5 Wedding Registry Items We Use Daily

We registered for a lot of stuff when we registered, and we actually received the majority of it. Our bridal shower guests were really generous. We are lucky to know such amazing people. There are some registry items we use all the time. Like daily. There are some we use often, some we use seldom, and some that never made it out of the box.

So, to help you decide what actually needs to go on your registry, I put together a list of the items we use daily. In the future (like, maybe tomorrow), I'll put together a list of the registry items we never use.

5 Wedding Registry Items We Use Daily

Handheld vacuum.
I still call it a Dust Buster, but that's like calling adhesive bandages Band-Aids. It's easier that way. Whatever you call it, we use our hand vac every day, multiple times a day sometimes. Each night, we sweep our kitchen floor. And instead of sweeping the dirt and dust into a dust pan, then tossing that into the garbage, we suck it up with the handheld vacuum.

We also often hang out in the garage. It's like another living room. We turned it into a home theater and spend so much time in there, especially when we have company. We sit in the garage with the door either fully or partially open, so it allows dust to be blown in. We sweep and hand vac that daily as well.
4-Piece Place Setting.
I'm typing this as I drink a cup of coffee out of the cups we put on our registry. And every night, we eat off the dinner plates from the same set. I don't like paper plates, so we end up using this set every night.

Plus, Pete has cereal for breakfast most mornings and uses the bowls that came in the same set. And since I work from home, I eat lunch off the smaller dessert/salad plates. Each piece of the set gets used every single day.

The 4-piece place setting comes with a dinner plate, a dessert/salad plate, a bowl, and a cup. It's perfect.


Towels.
We put four matching sets of towels (bath, hand, and washcloths) on our registry. Of course, these get used daily when we shower and get ready for bed at night.

We also put a couple kitchen towels on our registry too and we use those every day as well. So yes, towels. Lots of towels.

Knife set.
We cook nearly every meal at home, plus we run a marinara sauce business out of our home as well. So we are always chopping something. Having good knives is a real necessity for us. We have a small knife set that I got before we got married, but we also have a really nice name brand knife set in a wooden block that holds the knives we use daily.

Before we had nice knives, it was a little bit of a project to cut things. But you just kind of resorted to the fact that that's how knives cut. Until you get a nice knife set. Then you realize just how crummy your old knives were and start using the nice knives daily.
Glassware.
People tend to register for a lot of glassware, but we made sure to only register for the ones we would use on a daily basis: 12 ounce drinking glasses, wine glasses, and old fashioned glasses (since that's Pete's favorite drink with liquor).

These all really come in handy when we have guests over too -- which happens to be every weekend.

Other notable mentions:

• Sheet set
• Fruit bowl
• Garbage pail

Items we use daily (but had before we registered):

• Pots and pans
• Silverware

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of these items would you put on your wedding registry?

Registry Items To Keep You Healthy

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of De'Longhi Group. The opinions and text are all mine.

When you're planning your wedding, you generally also are trying to get in shape. I'm not saying you want to lose a boatload of weight, but you want to be the best version of yourself. So you do things like eat better, workout more, reduce the amount of sugar you put in your coffee.

Okay, maybe that last one is just me. But I really cut down once I realized how many calories I was drinking in my morning (and night) cup.

After your wedding, you don't want to turn into that couple who stops caring about themselves. It's not that you have to do your hair and makeup every day and pretend you don't burp, but you don't want to just let yourself go and become unhealthy.

Your wedding registry can help with that.

Since you will get a bunch of registry items at your bridal shower, you can incorporate them into your healthy pre-wedding lifestyle, then keep using them after your wedding day.

Registry Items To Keep You Healthy

Plate sets.
You're going to want to upgrade your plates. Chances are, you have a bunch of mixed match stuff and you want a more cohesive set. Now is the time to get it. But get a set that comes with two sizes of plates. One is the dinner plate and the other is either a salad or dessert plate (depending on the type of meals you eat). While you're thinking about calories, use the salad plate as a dinner plate. Since you can't fill that plate as much, you won't, and you'll end up eating less.

Water filter.
We loved our water filter when we lived in the apartment. Now that we moved into a brand new house with a brand new fridge, it has a filter built right in. That's great. Before that, though, we would fill up out water filter and leave it in the fridge. Water would always be available that way, and it made us drink more. And more water is definitely good for you.

