Honeymoon Registration

With more and more people getting married later in life, there is less of a need to register for the typical gifts: toaster, mixer, blender, dishes, etc.  At a certain point, most people already have these things.  So then what do you register for?

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My friend Emily sent me an article from CNN with a great new idea.  Why not register for your honeymoon?   Rather than getting materials things you don't really need, set up an account where people can donate to your honeymoon fund and honeymoon travel.  Ingenious, right?

There are several sights (one example being The Honeymoon) where you can set up an account that details your honeymoon.  In doing so you outline an itinerary that will divided the trip into increments covering things like airfare, hotel stays and activities (i.e. massages, dinner on the beach, a zip line through the jungle) that people can donate towards. 

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If you decide to go this route, here are a few tips from Amy Eisinger, editor of WeddingChannel.com (and from the CNN article):
• Choose at least one store registry to give guests the option of a more traditional gift
• Register for your honeymoon through a website. Sending a card or putting a note on your wedding site asking directly for contributions would be considered tacky, she said. (WeddingChannel partners with honeymoon registry site Traveler's Joy.)
• Read the fine print on honeymoon registries; make sure the fees are very clear.
• Try to avoid extensive itemizing. Couples who register for travel are generally more established and might want to stick to airfare, hotels and major excursions.
• Put yourself in your guests' shoes; what would you feel comfortable buying for them?

So, if you don't want to register for a bunch of things you don't need - here's a great option!  Happy honeymooning!

Guest Post - Whimsical China

via Country Living

As a single young lady, I try not to think too much about my wedding, flowers, dress, and shoes as I don’t want to jinx anything. BUT, at the age of 25 and without a boyfriend, I am 100% decided on my china pattern. 

A good friend once mentioned that the super fashionable in New York City don’t register for just a single china pattern, but instead they select various antique and new patterns with different colors and shapes.  From this thought, an idea blossomed and thus began my china registry without my wedding date or (some might say the most important part) a fiancé.  

As I like to describe my style as whimsical, light, and full of color, I love the idea of having a mismatching (yet matching in their own way) china collection.  The idea of creating a dinner party with beautiful patterns splaying various colors and shapes align not only to my style but also to my personality. 

SO how do you create your whimsical mismatched china collection?  It depends on how far you want to go with it. 

You can still go with the more traditional route and piece together a brand.  Kate Spade china patterns tend to blend well together and are for sale at Macys making registering easy.  

via Macys.com

As for my china, I would love to register at Replacements.com.  Replacements.com is an online store specializing in new and old china, silver, and crystal.  A typical client for Replacements consists of our mom or grandmothers replacing a broken plate or cup, but clients are also able to buy complete sets.

For my patterns today, I went with gold as my base and incorporated purple and turquoise.  The bottom two pieces are “louder” than the others where as the top two pieces are more subtle allowing for a “quieter” dining experience.  Using the four patterns together therefore would create a balance amongst the patterns and colors making this collection, truly me. 

via Replacements.com

What would be your mixed china pattern?