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R E G I S T R Y & F I R S T H O M E
C H I C A G O W E D D I N G & P A R T Y R E S O U R C E
W W W . C H I C A G O W E D D I N G R E S O U R C E . C O M
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By Timothy R. Schulte, CTW Features
The wedding registry is one of the parts of
planning a wedding that can be really fun
for the couple. It’s a glorified Christmas list,
really.
But at the same time, you’re telling people
what to buy you. Weird?
Don’t sweat it. Guests are prepared to open
up their wallets.
According to the latest American Express
Spending & Saving Tracker, wedding guests
will spend $109, on average, on a gift. It
all depends on how they know the couple.
Close friends will spend $116. Close family
members, $200. Co-workers, $74.
The takeaway: Your nearest and dearest
want to gift you something great. So, guide
them with a few updated items for the
modern registry. They’re less linen-y and
more electronic. And if they seem a bit of
the steep side, that’s all right. Your family
and friends will appreciate being able to go
in on something (as long as they’re not the
one who has to put it all together!).
LINENS AND TOWELS?
SO LAST CENTURY.
Today, your guests want
to gift you the latest
gadgets and high-end
kitchen appliances
1. IPAD
Yes, you can put a tablet on
your registry. It’s super useful
around the home. In the
kitchen, use it to follow
recipes as you and your new
spouse try out recipes. In the
living room, stream Netflix. Or,
more to the wedding point, use it to browse
and share all of your favorite wedding
photos. Plus, it’s an easy group gift for your
younger friends who might not get excited
about gifting you something like place
settings.
iPad Air 2 – From $499
iPad Mini 3 – From $399
2. VITAMIX
If you love cold-pressed vegetable/fruit
juice but don’t like shelling out $7 or $10
or whatever the going rate is for a bottle
these days, the Vitamix is your answer.
These pro-quality blenders – they’re what
you see the cheftestants on “Top Chef ” use
– will make your kale-apple-ginger-carrot-
dreams come true, right in your own
kitchen. Beyond juice, it’ll handle all your
blending needs – smoothies, creamy soups,
salsas, sauces – just like you see them do
on TV. Yes, they can get expensive (google
the “SNL” sketch that pokes fun the high-
end appliance), but that’s why it’s on your
registry – probably as a group gift.
Vitamix 5200 —From $449
3. SODASTREAM
A SodaStream soda maker will take your
home bar to the next level. The carbonation
system will create fresh, ultra-fizzy
sparkling water for cocktails. Or use it to
try to curb your Diet Coke addiction –
each bottle of SodaMix flavoring makes
around 33 cans of soda. And, it has active
green cred, too. You’ll reduce your carbon
footprint every time you make soda at
home versus buying it from the store.
SodaStream Source – $99
4. HIGH-TECH HI-FI
What’s a party without music? To get your
first home entertaining-ready without
any headaches or cumbersome receivers,
register for a compact speaker system
that you can control right from your
smartphone. With Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
you can manage playlists right from your
hand. And because they’re small you can
take them anywhere the party goes.
Beats Pill Bluetooth
Speaker – $199
Sonos Play System –
From $199
5. COOKWARE
You want to upgrade the starter pots and
pans, but you don’t want spend every night
hand-scrubbing stainless steel cookware.
Calphalon Contemporary Unisons Slide
& Sear set fits the bill. The pieces in this
nonstick set feature one of two different
finishes. The “Slide” finish is extra smooth
for easy release of sticky dishes like
omelettes and sauces. The “Sear” finish is
textured for searing and browning meats,
seafood and veggies. It’s safe on all cooking
surfaces, but cleanup is the real clincher:
Unlike most nonstick cookware, the
Unison set is completely dishwasher-safe,
which might make doing the dishes, not
cooking dinner, the desired task in your
new house.
Calphalon Contemporary Unison Slide &
Sear Nonstick 10-piece Cookware Set $550
© CTW Features
5
Modern Wonders of
the Wedding Registry