Pots and pans.
When you cook at home, you know exactly what's going in to your food. You can choose low- or no-fat options, reduce or eliminate the amount of salt you add, etc. It can definitely be a way to cook healthier options. But, sometimes, it's hard to cook at home if you don't have the right equipment. So new pots and pans are a big help.

Spice rack.
If you're going to cook at home, it's better to make recipes from Flavor Town instead of The Land of Bland. Spices can help accomplish that. We have a really cool spice rack with drawers that fold down, so we can easily grab anything out of it when it's in the cabinet. That way, we can see our spices easily -- making them easier to use.

Plastic containers.
If you can make a huge amount of food, then put leftovers in plastic containers, there's a better chance you'll take it for lunch instead of hitting the local fast food joint. This is a great way to not only eat better, but to assure you don't waste food.

Scale.
No one is crazy about weighing themselves, but it's necessary to know if you're on the right track. Unless you're like me and have a scale that breaks during wedding week, telling you that you weigh triple what you actually do. Fun. But putting a scale on your wedding registry, and getting in the habit of not constantly weighing yourself, can really help.

Braun PureMix Countertop Blender.
We love smoothies in the morning. They're such a healthy way to get the day started. They're so expensive if you purchase them out, but really cost effective if you make them at home. Plus, you can customize them to your taste too.

If you register for the Braun PureMix Countertop Blender at Bloomingdales, you can start making smoothies before your wedding, then keep it up after.

We actually make smoothies every morning with a combination of fresh and frozen fruit, plus a juice. Even better, with the Braun PureMix Countertop Blender, you can also make soups and more! Our healthy "and more" favorites are hummus, salsa, and pesto. We make them all on our countertop, making sure to put only fresh items -- no preservatives or chemicals.

Braun's effective and compact countertop blender has a unique SmoothCrush system and seven blend functions, which just makes your life so much easier. You can even just use it for prepwork, like chopping onions for a marinara sauce. And clean up is easy too because the pitcher is dishwasher safe!

BRIDAL BABBLE: What other registry items to keep you healthy can you think of?

5 Bedroom Items You Should Add To Your Wedding Registry

A Bride On A Budget received a sheet set for review. Additional items were selected without compensation or relationship with the brands(s).

Pete and I, like most modern couples, lived together before we got married. It was a great learning experience for us. Those who say you don't really know someone until you live with them weren't kidding.

When we moved in together, we merged our furniture, which pretty much meant we took all my furniture and Pete's very beat up mattress. Two months after we got engaged, my grandma bought us a new sheet set for Christmas. It was great ... except she bought it based on the idea that we would get rid of Pete's old mattress. So the week after Christmas, we took all our Christmas money and bought a brand new Queen-sized mattress. We put my grandma's gift on the bed and that's where it has stayed.

We couldn't slack on washing the sheets because, well, we only had one set. We lived in a washer- and dryer-less apartment, so we would have to make sure to get the sheets to the laundromat, and wash them, in time for us to sleep on them that night. It was daunting. So when we were creating our wedding registry, we added a pair of sheets.

Sure, you're thinking about silverware and a knife set, but you definitely want to add bedroom items too. This post is here to help with that. I put together a list of the five bedroom items you should add to your wedding registry.

5 Bedroom Items You Should Add To Your Wedding Registry

1. Sheets
2. Pillows
3. Storage Cubes
4. Accent Bench
5. Wall mirror

Sheets

When you're registering, add two sheet sets for your bed. Trust me. Sometimes you just want to pull one off the bed and put another on without the whole process of washing the first set. Or maybe you just want to register for a flannel set for winter and a lighter set for summer. It's basically always summer here in North Carolina, so we didn't go that route.

A standard set will come with a flat and fitted sheet, plus pillow cases. So you'll also want to register for comforters and blankets. And, if you have a guest bedroom like we do, register for a set for that bed too.

If you're trying to decide on a pair, we had the Wrinkle-Resistant 300-Thread Count Sheet Set from Brylane Home on our bed at one point.

Pillows

I love throw pillows, probably more than any normal person loves throw pillows. But here's the thing: I won't buy them for myself. Nope. They're just one of those frivolous things that I always decide are a want, not a need, and I won't buy them -- no matter how cute they are. But, for a gift, yes please. I will happily buy you every throw pillow you put on your wedding registry.

So those cute Mr. & Mrs. pillows? They'll look adorable on your bed, but you won't buy them. So register for them. I guarantee you someone will buy them for you.

