The Made in America, Eco-Friendly Wedding Registry- The Dining Room
Now, you are digging through the giant pile of stuff you are "supposed" to get and figuring out what you want. That's awesome, and it sure is a lot to process, but I am going to ask you to consider one other thing.
Rather than just picking things for your wedding registry based on what you want (or feel like you are supposed to have), focus on registering in a way that is good for the Earth around you.
You have a long and wonderful future ahead of you, what better foot to start on then to gift yourself clean air, drinkable water, and a healthy Earth for your life?
The best toaster in the world can't compare to water you can drink, so it's worth it to rethink your registry.
If you have the choice between two sets of plates- they are the same color, both match your style, and cost comparable amounts, but one traveled a much shorter distance (saving fuel and keeping greenhouse gases out of the air!), was made in a factory with higher standards, and helped Americans have jobs, wouldn't you rather have the plates that did some good?
All you have to do is poke around, and you can see there is a big difference in buying Oneida plates (boo!) versus Fiesta ones (woot woot!).
Doing this for every object on your registry sounds tough, time-consuming, and possibly fruitless, especially because we can feel like there are never any good choices available. We've all heard "Everything is Made in China." It's not true!
Yeah, tracking down good options is a huge chore, but I have already done that for you.
For almost everything on your registry, better options abound! I am going to make it easy by giving you all the information I can find. Click through my lists and follow the links, and you can have a totally ethical registry in no time.
The three simple steps to follow to make your registry-
1. Take Stock of What You Already Have- Your two lives are officially binding together, and so is all your stuff! Do you and your partner actually already have plenty of silverware that looks pretty good together? Cross those off the list. Do you already have a bar set? Off the list! The most eco-friendly thing any of us can do is use what we have instead of just buying more because we can. If it still works, use it! Having fewer things on your registry is not a crime, so the first step is to shrink your list!
2. Buy Used- So many of the things for the dining room- Plates! Silverware! Hot Pads!- can be found in every antique store ever. If you are bohemian enough, you could do a cool mix. If you are marrying an engineer, maybe not. Still, keep an eye out for cool servers or plates, because you may be able to cross more things off your list and minimize your impact this way.
3. Buy American and Recycled- More specifically, buy as local to you as possible. The shorter your stuff has to travel, the better it is for the environment and for the immediate world you live in. The more of your money goes to United States manufacturing, the more you can feel safe they had to follow environmental and labor standards, not to mention give other Americans jobs! Your stuff shouldn't travel way farther than you do!
Is making a registry often painful? Yep. But if you at least come at it from this angle you can get things that are really useful to you AND do a little good! Let's do this!
Things to Register for
Bar GlassesBottle Opener
Everyday Beverage Glasses
Place Settings
Service Platter
Serving Utensils
Silverware
Salt and Pepper Grinder
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Libbey from Amazon |
Bar Glasses
Our Pick- We have one 12 set of stemless wine glasses (specifically, these ones from Libbey), and that has served us perfectly well for all alcohol-related endeavors.If you are fancier than us, I trust you to know what glasses you need to buy (I found a list that suggested Red glasses, White Glasses, Champagne flutes, Margarita Glasses, Martini Glasses, Higball Glasses, Beer Mugs, and Brandy Snifters- wow, that seems like a lot- how often do you need to snift some brandy?). Buy the cups for the booze you want to drink.
I will point to the companies that make their glassware in the US-
- Libbey has just about all of these glasses, all American, so they are my pick.
- Anchor Hocking also sells most of these glasses, all Made in the USA.
- Crate and Barrel has a line of made in America bar glasses as well, from Champagne flutes to Pub Glasses to Hurricane Glasses.
- Taylor'd Milestones sells whiskey glasses and other barware too.
Williams Sonoma sells monogrammed and made in America options, but no one wants to drink out of a cup with your initials on it (even you five years from now)- monogramming is almost always creepy and pointless, in my opinion.
If you want plastic because you host large or rowdy parties, check out Govino. You can reuse these plastic glasses indefinitely, and then they are recyclable. I have actually seen these at work at parties, and people were impressed. If you want something fun, check Etsy. They have every kind of drinking glass from beer bottle shot glasses to wine glasses with brains etched into them.
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from Mary Elizabeth Arts |
- Yevgenia (one of my longtime favorite Etsy stores) also sells handpainted wine and water glasses.
