender neutral.

2. Wedding Date Pillow: My sister got me this burlap pillow from Etsy as a Christmas gift, and I absolutely love it.

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3. Anything monogrammed:  I'm a total sucker for a monogram. Canisters, napkin rings, towels, you name it - I want our initials on it! If you know my husband, he loves to monogram things as well.


4. Pretty Bathroom Towels: Nothing makes you feel grown up like having nice, pretty towels in your bathroom. 

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5. Picture Frames: You need something to put all your wedding pictures in!

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6. Candles: I am obsessed with candles. I have them all over the house, and they are burning from the time I get home until the time I go to bed.  My favorite candle is WoodWick in Biscotti.

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What Every Bride Wants {for the kitchen}

Reagan and I were more than blessed to have three wedding showers, and packages arriving on our doorstep almost daily. Registering for gifts can be fun and/or stressful. For example, my husband registered for two different bacon presses and every type of grilling utensil imaginable. I stressed out over a china pattern.


I consulted with my fellow newlywed best friend Rebecca and came up with a ton of gifts we love, love, love.  Here's the first of a few buying guides for anyone attending weddings this summer, and I know there are a lot of you out there. First up, the kitchen!


1. Crate and Barrel Mixing Bowls: I didn't register for mixing bowls from Crate and Barrel, but after two sets of mixing bowl disasters (i.e. breaking); I decided to go with these.  I have the white set, and I've been happy with their durability and the way they stack to save room.

2. Veggie Chop: Rebecca says, "Small enough so that it's easy to store, but it can fit a good chunk of an onion or bell pepper."

3. French Press with Illy Coffee: This would be a good gift for the coffee snob. After getting this as a gift, we have officially crossed into "coffee snob" territory. 

4. Grind and Brew Coffee Maker: Rebecca says, "I leave the coffee beans in the airtight top and in the morning you just put how many cups you want and it grinds the amount you need. You can also pick the strength so it will do more or less. Awesome."

5. Kitchen Aid Mixer: I swear the food you make in a Kitchen Aid just tastes better.  Reagan took a picture of me the first time I used my mixer because I have been waiting all my life (ok - actually just the 6 months between registering and our first shower) to own one. There are also a ton of attachments (meat grinder, ice cream maker, etc. that make great gifts!)

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6. Taste of Home Cookbook: I have said it before, and I will say it again - I cook 75% of our meals from recipes in this cookbook.  I call it my cooking Bible because it has recipes, cooking and food preparation methods, and detailed information about almost all food.  For example, I didn't know how long to grill a pork chop, but I looked it up in the "Pork" section.  It's nothing too fancy, just normal people food.


7. Texas Cutting Board: Our house wouldn't be complete without Texas kitchen accessories.

Now, I'm interested to hear, what's the most used tool/accessory in your kitchen?? Pin It