And don't forget about regular pillows too. You'll want to add a few of those to your wedding registry. Pick up pillow covers for each one too. Those aren't glamorous, and they're cheap, so you can just buy them yourself instead of registering for them. But they really will extend the life of your pillows, so pick up one for every pillow that gets slept on.

Storage Cubes

When we were having our home built, one of the biggest perks was the walk in closet in the bedroom. But when we got here, it was a little confused. Okay, sure, we could figure out where to put dresses and shoes, but there was a shelf in the middle of the closet that made less sense. Pete picked up a few storage cubes for little things like socks (which take up too much real estate in a dresser), put them on the shelf, and it made such a big difference.

We've bought a ton of storage cubes since moving, even thought we had two sets that organized our laundry room in the apartment (yes, we had a whole room to do laundry in, just no machines to do it!). So, to save you from buying them and risking them completely not matching, add them to your registry.

Accent Bench

Multi-purpose items are your friend, especially when you're worried about space. So an accent/storage bench is exactly what you need in your bedroom. You can fill it with extra sheets and blankets, and use it as an extra sitting area.

And if those home shows have taught me anything, it's that you need a sitting area in your bedroom. It's a way to make your bedroom more than just a room to sleep in at night. It gives it a few extra functions, just like this bench.

Mirror

When we were still in New York, Pete had this great wall mirror in his apartment. It was right by the door of his bedroom, and I would use it to double check my hair before I left. It was great. We moved that mirror with us to North Carolina, then I ended up painting it purple and hanging it in our guest bedroom. I'm thinking of redoing it a shabby chic for the guest bedroom in this house.

If you want a nice wall mirror, add it to your wedding registry. Eventually, you'll probably upgrade your bedroom set and a dresser mirror will be included, so you don't need to register for one of those right now. But a wall mirror, or even a full length mirror, add one.

If you are registering, all of these items (with the except of the Brylane Home sheets) can be purchased on Amazon. Which means you may want to create an Amazon wedding registry. It's completely free, and I have no affiliation with it. I'm just trying to make your life easier.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Are you putting a sheet set on your registry?

Top Five Wedding Registry Items For Movie Lovers

Our summer has been filled with projecting gigantic movies on our garage (either the wall if we want to watch inside or the door if we want to sit outside). It's been so much fun. We set up chairs, make popcorn, and stream.

It's the best.

If you like movies, definitely incorporate them into your wedding registry. You can add anything you want, so skip the pans and add a projector.

Top Five Wedding Registry Items For Movie Lovers

1. Home Theater Projector
2. Home Theater Sound System
3. Streaming Service
4. Popcorn Machine
5. Movie Theater Decor

Home Theater Projector

1. Home Theater Projector 
A home theater projector is absolutely my top choice right now. You can project movies on an empty wall in your home, on the outside of your home, wherever there's space. You can make the movie the size of the space, so it's basically theater size. We have an Acer home theater projector, if you're curious, but you can register for any brand you prefer.

Actually, small aside: Today is the anniversary of the day Pete and I met. So, to surprise me, Pete set up the projector and streamed a YouTube video of my favorite band playing a live show on the day the band's sophomore album was released -- back in 2005! It was like being at a real concert. I sang so loud. Then, we picked various songs, played them on YouTube, and had a dance party in the garage -- at 12:15am. It was such a special thing to do. So yes, definitely, get a projector. Now.

Home Theater Sound System

2. Home Theater Sound System
Who can watch a movie at low volume? No one I know. To get the full effect, a home theater sound system is a great idea. An even better idea is to register for it! Speakers are better than spatulas (especially if you already have spatulas).

Streaming Service

3. Streaming Service
When you're planning a wedding, you have to cut out any extras -- and that could mean cancelling your cable or movie streaming service! If you had to, you can always add it to your registry. We stream quite a bit, so the investment is definitely worth it for us.

I know a lot of people who swear by the Roku, and, with over 300,000 movies available to stream, I see why.

Popcorn Machine

4. Popcorn Machine
I can't watch a movie without popcorn. It's just not the same. Pete loves "real" popcorn, though, so I make it from popcorn kernels in the pressure cooker. If you want something a little less hands on, register for a popcorn machine. You'll have fresh popcorn any time you want, in just a little more time than microwave popcorn.

Movie Theater Decor

5. Movie Theater Decor
If you love movies, you probably want to decorate with some fun movie theater decor. Personally, I'm loving these Dancing Snacks tin signs. You can go with movie theater throw pillow covers, movie posters, a movie roll accent table, and more. There is a bunch of movie theater decor to pick from, so you have a great selection for your home.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of these wedding registry items for movie lovers is your favorite?