I have trouble believing anyone needs a full set of margarita glasses, a set of champagne flutes, or shot glasses (if you don't have them by now...). If you aren't sure what to get, make like us and just do stemless wine (you could even get a cute set like this or this for special occasions).
Need something really adulthood-defying to gift? They even have a miniature beer pong kit and cocktail mixers.
Bonus- Want some swizzle sticks? Royer Corporation sells glass swizzle sticks, made in America, that you can use for as long as people like to drink.
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from the Laughing Tree Woodshop |
Bottle Opener
Our Pick- I love everything from Juxtaposition SC.Most of you have one of these by now. If not, probably should register for one, because even if you don't drink, someone will bring beer or cider or something to your house, and it's the worst if you can't open it.
- Luckily, Etsy has plenty of bottle openers for relatively cheap. You can get something simple from Teals Prarie, a wall mount one from Nevermore Gifts or Robs Rustics, a Railroad Tie from Northern Crescent Iron or a pretty magnetic wood one from Laughing Tree Woodshop.
Bottle Ops sells a magnetic bottle opener on Amazon. I also love the Pocket Monkey from Zutility, which includes a bottle opener and looks pretty useful generally. If you want a corkscrew, I did find a BOJ one Made in Spain, but nothing domestic, so you might try to find it used?
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Novica from Amazon |
Everyday Beverage Glasses
(1 set tall, 1 set short)
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Anchor Hocking from Amazon |
- Anchor Hocking's products are made in the US and are pretty widely available. They have wav, squared off, classic, grid , and these pretty curved sets.
- Novica sells sets of recycled blue glasses from Mexico, which look amazing and are fair trade. If you are doing blue in your kitchen, these would be great. They also have one set in a teal color.
- You can also get recycled bottle glasses on Uncommon Goods and find glass sets made out of old wine bottles.
- If you are in the area, Mosser Glass in Ohio sells glasses on their website but are low tech enough that you can't buy them online (you can find their cake stands and bowls more easily).
- Fiesta also makes a set of striped everyday glasses here, and they look like a fun addition if you are going the colorful route.
Place Settings (8-12?)
First and foremost, you can start married life with one set of plates. You don't need formal China unless the Dowager Countess is coming over, and sadly for most of us, she's not. I will list some things that are china, but I really want to empower you not to get suckered into fancy plates you won't use. Pick something you can love for casual nights just the two of you as well as for company. A wedding registry can be a good opportunity to upgrade from the janky plates you have been lugging around since college, so I get the desire to get something nice, but I think multi-purpose would work in most of our lives (especially since heirloom china is coming to lots of us).
Another piece of advice? When in doubt, pick white or neutral. I am a color girl, I love color, but you don't know how your taste will change over time, and you want these to last you as many years as possible.
Alright, back to plates. In all honesty, I think we have 16, because we bought two sets of eight, but unless you plan on hosting pretty large parties, that many might be overkill (for the sake of honesty, I actually broke one of those plates whilst working on this blog, so now we have 15). I am just going to go through the many, many options for sets in alphabetical order, and all of us who already have our plate set can get really jealous. They come at different price points too, so if one is out of your range, try the next one!
If you can, register for the pieces individually, because it is so much easier on your guests!
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from Altheas Pottery |
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from Bauer Pottery |
Bauer Pottery sells two different types of plates out of their California factory- the Bauer line is bright and colorful, while having a slightly mid-60's retro feel But it would depend on which colors you choose. They have every accessory and serving implement under the sun to match, so you could really commit. They also have the Russel Wright collection which is more smooth line modern and limited in its selection. Be sure to check both to see if one is your style.
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from Bennington Potters |
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from Amazon |
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from Emerson Creek Pottery |
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From Amazon |
Fiestaware makes all of their plates in the US in tons of gorgeous, vivid colors. You could register for all one color or mix it up (my friend did this and it looks GORGEOUS) and get a couple of colors to mix and match. My mother-in-law wanted these from us, so I did some research on them, and they really are awesome. She got an off-brand China-made set first, and they turned out to be junk, so she is buying Fiesta stuff now. Fiesta sells literally every table piece you could possibly think of.
Fire and Light doesn't sell sets, but if you loved the look of their translucent glass plates, you could register for the piece separately. It would be a very pretty regular set, and it has a good combination of rough and smooth elements to make it work with a lot of other pieces.
