Fine China

[RoseAngel04]

We''re going to register after Christmas!! So EXCITED! Everyone post your place settings PLEASE. I''ve browsed online a little and don''t know what the "norm" price range is per place setting and for silverware....

 

[diamondfan]

Rose, I just got this after 16 years of marriage...

Bernardaud china "Elysee"

Ricci sterling "Impero"

William Yeoward crystal "Claire"

I mixed in glass rimmed soups and compotes from another vendor, they have gorgeous gold etched rims that look good with the dishes...

I replaced what I got as a newlywed because I hated it...

 

[ChargerGrrl]

We LOVE ours and can''t wait to break it out for XMas dinner next week with the family. We''ve gotten raves from friends at the handful of dinner parties we''ve hosted since the wedding (yep, we''ve def. using our china!)

It''s the White Pearl from C&B. We also registered for the "matching" flatware- Grand Hotel II & the napkin rings

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=20&f=1534

 

[Tacori E-ring]

There is a "show me your china" thread. I have Vera Wang Grosgrain.

 

[dani13]

We are going to complete our registry after the holidays too. We registered for some stuff last yr after we got engaged, but I got so many emails from Fortunoff/ C&B about things being discontinued, I decided to wipe out the dishes/flatware/glasses that we originally registered for and start anew. Originally, we weren't going to register for china, but now I have decided that I want to...We basically have all the stuff we need in our condo, except a really nice set of dishes, and we love to entertain, so why not? If we are ever going to get it, then this is the time...

I think we are going to register for a formal set of china and an everday set of dishes -which still should be nice enough to have a dinner party with... I dont even have these yet....we are still using the combined dishes each of us had from our apartment(s) when we were dating!!!

This time, I am going to go all out!!!!

 

[ladykemma]

Date: 12/20/2006 11:38:43 PM
Author: diamondfan
Rose, I just got this after 16 years of marriage...

Bernardaud china 'Elysee'

Ricci sterling 'Impero'

William Yeoward crystal 'Claire'

I mixed in glass rimmed soups and compotes from another vendor, they have gorgeous gold etched rims that look good with the dishes...

I replaced what I got as a newlywed because I hated it...

i did the same thing. plain glass 2 handled bouillion bowls, compotes, and plain glass rim soup bowls. also extra plain glass dessert/salad plates. and crystal/silver/pewter neutral serving pieces.

i discovered that i cold have other sets of china if i kept to the basic 5 pc place setting, and didn't buy the serving pieces or the "extras". the glass and the serving pieces go with everything.

*************************************
edited to add: here is info from an old thread.

a little hint to the new kids -china lovers out there

get plain serving pieces in glass, cut glass, silver, pewter, and/ or crystal. then you can use these neutral pieces with anything.

get 10-12 plain glass "rim soup" bowls. get 10-12 plain glass "bouillion bowls". I get all these at flea markets, TJ Maxx, Ross, and garden ridge pottery.

then get many different patterns of just the dinner and salad plates of the fine china you desire.

it's the rim soup bowls and the serving pieces is where the china companies getchya in the wallet!

edited to add: (basically just buy the 5 piece place settings)

 

[ladykemma]

Date: 12/20/2006 11:02:42 PM
Author:RoseAngel04
We''re going to register after Christmas!! So EXCITED! Everyone post your place settings PLEASE. I''ve browsed online a little and don''t know what the ''norm'' price range is per place setting and for silverware....

consider going to a department store and actually feel and weigh in your hand the tactile texture and smoothness of the china you are considering. the wedgwood and lenox have this luxurious "feel" to them that the noritake and mikasa do not have.

what sold me on the lenox was how they "felt"

i am so happy you are selecting china. most brides do not these days. are you from the south by any chance?

 

[RoseAngel04]

Date: 12/21/2006 12:23:38 AM
Author: Tacori E-ring
There is a ''show me your china'' thread. I have Vera Wang Grosgrain.

Thx Tacori! I thought I''d seen that somewhere around here before but didn''t know if I was dreaming or not! I''ll have to do a search for that.

 

[RoseAngel04]

Date: 12/21/2006 7:36:59 AM
Author: ladykemma

Date: 12/20/2006 11:02:42 PM
Author:RoseAngel04
We're going to register after Christmas!! So EXCITED! Everyone post your place settings PLEASE. I've browsed online a little and don't know what the 'norm' price range is per place setting and for silverware....

consider going to a department store and actually feel and weigh in your hand the tactile texture and smoothness of the china you are considering. the wedgwood and lenox have this luxurious 'feel' to them that the noritake and mikasa do not have.

what sold me on the lenox was how they 'felt'

i am so happy you are selecting china. most brides do not these days. are you from the south by any chance?

