Wedding China
When Chris and I were engaged, the biggest fight we got into was over our wedding china. First, I didn’t really want it. I was 20 years old at the time. What did I need fine china for? But Chris was adamant that we registered for not just china, but crystal and flatware, too. And he had very specific thoughts on what our china looked like, too. He didn’t care about bath towels or kitchen appliances. But when it came to the china, he was there. With opinions.
At the time, it was annoying as anything. I’d been planning my wedding registry for two years at this point and here Chris came in with these IDEAS and OPINIONS. The nerve! But looking back, I’m glad he spoke up because those few times we get to pull out our china, I always smile as I remember that time in our lives.
But enough of that.
Our dinnerware is Opal Innocence by Lenox.
I loved this pattern. It was simple and clean and classic, but still seemed modern to me. What I’ve come to love about it that I didn’t even think about when I was registering was that it is incredibly versatile. It looks beautiful at Easter on spring colored tablecloths. It looks elegant in the fall on gold tablecloths. It looks festive at Christmas on red and green tablecloths.
Once we settled on our dinnerware, we chose flatware that we thought matched very nicely. Our flatware pattern is Juilliard by Oneida.
I like it for the same reason I like our dinnerware. It’s simple and elegant, but I think the flair at the bottom of each piece makes it look a little more modern. It ain’t my momma’s flatware. But it very well could be. And I like that.
With dinnerware and flatware picked out, we moved on to the crystal. I had a hard time picking that because truth be told, I have a hard time telling most crystal apart. I’m sure that’s incredibly unrefined or whatever, but I really can’t tell the difference between crystal drinking glasses in the hotel rooms at the Holiday Inn and fine crystal on Chris’ grandmother’s Christmas table.
But I knew I loved me some platinum.
Our stemware pattern is Firelight by Lenox. And what I love about it is the platinum rim on each piece. I think it’s so snazzy. And even though my glass is usually filled with only iced tea, these beautiful pieces look gorgeous with white wine, champagne, red wine, water, or apple juice in them. They are just beautiful. Dainty and yet they don’t feel so fragile that you’re afraid to pick them up.
Now, I’m the first to tell you that fancy dinnerware doesn’t make your food taste any better. Platinum rimmed crystal doesn’t turn water into wine. But when I pull out these pieces a few times a year, they do remind me of such a happy time in my relationship with Chris. They mark the beginning of our marriage and what better memory to recall at the holidays?
15 Comments
Mrs. Jen B
I loooooove your crystal, it’s gorgeous! Everything’s beautiful but the crystal really speaks to me…or something.
I wish we had registered for china, but alas we did not. Maybe we’ll just need to work on it over time together. 🙂
Katy
I do have to admit, that while I LOVE my china, it has blue designs on it, so it did not work perfectly with the fall table…oops. Yours is lovely, though!
Stephanie @ Our Marriage Adventure
I love to see couples get use out of their china! We registered, but we only received a single set so we choose to finish our flatware first and purchase our china in the future. I’m still looking forward to buying the china, but I LOVE our flatware.
Rebecca
You have excellent taste in china – I’ve got the same pattern & love it just as much today as I did the day we picked it out 8 years ago!
Mindee@ourfrontdoor
Now I feel guilty for not getting my china out last week. We used paper plates because I didn’t want to do the hand washing, but your table looks so pretty!
Lori @ I Can Grow People
We never registered for wedding “china”–we just got dishes and glasses from Target. And our silverware? Before we had even made a registry, my boss at Yale gave us a set of very nice flatware that his wife picked out as a going away/happy wedding gift, so…a little atypical, but we don’t get upset if something breaks during a move!
Kat @ Living Like the Kings
OMG That’s the same China that Jon and I picked but we ended up not registering for a fine china set after all and just stuck to plain dinner wear. It does look soooo nice!
Becky Lovasz
That’s the same china pattern we have! Unfortunately, all our wedding gifts have been in storage since we received them. We’ve been living in the Caribbean going to vet school. I dream of the day when we have our own home and can host the holidays on our china.
Kristin
I have the same china and almost the same stemware! I love them, too!
Renee
I didn’t want china when we registered either. But I did it anyway, because it’s what you’re supposed to do. I didn’t get any though, so I guess we’ll just have to eat on plain plates.
Ashley
It’s gorgeous! I’ve always been like you…never saw the point in asking for that stuff, but when you look at it, it really is pretty and special. Plus, there’s only one time in your life when people actually WANT to buy you china and crystal, so you might as well take advantage of it, right?
Alyssa
This is MY china pattern too!! I registered for it 6 years ago!:) I have 18 settings I think! I LOVE it! (even if we only use it once a year 🙂
Michelle
I love your china and crystal! Looking back, I now wish we had registered for china when we got married; but alas I didn’t think we needed it at the time. It would be nice to have to bring out at the holidays and on special occasions! Your husband did a good thing in demanding it! 🙂
Jenn
I was the same way Katie, I didn’t really want to register for china but we did it anyway. I now have 8 place setting sitting in my closet, still wrapped, but I do look forward to using it some day!
Heidi
i hated registering for china. My mother in law tried to tell us that the china we registered for (something by mikasa) wasn’t classy enough. SHe wanted us to register for lenox because it has a “better name” I can count the # of times i’ve used my china so really…but i do agree with you about the memory of getting married and starting the new life 🙂
also i have the same crystal stemware!! Haven’t used it yet but we have the wine and the iced beverage ones.