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from Heath |
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from HF Coors |
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from J Clay Pottery |
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from Peter Sheldon Ceramics |
Uncommon Goods also has a few beautiful and very unique plate sets that are made in America. I love this wood print one. This set is inspired by birch trees. This one has a honeycomb pattern. Alex Marshall makes pretty stoneware collections also on sale at Uncommon Goods.
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Fletchers' Mill from Amazon |
Salt and Pepper Grinder
I also addressed these in the Kitchen Tools Part of the Registry, so here is the short version. Get them, they will save tons of plastic, because you can buy salt and pepper in bulk instead of those little plastic grinders. If you want shakers, you can find TONS of cool ones antiquing or in consignment.- We use Fletchers' Mill grinders, which come in lots of designs and materials, and are made right here in the US. We have had ours for a year or so, and we love them.
- William Bounds sells pretty ones with the crank, which look super cool.
- Chef Specialties sells an affordable set that comes in a smaller size in case you don't eat at home much (might be a nice middle ground if you think a big old grinder looks fussy).
Serving Platters and Bowls
(Register for 2 tops)
If you pick one of the companies above for your plates (and really, why wouldn't you?), my first suggestion is to poke around and see what their line offers in terms of serving plates and bowls (Corelle, Fiesta in multiple sizes). You can probably find exactly what works for you there. And this is one where you can always get more if you have a big event looming and a need for more big bowls. But you don't have to go crazy now.
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Wendall August Forge from Amazon |
Our Pick- Every kid who grew up in Western Pennsylvania has a collection of Wendall August Forge stuff- bookmarks with praying hands, collectible plates with wagons on them- it's just part of life. Beyond that kind of thing, this great company also makes more subtle serving plates with simple, sometimes modern patterns. I currently want one to go with our collection of small town scene ones.
- Emerson Creek Pottery's Go Green line has tray and bowls, both in the beautiful natural tan color. I think the warmness would make your food look great as well.
- Bauer Pottery sells serving platters and bowls as part of their line of dinnerware (not to mention cookie jars, salt and pepper shakers, etc). I also really love the syrup pitcher.
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from Fire and Light |
- HF Coors sells serving platters to match, though I personally really like the chili pepper ones.
-Heath Ceramics sells clean, modern serving platters and bowls to go with their plate sets (or to stand alone with another plate set- these are beautiful people!)
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from Leslie Freeman Designs |
Lots of the wooden cutting boards could also be used as serving boards, especially for cheese. Epicurean sells boards especially for this purpose, and they even have ducks on them! Extra fancy!
Uncommon Goods also sells a pretty stoneware serving plate. This one goes straight from the oven to the table, so it could be great if you want to keep something hot. If you want to serve pizza, this would work, especially if you enjoy things on the nose (get the calzone plate separately).
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from J Clay Pottery |
Serving Utensils
(2 spoons, 1 spatula- but they can be the same as the ones in your kitchen)
I feel like this is another one of those things that can get out of hand on a registry, convinced you need way more than you do. You definitely need some big spoons, though I don't know how much you need that can't also be used as a kitchen tool.
- One set of pretty wood spoons, like these made in Pennsylvania, is most likely plenty.
- Architec sells these serving spoons made out of recycled material which that make in a zero waste facility! That's awesome (and you can get a matching bowl and spoons in other colors).
- Rada Cutlery also sells metal servers that would be good for lasagnas, cakes, etc.
- J Clay Pottery also sells pretty ceramic spoons that might be a perfect addition to a serving set, especially with clean, neutral plates.
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from Amazon |
Silverware Settings
(at least 12)
Our Pick- If you want to get made in America silverware (and really, why wouldn't you?), I think the best option is Liberty Tabletop. Liberty Tabletop bought the factory Oneida gave up when they moved all of their manufacturing overseas, and they really have a great reputation (better than those former commune sell-outs at Oneida).You can find many sets on Amazon, but check out their website if you are looking for something specific. Seriously, register for this silverware! It's a no-brainer!
Their silverware is beautiful, made here, and come in plenty of styles so you can find something that matches your aesthetic. They are still in the same range as most silverware as well. Annapolis is clean with a simple curve. My favorite is Betsy Ross. Lexington is a little more square and traditional. Pearl is a little more curvy, almost teardrop-shaped.
