Cutting the China..

[SarahLovesJS]

Sooo..I am actively cutting my china and matching flatware from my registry. The only people that purchased it so far are my Grandma and Mom so they said no problem if I am changing my mind about it, it can be returned. I am just thinking in this economy...it''s probably not going to get fulfilled if you catch my drift and honestly I don''t want to invest the money in buying it all myself because I have other things for our apt I want to buy. And I am not patient enough to let it sit in a box in storage while I build it up. Anyone else feeling this way?

 

[Haven]

If you aren't planning on doing any formal entertaining, then cut it! I remember a lot of brides on here saying that they aren't registering for china because they won't use it.

However, if you are planning on doing formal entertaining, I'd leave the china on the registry. People aren't going to spend more than they can afford, so your concern about people not being able to afford it isn't really worth worrying about.

For us, we only received four sets of our formal china. Instead of buying the remaining eight sets, we decided to buy four sets each of two different yet matching patterns, which was actually a lot of fun.

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Haven that is a good idea about mixing the patterns! Yeah in the next few years to be honest..the only entertaining I will be doing will be friends over for dinner occasionally and my parents. Other than that..no large parties or anything like that. Definitely not enough room...lol our apartment is spacious, but it is still an apartment. What I am definitely keeping on the registry is the stemware because it can be dressed up or down. You inspired me..maybe I should be a second set of every-day dinnerware that is a little nicer that I could use to entertain our friends and family to hold me over! So in summation..nope, between law school and FI being tired since he will be commuting every day..I don''t see time for big dinner parties. Thank you!

 

[Lanie]

Sarah, if you really love the china and plan on entertaining, I say keep it. You might have some people get it for you. Unless it''s outrageously expensive, I would keep it on your registry if you plan on using it. You can always complete the set little by little (anniversary, people can buy it for you for birthdays and other occasions). Maybe you could get a cheaper set? It''s not as common as it once was, and I toyed with the idea of not having any, but in the end, I think I would have regretted not having china for special occasions. Our set isn''t that much...90 or 100...and we plan on getting more and more over time if it is not fulfilled.

 

[Elmorton]

Sarah, what is your every day set? The reason I ask is that I have fiestaware, so I''m actually really glad that I have a set of china, since my everyday stuff is really bright and super casual. The china is fairly inexpensive, but white and crisp. I don''t use it often, but it''s fun to use it when DH and I make a special meal at home, for holidays, etc.

So - I have two different suggestions if you''re going to cut china from your registry. 1) Register for a full boxed set - at most department stores, there''s an inexpensive $200-300 off brand, with some basic serving pieces. That way, you have a set that you can bring out for a special occasion.

-or 2) Go with a basic white for your everyday dishes - something that can be dressed up with a pretty charger, would go with crystal if you wanted to pair it together, etc.

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Will be back later to respond more, but I wanted to answer your question really quick Elmorton..I have Corelle Muse right now as my everyday dinnerware. So I could mix a basic black, white, or even a grey/silver with it.

 

[Rhea]

We chose not to have formal china. Most of the time it''s just the two of us, sometimes we have friends or our parents over and our very nice everyday are fine for that. Someday I''d like to expand our collection, but I can do that without a wedding list. I''d rather have guests buy one complete set and buy a second set for myself later in life when I may be more likely to use it.

 

[jstarfireb]

We never registered for china...we''re not doing formal entertaining, and we also will be living in tiny apartments in different cities for the next 3 years. In fact, when we finally do live together, I was just planning on merging our sets of flatware from college and just using those as long as they last. However, some kind soul got me a nice, classy looking set of dishes/bowls etc. for my shower. So I did register for new silverware to go with that.

 

[AmberGretchen]

I''m so glad I didn''t register for super formal china - we got a nice everyday set that goes in the dishwasher and is plenty nice for when we have friends over. I honestly think we would never use a super formal set - I think its much more appropriate if you''re older and/or have friends and family that do a lot of formal occasions. If not, I agree with you, the $$ is better spent elsewhere.

 

[kama_s]

Hmm...I am only registering for formal china and some cool kitchen gadgets like a KitchenAid mixer and some fancy knives. I feel like china is one thing you keep forever and you can totally pass it on to your kids...vintage china

!! And I''m really looking forward to taking out our wedding china for a fancy party 20 years down the road!

 

[FrekeChild]

I hear you. I decided to not put any china on there because we don''t have any room for it, and I have about 5 sets of various dishes (fine china, everyday china Christmas china, Depression glass, etc) from my mom/being stored at her house. But I can''t imagine that it''d be filled either. I think that if we decide to register for dishes later, it will be another 4 sets of the Great White dishes at Pottery Barn, that FI bought for me our first Christmas together.

And we probably wouldn''t get any of them anyway...

 

[ash313]

We are not registering for china, but will register for some "nicer" everyday plates (plain white, very simple from C&B) that, as someone said above, could be paired with crystal and/or a nice charger to make a lovely place setting.

My mother has two sets (hers and her mother''s) that I could always borrow if I needed to, and someday those sets will be mine. I didn''t really see a need to add another set to the mix.

 

[Octavia]

Lee, which C&B dinnerware did you choose? We are putting the Aspen on our registry, I

it. We'll probably register for formal china as well, but mainly because we don't need much of anything else and I've been told that I must have a registry...and I don't think that means a bare one. I don't know if we'll end up getting the china, but I don't have any heirloom china coming my way so it's worth it for us to register for it. And although we don't have space right now, my parents have offered to keep it safe for us until we do. It'll be like getting presents all over again when we bring it home!

Now, I just need to figure out what company to go with. I'm terrified that once we start a pattern, it will either be discontinued or the company will go out of business. Sigh.

 

[JSM]

We didn''t register for any dishes because we were supposed to be getting an heirloom China set from my husband''s family... I think SIL was going to be upset with that, so apparently that''s no longer happening.

We have a hand me down set of everyday dishes that will work just fine. Honestly, my family is wonderful but not well off, so I would rather have them spend money on other things should they choose to. At the shower, I got things I asked for and really needed (sheets, towels, pyrex bakeware, bathroom accessories, some specialty pots and pans).