Gift-Giving Tips:
Registry Tips:
Always get the best quality items. This is an opportunity to upgrade your cookware to All-Clad or the latest new waffle iron. Get better quality sheeting for your bed and cashmere throw blankets for your living room.
"Thank You" Tips:
Never email, always put pen to paper when you are thanking people for gifts. Even if it takes a couple more weeks to get it to them, it's the right way to do it. Both bride/groom can write notes. Use this as an opportunity to use up personalized stationery with your maiden name. Don't use your married name until after the wedding.
Trends:
Basics: Today people are moving away from registering for more formal items to great quality basics that can be used every day (and even two sets of basics instead of one every day and one set of china).
Example: Dinnerware / French porcelain from Williams-Sonoma can go from breakfast to formal dinner depending on linens, etc. or add colorful, seasonal items to enhance for any occasion.
Example: Williams-Sonoma basic hemstitch linens. Layer with colorful runners, chargers or napkins to make more formal or fun
Example: Pottery Barn Stemware. Simple wine goblets that can be used for multiple varietals and can go in dishwasher
Example: Pottery Barn Bedroom basics
Personalized Gifts for the couple who has everything OR to make something extra special
Unique Gifts are a big trend, mostly because many couples are older when they marry and already have a lot.
Organic Gift: Group some of the Pottery Barn organic linens, towels, etc. or Williams-Sonoma Pure & Clean soaps
Seasonal things such as beach towels and tote, or gifts that reflect their specific interests (grilling, wine, etc.)
French Porcelain Dinnerware:
Formal: Apilco Edwardian Windows Dinnerware (salad and dinner plates), Apilco Tres Grande plate used as a charger, mango wood and nickel napkin ring, WS hemstitch napkin in cream, Riedel grape chardonnay wine glass ($40), Riedel grape cabernet wine glass ($40)
Casual: wooden charger, Apilco traditional blue banded dinner plate, Mediterranean salad plate, nito napkin ring, blue hemstitch placemat, WS restaurant linen napkin in blue,Emile Henry Blue coffee mug ($16)
Gifts for someone who has everything:
Dinner Party Idea: Le Creuset round 3.5 qt Dutch oven in Azure Blue ($175), with olive wood pasta rakes ($26), dry pasta from Italy ($10.50) and Williams-Sonoma Catalan red pepper sauce ($15)
For the Griller: WS Grill tool set ($80 or monogrammed for $100), Mastering The Grill book, Wustoff steak knife set of 4 ($299), Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Grilling cookbook ($34.95), Grill platter ($36.99)
Wine Tasting Set: Riedel Sommelier burgundy wine glasses ($122/each), Peugeot rechargeable electric wine opener $119, Le Nez du Vin Aroma Kit $130.Krups BeerTender ($299.95) and beer mugs (monogrammed set of 4 - $59 or plain $51)
Monogrammed Gifts:
Hotel dinner napkins - set of 6, $36
Hotel Cocktail Napkins - set of 6, $26
Water Carafe ($32)
"Green" Gifts (also make great shower gifts):
Herbes de Provence Pure & Green Collection: hand soap ($12.50), lotion ($12.50), dish soap ($10)
Lisa Quinn's registry and gift ideas:
Some of the products featured in the segment can be found at:
Amy Nichols Bio:
Amy Nichols Special Events is a full-service event and wedding planning company based in San Francisco, California. Amy began her career in the financial services industry in New York City, after graduating from Middlebury College. She quickly turned in numbers for details and realized that her true calling was the event industry. In her free time, she interned and trained with celebrity wedding and event planners in both New York and Beverly Hills, eager to learn more about the event industry and the art of the grand affair. In 2002 Amy relocated to San Francisco where she currently resides. After a successful career in corporate event planning (working for companies such as JPMorgan Chase, Lazard Freres, and Credit Suisse First Boston), Amy opened the doors of Amy Nichols Special Events in 2005. Amy spends her free time involved with non-profits and her alma maters. She has worked on events with the World Wildlife Foundation, Cate School, Middlebury College, the Junior League of San Francisco and the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Amy has taken numerous of courses in event and wedding planning at UCLA, UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University. She is also a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants.
www.amynichols.com