- Heath Ceramics also has a line of silverware that would look freaking amazing if you are going for a clean modern minimalist table. This isn't generally my style, but I have to admit, these are really sharp (and still made by Liberty Tabletop).
Things to Find Used
Butter DishCake Stand
Cereal Bowls
Gravy Boat
Napkins
Picture Frames
Salad Bowl
Tablecloths/ Placemats
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Fiesta from Amazon |
Butter Dish
We don't have one, and I almost put this on my "don't buy" list, but I can see the value in it cutting down on packaging? Maybe you can use less packaging for your butter than we do. Lots of pretty options are out there, as well as practical ones.- Fiesta has a butter dish (of course).
- Butter Bay has a line of Butter Keepers that you can drop the stick of butter into with no mess.
- I like the more traditional one from Rosso Glass better.
- Luminarc makes a clear glass one here in the US.
- Mosser also makes a very pretty opaque glass one.
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Mosser Glass from Amazon |
Cake Stand
I know people love these, and we have one (I think from Pottery Barn) that gets a moderate amount of use. I haven't found it makes my cakes any more distinguished, but it sure is pretty. If you want one, you might be able to find a cool one used (I have seen some pretty milkglass ones out and about). There are also tons of options out there.- Mosser Glass makes bakery-ready milk glass cake stands that would class up any kitchen (I love this black one). They make tons of them, so be sure to check out your options.
- Epicurean has their own jam too.
- As you may have guessed, Etsy rocks at cake stands, most of which look like they are wedding-ready, but could work in your house as well- a glass and crystal one, modern wood one, rustic wood one, a rustic wood one (they have quite the fancy lot), and a milk glass one. So many cake stands.
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Anchor Hocking from Amazon |
- If you want something a little more practical, Sterilite makes a cake holder that also works as a carrier. It's made in the US, but out of plastic, so weigh your options on that one.
- Nordic Ware sells one that can work as a server in multiple ways and has a dome to keep things fresh.
- Ateco makes one with a spinning top so you can use it for decorating or serving. I had one of these and it was cool, though I think you need major skills to justify it (which I don't).
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Calibowls from Amazon |
Extra Cereal Bowls
If you are like us, this will be the first thing you want to add to your dish set. Our bowls are pretty for dinners, but they don't do the greatest job at keeping a hold of soups and cereal, so we have simple white Ikea bowls (which we are retiring after 7 years). You can find simple bowls in consignment stores, but avoid plastic since you don't know the BPA content. Our pick for plastic would be Calibowls, which come in lots of cute colors (including understated white) and are specially designed to hold in mess better (they are also made in America with recyclable materials and packaging.Want more options? Another perfect Etsy opportunity! A few great options- In Her Words Ceramics, Leslie Freeman Designs, Karin Lorenc, or Chicago Ceramics, among many many others.
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Fiesta from Amazon |
Gravy Boat
My only useful suggestion here is if you can find one that works for gravy, creamer, and syrup, you are probably better off (and there are always tons at consignment stores). You never use gravy and syrup at the same meal, so it should serve multiple functions. Most of the plate companies, like Fiesta, sell this as one of the go to accessories, so I would start looking there (just look out, because they sometimes ship that work overseas).You can also find about a million vintage options on Etsy. You can get a gravy boat from Bauer Pottery (also on Etsy! Who knew!), venuedecor, and Creative Trifles.
Napkins
Ok, you might think cloth napkins are in the "too fancypants" category, but we use our cloth napkins every single day, keeping hundreds of paper napkins out of the trash (and keeping more trees standing). I think they are fun and homey, not to mention one of the most eco-friendly adds to your registry. DO THIS. Such a fun, simple change, and so easy to get used to.You can read about my favorite cloth napkins on Etsy here. I love cloth napkins, and I think they are a perfect thing to ask for, but you can also find some in consignment stores first if you want to see how they work in your home!
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Frame USA on Amazon |
Picture Frames
Now is as good a time as any to address the walls in your house. First, picture frames are another easy find in consignment stores. We found our exact Ikea frames at Goodwill last trip for maybe a quarter of the price. You can find frames with art you don't want in them and even switch them out, and it is simple to repaint them if they don't come in the color you want. In other words, when it comes to frames, always start used.![]() |
Rustic and Refined Designs from Amazon |
You can also find great Made in the USA picture frames when you can't find exactly the size you need elsewhere. Frame USA sells wood and budget frames out of the US. They aren't the most elaborate frames, but the clean look will complement more homes than not.
