Mom called me today and asked my advice on what to get my friend Paul as a wedding present. After the initial shock of hearing he was married, I thought that he would probably like anything I might like, since our interests are pretty similar. But what would I like?

So I thought I’d post an informative and useful piece that I’ve been meaning to write for a long time:

Our Favorite Wedding Presents

It’s true, we did sell some of the stuff we received as wedding presents on E-Bay. But we also received a lot of really cool, nice stuff that we use on a regular basis.

Toaster Oven. We didn’t even ask for a toaster oven, but Andrew and Heather gave us one anyway. They knew better than we did! We use that sucker almost every day, from making toast, cooking frozen eggrolls, and now that our microwave is on the fritz, heating up leftovers. In the summer it’s especially nice not to have to heat up the whole kitchen by turning on the oven.

Cuisinart. The Manwaring clan went in together to buy us a Cuisinart, and we love it. Berck uses it to prepare almost every dish he fixes. And you just throw the pieces in the dishwasher when you’re done.

Glasses and Silverware. Our silverware should last us till death do us part, and it took almost that long to find a set we liked. But buying silverware is dependent on the couple registering for it. We also use our glassware every day, though our supply is steadily dwindling because glass is, well, fragile. Fortunately, Berck was able to augment our collection with some really nice yet inexpensive stuff from Crate and Barrell (a good store to start in when shopping for newlyweds).

Nice Glassware. When we were registering for stuff, I told Berck to go crazy, and he did. Funny how no one has gotten us the grappa glasses set he picked out, however we did get a super nice set of red and white glasses (thank you Downey and Noell) that are, oh, so nice to drink out of. Their numbers are too dwindling, mainly because they live in the same house as Berck.

Sheets. When I asked my sister’s advice about what to register for, she immediately said, “An extra set of sheets.” Sure enough our sheets wore out in the space of about one and a half years. Nice sheets don’t come cheap, and we were lucky to have three couples from my church go in together to get us a set to bless our marriage.

Towels. My mom still has towels she and my dad got when they were married. A nice couple sets of towels is especially good to have when company comes over, something Berck doesn’t seem to understand, since he immediately put bleach holes in two of them. “I don’t understand,” he keeps saying. “Why do bleach stains bother you so much?”

Knives. A good knife is necessary for any sort of decent cooking. I knew a chef who travelled everywhere with a toolbox in which were several of his favorite spices, a peeler, a small cutting board, and a good knife. You can always run to the store to get the rest, but good knives don’t come cheap. We were given a fantastic carving knife (which we only use for carving, but it is such a pleasure to use), and we bought a wonderful chopping knife with some funds we received. We use it all the time. I can’t believe I ever tried to chop anything without one before. Add a good paring knife, and you’re in business. There are so many variations of knives that you can get your newlyweds a really nice one of any, and if they’re careful with it, it can last them a lifetime.

Placemats and Cloth Napkins. We didn’t get any of the colors that we asked for, but the ones we did get, we use every time company comes over, a lot more often than I would have expected! At Thanksgiving, I’m left wishing I had even more.

Pots and Pans. Mom actually got a set for me when we were at the outlet store looking for registry ideas. The set was 75% off, and Berck and I love it. You can’t go wrong by getting a couple a nice pot or pan. If they get several different ones, they’ll have a set.

Kitchenaid Mixer. Can any kitchen go without? Ours also has a grater attachment (which I sort of broke) and a marvelous pasta making attachment.

French Press Coffee Maker. Actually, any nice coffee maker will do, but a French press makes the best coffee in the world.

Odds and Ends. A few people gave us a bunch of little kitchen items instead of one big expensive gift. We use things every day like measuring cups, wooden spoons, and spatulas that we got just for getting married.

Things we didn’t get but are must haves.

Cast Iron Skillet. This is a must for any kitchen, and fortunately, I already had one. Of course, it took a year or so to teach Berck not to wash it with steel wool. Or soap, for that matter.

Coffee Grinder. If you love good coffee, you need a good coffee grinder. Unfortunately, I gave up the habit in May.

Espresso Machine. I love mine. (I love coffee too… too much.)

Pizza Pan. It’s hard to make a decent pizza without a round pizza pan.

Griddle. A good griddle makes baconing and pancaking so much easier. Fortunately, we got one for Christmas last year.

The Joy of Cooking. Should be included in the purchase of every kitchen. Even Mr. I-don’t-use-recipes Nachzen consults it regularly.

The Joy of Sex. Should be included in the purchase of every master bedroom. Actually, I found The Gift of Sex by Clifford and Joyce Penner to be much more interesting, but that may just be because I’m a nerd.

Finally, there’s the gift we got from Paul himself. It’s a really nice corkscrew set. Yes, a set. There’s the blade to cut the foil, the stopper for once you take the cork out, and the corkscrew itself, a fantastically easy device to use that no wine drinker should have to go without. And it all comes in a stylish black box.

Pity we can’t give Paul the same thing.