Top 5 Wedding Registry Items For People Who Love Coffee

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

In today's post we're going to revisit our old friend: the wedding registry. More specifically, particular gift ideas for a wedding registry. People love Top 5 or 10 lists,   right? Shoot man, I know I do because it saves me a lot of work when I'm lost and clueless and trying to think of a gift idea.

One of the truest quotes I've ever read is "Hell is other people." One of the best ways to deal with the stress of having to interact with other people is coffee. I don't know about you, but if I don't have coffee FIRST thing in the morning, there's a good chance I'll strangle the first person I see at work. Okay, so without further mindless rambling by me, I present to you the Top 5 Registry Items For People Who LOVE Coffee.

Top 5 Wedding Registry Items For People Who Love Coffee

1. Bean Grinder
2. Good Beans
3. Funny Coffee Mug
4. French Press
5. Good Coffee Travel Mug

A Bean Grinder

1. Bean Grinder.
I put a bean grinder at number one because as far as I'm concerned nothing beats a cup of coffee made from beans you just freshly ground yourself. It's akin to using pre-ground black pepper versus grinding peppercorns yourself. There's just no comparison. I know, I know, who the hell wants to grind their own beans, right? Ugh, just one more thing to do in the morning when you're already running late because you thought it'd be a good idea to try and squeeze in just one more episode of House Of Cards before heading out the door. Well good news! It's freaking the fastest and easiest thing on earth to do. I don't know of any other situation in life where such minimal effort reaps such monumental outcomes. The one we have is cheap, simple, and durable. I like it so much in fact, that I'm going to buy a second one to use solely to make spice blends using whole spices.

Good Coffee Beans

2. Good Coffee Beans. 
You've heard the adage "garbage in, garbage out" right? Well same for coffee. If you're using cheap crappy coffee, then guess what? Yeah, you're gonna be drinking liquid garbage. Sadly, I think so many people are just so used to drinking big brand coffee that now comes in gigantic buckets that they have no idea what they're missing. Just pay a little extra on good beans and re-read number one. You'll be glad you did.

A Funny Coffee Mug

3. Funny coffee mug.
Now that you're gonna be drinking "next-level-delicious" coffee, you've gotta have a funky and funny coffee mug to drink it out of. I'm not talking one of those misshapen, overpriced, abstract-art looking hipster mugs that tip over as soon as you place it on a flat surface. I'm talking a functional and cheap mug that reflects your personality.

French Press

4. French Press. 
If you haven't drank coffee that was made in a French Press, you're missing out on an awesome experience. I don't know how it does what it does to produce the flavor that it does, but it's super delicious. It makes your coffee taste more "coffee-ish"... that makes almost no sense and sounds completely ridiculous, but it's the best way to describe it. We've got one and I can tell you from personal experience that they're not expensive to purchase and are simple and easy to use. It's my favorite coffee-brewing method. As an added bonus, a French Press is perfect for brewing cold brew coffee. Please tell me you've tried cold brew ...

Good Travel Mug

5. Good Coffee Travel Mug. 
In the colder months, a warm cup of coffee in the morning is essential -- and something to look forward to. If you want the experience to last for as long as possible, then it is definitely worth investing in a good coffee travel mug. That way you'll be smiling all the way to work, and heck, maybe even at at work, til you've taken your last sip.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of these registry items for people who love coffee is your favorite?

Really love coffee?
Check out our Thanks A Latte wedding favors.

Top 5 Wedding Registry Items A Man Needs

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.


Let me be honest: I've always considered wedding invitations the same thing as an invoice. I just wish people would call a spade a spade and say, "We're celebrating our love. Would you mind checking out the registry to see the gifts we want all of YOU to pay for?" When I expressed my opinion about wedding registries to Lisa, she somehow managed to perform some complicated mathematical mind trick on me that, for a minute, almost made me say "Oh yea, I had it ALL wrong."

Once I accepted the fact that we were going to have a wedding registry, I decided I’d make it as fun as I could. When we went to Bed Bath & Beyond to register, the first thing we did was sit down with a sales associate who helped us pick out our "regular" plates and "fancy" plates. I was already lost. Personally, I was hoping we could just pick "lifetime supply of paper plates and plastic cutlery" because cleaning sucks, but that was not an option. In a perfect world we could also have disposable pots and pans too.

