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Updated Mar 06, 2025These Are the Gifts Our Parents Registered for That They Still Use Today
From stand mixers to fine china, these are the wedding registry gifts you'll still reach for in 30 years.
As many newly engaged couples know, one of the most common questions you'll get asked after announcing the big news is, "where are you registered?!" And as fun as pointing the scanner or clicking online everything that you've ever wanted is, registering for your wedding can also be difficult for couples. Between the potentially heated arguments over which toaster is better or which flatware looks nicer with the place setting that you spent hours deciding on, there's also another question. Which things will you actually use instead of collecting dust?
It's easier to pick out a long wish list to start your future together when loved ones are excitedly footing the bill, but nobody wants to ask for something that they're not actually going to end up using. Plus, the last thing newlyweds want to deal with after the wedding festivities is countless returns because you registered for things you didn't actually want.
According to The Knot's 2019 Registry Study, couples put an average of 111 items on their lists with a total value of $4,695. But with so many potential gift ideas to fill every room of the house, which are the ones that couples will actually use for years to come? Real brides chimed in with what items their own parents registered for decades ago that they still (and happily!) use today or saved. Let their favorites be inspiration for some gift ideas not to skip!
FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT
Don't Overlook the Countertop Appliances
"My parents just replaced their Cuisinart food processor that they got for their wedding like at the end of last year... and their wedding was in 1982!" —Sarah W.
"Not my parents but my aunt recently gave me a food processor that she got for her wedding 18 years ago -- still in the box totally unopened. It works like a dream!" —Bibi L.
"My mom, to this day, uses the Cuisinart 8-cup food processor that she received as a gift from her shower. She uses it for literally everything, and it still works just like new almost 40 years later." —Kristen B.
See our pick: Cuisinart FP-8SV Elemental 8-cup food processor, $70, Amazon
Everyday Dishes That Actually Get Used
"Even though my parents have been married 30 years, my mom still uses her 'everyday china' set that she registered for -- every single day. She says the fancy china is a complete waste but those Mikasa cream and white dishes have seriously gotten their money's worth! They're nothing fancy and I really love them, it's surprisingly good taste for 1990." —Adrienne M.
"My mom registered for white china when she was in Puerto Rico and yes, she still uses them today! Wow from the '90s!" —Kuri
See our pick: Mikasa 40-piece casual china dinnerware set, $400, Macy's
The Kitchen Classic
"My mom still uses her 30 year old Kitchenaid stand mixer!" —Maggie R.
See our pick: KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer, $380, Williams-Sonoma
Timeless China to Serve Memories
"My mom still uses the 'fancy china' that my parents registered for during all of the holidays. She's been through probably 100 sets of different everyday dishes over the years because she gets sick of them but her special set with the gold edges and sterling silver flatware with gold accents has never budged -- until she recently gave it to me after getting engaged. (I think this was a not so subtle hint to be the one to start taking over the holidays so she doesn't have to host anymore)." —Lauren M.
See our pick: Waterford Lismore Lace 5-piece place setting, $140, Bloomingdale's
Nostalgic Knife
"My parents, who've been married 42 years, still use the fancy silver and table settings for special occasions, a cookie jar, and oddly, an electric carving knife that is only ever used on Christmas." —Kenzie C.
See our pick: Black & Decker EK 700 Slice Right electric knife, $20, Amazon
The Ultimate Durable Investment
"Le Creuset cookware is the one thing my parents still use! I grew up with a set in my house that my parents kept over the years. When me and my husband got engaged, we added a set to our list. It's a classic line of cookware that has evolved over the years and stays relevant. It's super stylish, classy, and now we love ours." —Rahel M.
See our pick: Le Creuset Signature cast-iron round Dutch oven, from $150, Williams-Sonoma
Repurposed Crystal
"My parents have a gorgeous crystal cake stand that my mom loves to break out whenever she's entertaining -- although now she uses it in a variety of ways, and rarely for cake! They also have a carving knife that comes out every year for Thanksgiving. It's old (and could easily be replaced with something more current) but I think they like to use it because of the nostalgia." —Lindsay S.
See our pick: Godinger Dublin cake stand, $60, Macy's
Flatware Reserved for the Holidays
"My parents registered for their 'holiday silverware' and a lot of serving dishes that they still use today." —Rachel M.
See our pick: Reed & Barton Country French 5-piece place setting, $70, Bloomingdale's
It's all About the Serving Bowls
"When my mom was getting married, apparently Le Blanc serving pieces were all the rage and it fit with her whole 'French and white' aesthetic. She also got a cut crystal oblong bowl -- although she still to this day hasn't figured out what it was for -- she used it and eventually gave it to me for my 'odds and ends'." —Genny G.
See our pick: Crate & Barrel Farmhouse large bowl, $50, Crate & Barrel
Sentimental Stationery Pieces
"My parents still use their engraved calling cards, gift enclosures, and monogrammed/married stationery. By registering for engraved cards, they've been able to use their printing plate for other orders since their wedding. This has allowed them to use the cherished fonts of their newlywed stationery but update their paper and ink preferences over the years." —Emilie D.
See our pick: RosanneBECK Collections die-cut marble notecards, $17, Target