FI and I went to Macy's this past weekend getting Christmas presents and we briefly breezed through the China area. There were several ones that caught my eye...Macy's had a great selection. I'll have to take your advice about the "feel." I hadn't thought about that yet.

It was kinda funny bc as we were breezing through, there was a lady wanting to set up a registry for herself. The saleswoman said "oh your bridal registry?" The woman explained that it wasn't for a bridal registry, but just an individual registry set up for her so people could buy her things she wanted!

FI was rolling when he heard this! silly silly


And LadyKemma to answer your question....yes I am from the south! From Texas! I've seen that trend more and more where brides aren't selecting china, but for me it's a must!

 

[ladykemma]

yeah we've noticed on the forum that the northern brides, espeiclaly the NY brides, do not want it, but the suhtherners do.

sumbrides posts on this are funny. and gypsy too.

 

[Fancy605]

We''re registering after Christmas too!

There are so many pretty patterns out there, but right now we are looking at

Lenox Solitare White for fine China (I like that it is so simple, and I like the shape of the cup)

and

Pfaltzgraph Empire for casual. (Namely because it''s the only one we''ve meshed on so far.)

 

[diamondfan]

I know the trend might be to not get the fine china crystal and silver but I love my new things, makes it fun to think about using it. It is worth getting and hopefully using, it makes things so nice when you serve on it...''''Lady K, I decided it was best not to be too matchy with things, and I liked the look of mixing in different but complementary elements to the place settings so it looked elegant but not stuffy...

 

[nicolejrx]

I just bought my china last week and most of it arrived last week, a couple of pieces are being special ordered from France but as of right now we are using:
Richard Ginori- Royal Blue Service plates as chargers
Haviland Limoges- Valencay
Bernadaud- Grace for our salad plates and some serving pieces. (My rectangular cake plate is in this pattern too, gorgeous!)

Our crystal is Baccarat Optic Tall Montaigne

I am in love with our formal dinnerware! There is nothing like French china, the china is brilliant white and 24K gold, can''t beat that...
Nicole

 

[diamondfan]

Nicole, your stuff sounds gorgeous...I also have limoges...I did the Bernardaud with the pale blue and gold. It is banded with a wide band and a scroll design. I really love it. The charger is just solid blue in the same color with the gold band, and I mixed in some things. I am going with a lot of gold accessories...I think it is so elegant. I also want to use chocolate linens and then do flowers in pale blue and pale green, I love those colors all together. I also love my silver, it is Italian, and so rich looking. I got the larger sizes and the design is also on the back side so you can set the table with the forks and spoons turned over and it looks great. The crystal, William Yeoward I had seen for year in Neimans but it was bit too ornate for me, so this pattern I love because it is not toooo much yet it sets off everything so well. I really enjoyed picking this now, I really felt pressured when I got married back in the day and I just did not love the stuff at all. Oh well, live and learn I guess...

 

[nicolejrx]

Date: 12/25/2006 9:37:55 AM
Author: diamondfan
Nicole, your stuff sounds gorgeous...I also have limoges...I did the Bernardaud with the pale blue and gold. It is banded with a wide band and a scroll design. I really love it. The charger is just solid blue in the same color with the gold band, and I mixed in some things. I am going with a lot of gold accessories...I think it is so elegant. I also want to use chocolate linens and then do flowers in pale blue and pale green, I love those colors all together. I also love my silver, it is Italian, and so rich looking. I got the larger sizes and the design is also on the back side so you can set the table with the forks and spoons turned over and it looks great. The crystal, William Yeoward I had seen for year in Neimans but it was bit too ornate for me, so this pattern I love because it is not toooo much yet it sets off everything so well. I really enjoyed picking this now, I really felt pressured when I got married back in the day and I just did not love the stuff at all. Oh well, live and learn I guess...

Diamondfan,
Yay another limoges fan! I love your pattern too, I had to check it out! I love mixing and matching! Hence why we have 3 different patterns. All Bernardaud is just gorgeous, I got the rectangular cake plate coming in a few weeks! Have you seen that serving piece, it is probably available in Elysee too! I just got married in October so yesterday was our first use of our china and it looked so good on the table! I had a white tablecloth with goldesh toned placemats and gold napkins, it looked stunning! I love the of you using the brown linens with the flowers. I just got my large piece of crystal (centerpiece) and I keep picturing it with flowers like you described but with blues and whites... http://steuben.com/acb/product2.cfm?section=24&subsection=0&group=107&product=942 Ahh our splish bowl, ours looks slightly different because they are each handmade but wow it looks awesome as a centerpiece. Check out my valencay pattern (haviland) they might have some accent pieces that would look good on your table!
Nicole

 

[diamondfan]