Salad Bowl with Servers
Our Pick- Holland Bowl Mill sells a wide variety of wood and salad bowls. They even have ones with divots to rest your salad servers in.
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from New Hampshire Board and Bowls |
- J K Adams sells wooden bowls that would make for perfect salad bowls as well.
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Mountain Laurel Mercantile from Amazon |
Tablecloths/ Placemats
You can always find tablecloths and placemats at consignment stores and antique stores, so this is a really great opportunity to buy used.Our pick- Mountain Laurel Mercantile has a pretty extensive stock of hand-loomed tablecloths and placemats on Amazon. We received one as a Christmas two years ago; it looks pretty and stands up really well to the tough life of spills, crayons, and craziness. We bought another one, we loved the first so much. Perfect to register for if you want something that will last.
Sur la Table sells Chilewich table runners and placemats that look pretty and especially durable for outside dining? You can also buy tablecloths from Etsy stores.
Things You May Just Wait On
Cocktail Shaker- If you aren't sure if you need this, you probably don't.- Tervis has some if you do though.
- The Mason Shaker is especially cute.
- Libbey has a whole set if you want to go big, but most of it is imported.
Chargers- We all love to joke about charger plates (wait, is that just us?) but you can probably skip them unless you really need to step up your table. And even then, it might be better to wait to address the specific event and buy chargers that work then.
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from Swoon Vintage Table |
If you do need your fancy plates fresh, because the Countess will be coming for luncheon, Lenox's fine china is made in the states. All their transitional and casual dinnerware is not made here, so keep that in mind as you browse. I like their tie in pieces with Kate Spade, that has really sweet and playful sets. There are also vintage Lenox sets, so you could do that instead.
Pickard Porcelain has also been made in the US for over a century, and they have the kind of gravitas to look like they have that history behind them. Incredibly classy looking. I have never even eaten off plates that distinguished- I'm waiting for my White House invite.
Again, when are you going to use this? Wouldn't a trip be better?
Mugs- Don't register for mugs. Mugs can be counted on to come to you without ever asking for them, whether you already have a pretty matching set or not. If you can have a weird tourist mug or one with a family member's face on it, why would you want a plain one? At the least, you can get some great, super original mugs on Etsy. Worst case scenario, you can buy some at any Goodwill. But don't register for mugs- that's crazypants.
Napkin Rings- We have 3 sets, all of which we have used 0 times, not because they aren't nice, but because we never think of it until afterwards. I just think there are better details to step up your tabletop, and if you haven't used them by now, why would marriage change that? Not worth it.
Vases- No one needs to go out of their way to get extra vases, much like mugs, they always seem to show up. If you have one vase, you have plenty for now. Trust me, you won't only have one for long.
Water Goblets- Do you live at Medieval Times? Do you eat turkey legs with your hands for dinner? Does your water mean that much to you? This one is so weird to me, and so many registry lists treat them as an absolute necessity, but each to their own I guess. If this is something you want, these ones are fit for a king (of theme restaurants with jousting).
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from Slate Plate on Etsy |
Cool Gift Ideas for the Right Couple
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Preserve from Amazon |
Milkshake and Smoothie Glasses- These glasses from Libbey might be perfect if you love making your own milkshakes or smoothies. It could be a very thoughtful gift for the right couple!
Olive Oil Dish- Who doesn't love getting that little plate with olive oil, vinegar, and garlic to dip their bread in at restaurants? Maybe someone loves them enough that they would want them at home. Maybe you are going to their wedding?
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Anchor Hocking from Amazon |
Straws- Some people really love drinking from straws, but it is well-established the majority are a blight on the environment. Skip the plastic and register for glass straws to use with your barware at home.
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J K Adams on Amazon |
We still have more registry to check out! Check here for more info!
Alright, this is it for now! As always, let me know if you find more things we should add to this list.
See you next week for Bathroom and Bedroom stuff, and be sure to check out the Kitchen Part 1 and 2 of the Registry! You can find all of the Wedding Registry lists here or you can Browse the Green Registry on Amazon.
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