If you’ve never had to set up a home before, you may have difficulty figuring out what you’ll need to begin your married life.  Any place you live, whether it’s a house or an apartment will need the essentials.  Here’s just a few ideas that you may want to add to your gift registries:

Kitchen ~ Cookware
Baking pans (cake pans, muffin tins, cookie sheets, etc.)
Frying pans (at least one large and one small)
Sauce pans with lids (at least one large and one small)
Cooking utensils (heat resistant spoons, spatulas, etc.)
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons

Kitchen ~ Dinnerware (best to start with a service for eight)
Dinner plates (large)
Salad or lunch plates (medium)
Bread & butter plates (small)
Cups and saucers
Water glasses
Juice glasses
Wine glasses
Serving platter
Serving bowls (at least 2 large)
Soup bowls
Sugar bowl and creamer set
Salt and pepper shakers
Silverware (including spoons, soup spoons, forks, salad forks, knives)
Additional silverware items (steak knives, gravy ladle, slotted spoon, pie server, etc.)
Good sharp knife set

Bathroom Linens
Large bath towels (best to start out with at least four)
Hand towels
Wash clothes
Shower curtain
Bath mat
Decorative guest towels

Kitchen Linens
Dish towels (4 - 6)
Dish clothes
Large formal tablecloth
Cloth napkins (set of eight)

Bedroom Linens
Sheet sets (flat, fitted, and pillowcases) at least 2 sets for each bedroom
Pillows
Blankets
Comforter
Mattress pad

Misc. Items
Coasters
Wastebaskets
Broom & dustpan set
Cleaning products (pot scrubbers, rubber gloves, buckets, etc.)
Clocks
Rugs
Organization tools (shelves, storage boxes, hangars, etc.)

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list, but they do cover the absolute essentials.  As time goes on you’ll discover many other items that you can’t live without.  Starting up a home can be an adventure.  Enjoy!

Photo tile jewelry has become more and more popular recently.  After all, everyone loves having pictures of their loved ones, and putting those same pictures on jewelry is a legitimate way of showing them off to others without being too pushy.  I myself own several photo tile pendants with my grandchildren’s photos and I even have a photo tile keychain with my cat’s picture on it.  Although not too many people comment on my cat, my grandchildren always evoke dozens of admiring comments each time I wear the pendant (which is quite often!).

Wedding Favor Reflections has been selling photo tile jewelry for over a year now and we’ve seen this item go from a novel curiosity to one of our more popular and best selling items.  This is totally understandable.  It makes the perfect gift for Christmas, Mother’s Day, graduations, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and any other occasion where a personalized gift would be appreciated.

The cost of these unique pendants can run fairly high depending on who you purchase from.  It’s always best to shop around and look for testitmonials.  Not all photo tile jewelry is created equal.  We’re pleased to work together with an Ohio-based company called Milestones~n~Memories for our photo tile jewelry.  Every piece is handmade and great care is taken to make sure the customer is pleased with their purchase.  Customers are contacted throughout the creation process of their jewelry.  Proofs are sent in various shapes and nothing is made until the customer has given their final approval.  Even with this incredible one-on-one customer service, the price of these one-of-a-kind pieces is extremely reasonable. 

Purchasing photo tile jewelry as a gift for someone else does take a little planning.  Since they are handmade, it can take up to 2 - 3 weeks to receive your item depending on the time of year, but it is well worth the wait.  Photo tile jewelry is definitely gaining in popularity, and with very good reason.  I can’t think of another gift idea that brings as much joy to anyone who receives it!

Setting up a gift registry these days is absolutely essential.  They simplify the whole gift giving process for your guests by listing the specific items, quantities, colors, prices, and sometimes even their location in the store.  They are also a tremendous benefit to the bride and groom by making sure you get exactly what you need, in the colors and quantities you need them.  If used properly, they also help eliminate duplications, and thereby, returns.

When setting up your gift registry, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind:

1.  Try to limit yourself to one or two stores that most of your guests will have access to.  Multiple registries are difficult to keep track of and manage.

2.  Double-check the spelling of all names, addresses and personal information on the registry.  You don’t want guests sending your gifts to the wrong location.

3.  Choose items in a range of prices so there will be something on the registry that everyone can afford.  Remember, guests will also refer to these registries for bridal shower and couple’s shower gifts.

4.  List a variety of items.  Don’t limit yourself to bath towels, place settings, and toasters.  Power tools, camping equipment, gardening tools, etc. are now perfectly acceptable wedding registry gifts. 

5.  Check your registry often to make sure there are still items available in a large price range.  When you see that all you have left is the $200 vacuum, you’ll want to add some more lower priced items.

Last, but not least, have fun creating your gift registry!