I checked all of yours, it is lovely! I also am a big fan of mixing, it looks so elegant. I have a very upscale homestore where I live, and she told me people do not really use cloths anymore, but big placemats...where everything goes on the mat, including the glasses. I am not sure that works for a bigger group, the mats crowd the table. But I love the idea of it...more modern, I guess. If I do a cloth I like a very long drop, almost in your lap, but not quite. I thought all of your stuff was great, I really liked the stemware, it normally is heavy but yours was elegant and light. Did you see the Yeoward I got? It is so lovely, he has some amazing stuff, just amazing, and I am having fun chosing. I went with Arte Italica Verti compotes and rim soups, they are clear glass with a gold rim and are so nice against the china...esp the soup, because the clear glass shows the medallion on the plate below. We are having a small dinner party here in January and I want to use my things then...I am amazed my hubby let me buy all of this stuff, service for 12 in the china, crystal (three different glasses) and the silver, but I had to promise to use it...

Congrats on your recent wedding, and I am sure you will love using your stuff...and I definitely might mix in some of your white and gold china it would be great!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 12/26/2006 10:52:45 PM
Author: diamondfan
I checked all of yours, it is lovely! I also am a big fan of mixing, it looks so elegant. I have a very upscale homestore where I live, and she told me people do not really use cloths anymore, but big placemats...where everything goes on the mat, including the glasses. I am not sure that works for a bigger group, the mats crowd the table. But I love the idea of it...more modern, I guess. If I do a cloth I like a very long drop, almost in your lap, but not quite. I thought all of your stuff was great, I really liked the stemware, it normally is heavy but yours was elegant and light. Did you see the Yeoward I got? It is so lovely, he has some amazing stuff, just amazing, and I am having fun chosing. I went with Arte Italica Verti compotes and rim soups, they are clear glass with a gold rim and are so nice against the china...esp the soup, because the clear glass shows the medallion on the plate below. We are having a small dinner party here in January and I want to use my things then...I am amazed my hubby let me buy all of this stuff, service for 12 in the china, crystal (three different glasses) and the silver, but I had to promise to use it...

Congrats on your recent wedding, and I am sure you will love using your stuff...and I definitely might mix in some of your white and gold china it would be great!

DF - when you got married did everything seem much more ''match'' and less ''mixy''? Because I got married the year after you and I remember wanting everything to MATCH lol I''m not like that now... our glasswear was lenox unity but its been discontinued now.... I never did finish filling it out and I know I can still get it but eh - I''m not sure I care anymore. I am a solids girl - I am not fond of patterns at ALL. I do like patterns that are textured but not colored patterns. My dishes are all white with different textures and thankfully they''re cheap which is good since the kids break them lol I don''t know if Ill ever go through the hassle of having an entire set of formal dishes, but I could see myself having several sets of salad plates to mix and match lol Not to mention they''re a great size for tea/luncheons as well. I was just curious if your first set that you no longer liked was super matchy matchy - because that''s the trend I remembered from the early 90''s lol Back when all of the weddings were like grey and pink or mint and peach....omg!! lol

 

[diamondfan]

Cehra, I think I did have the sense then that it all had to match more, though I did mix in different serving stuff. I had Wedgewood Amherst, I still do, it is mostly white, and has a very subtle design around the border, with a bit of grey and a lighter and more cobalt blue. I think I did cobalt blue glass chargers and also some silverplate beaded edge chargers, and did a lot of pieces with silver or dark blue. I got Lenox Filmore, with the platinum rim, and Marie Louise sterling by Towle, a very simple pattern with a scrolled bottom. I loved Louviciennes by Haviland and something like Grande Baroque sterling but it was a bit less ornate, and the Baccarat Massena (spelling) but dh HATED it, so I sort of caved on my other. I hated Old Imari, it was too busy to me. I do not mind a wide border, or even a center medallion, but I like the overall plate to be white, I just think the food looks nicer on white. I love my new things, I am so excited to use them...and wish I had changed stuff years ago. I have also some nice white basket weave plates, and then a really pretty Meissen floral but it is more for a lunch, not a dinner...my mom gave me those...and they are really pretty...but I stick to my Portmeiron with the fruits for everyday (and tupperware plates for the 5 year old!) and that is really what I use most of the time...no I would never match everything, but mix in different elements...it just is visually more interesting that way...even going to little shops or antique stores and collecting serving pieces to mix in...

 

[ljmorgan]

I just had to share... I got 4 gorgeous dessert plates in an antique shop a few days ago... they''re quite old, from Hustchenreuther.

 

[diamondfan]

Those are stunning! I love them...

 

[Ann]

Elegant and gorgeous!

Love that.
We have so many places in Houston to explore for great things like yours Lindsey.
I have to go see if I can find some goodies.