When the sales associate was done confusing me (probably because I wasn’t paying attention), the fun part began -- we were set loose on the store with a barcode scanner and left to our own devices.

As we moved throughout the store, I slowly began to realize that there was some really useful and functional stuff a guy could use that's reasonably priced. In retrospect I guess I could say that I almost found a happy medium in this whole "registry" idea ... almost. Most of the stuff was reasonably priced too, and I also made sure to ask myself "Do I really need this or do I just want it?” If the answer I gave myself was the latter, we didn't scan it. If it was the former, I'd find a brand of said item that was the best deal. Now that the back story is out of the way, I'd like to share my list of the Top 5 Wedding Registry Items A Man Needs. Yeah yeah yeah, I know, before you even say it, some of you are going to say "Oh a guy doesn't need that." To which I reply, "You need to mind your own biz-ness" (haha).

Top 5 Wedding Registry Items A Guy Needs

1. A blender/food processor combo. 
The one that sealed the deal for me was the Ninja MEGA Kitchen System 1500 because it had a (pizza) dough blade attachment. So instead of scanning a blender AND a food processor, we were able to find one item that did both, and it costs less than buying each item individually. Eh, by conceptualizing the process in this way, I felt less guilty about having to do it at all. And best of all, a blender/food processor is so functional. You can feed yourself in so many ways! With just one machine you can make a pizza and a frozen cocktail to go with it. Done.
(Lisa's note: We actually use this every day to make smoothies for breakfast, pizza for dinner, hummus to snack on ... whatever the case. It is by far the most used item we put on our registry.)

2. A SodaStream. 
Yes, you need a SodaStream. Well, at least I did, and this is why: bubbly water on demand. If you're a soda drinker, this thing will pay for itself in no time. Personally, I use it to make one half of my favorite drink of all time: whiskey and soda. I also love making real ginger ale instead of drinking that crap they sell in the store that has no business having the word "ginger" printed anywhere on the label. I make my own ginger syrup from fresh ginger root, squirt a little in a glass, hit it with bubbly H2O, and BOOM! Best. And don’t get me started on the Moscow and Kentucky Mules I make ... HEEHAW! (Or whatever sound mules make. Or is that a donkey? ... Whatever, it's funny).

3. An ice cube tray that makes gigantic ice cubes. 
I forgot the name (Lisa' note: It's the Tovolo King Ice Cube Tray), but you know, those huge ice cubes people put in cocktails so your booze doesn't get watered down so fast? One of those. I had no idea how I lived this long without one of these, and they're cheap too. Gone are the days of saying "Ah, I wish there was a way to make my expensive bourbon ice cold without watering it down so fast." Well, I don't know if you say that, but I did for a while ... until I got a gigantic ice cube tray.

4. Cocktail glasses to put those gigantic ice cubes in. 
Nothing says class like drinking a cocktail out of an actual cocktail glass, even if it's the wrong one. Eventually we'll have people over who drink wine, but until then I use our stemless wine glasses to drink beer or an Old Fashioned because I just like the way they feel in my hand.

5. A pizza peel. 
Trust me, the pizza peel does more than just pull pizzas out of your oven. Same with a pizza stone. Anything that needs to be baked in the oven can be placed on the pizza stone with the pizza peel, and it'll cook extra fast since the pizza stone heats it from the bottom too. And when whatever you're cooking is done, you can just slide it right back out of the oven with the pizza peel. Hell, I've even used my pizza peel as a chopping board! I loathe uni-taskers. They're a waste of money, space and resources, so trust me on this one.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Ask your grooms. What are the wedding registry items your man needs?

A Bride On A Budget's Top Five Best Buy Wedding Registry Items For Your Kitchen #BestBuyWedding #ad

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free

There was a time when me and the kitchen didn't get along. Like, not at all. When I lived by myself in Pennsylvania, there was this time I ate a sauce sandwich. Oh, what's that delicacy you ask? It's when I put homemade sauce on a piece of bread and sprinkled some shredded mozzarella on top. I tried calling it a meatball hero without meatballs, but basically it was a culinary mess.

I'm so much better in the kitchen now (luckily, for Pete, because I can't see him ever eating a sauce sandwich). If you want to be better in the kitchen too, you need the right equipment. And part of that means adding the right kitchen items to your wedding registry. It also means you need some recipes. So don't worry. I got you.

Below, I have our top five Best Buy wedding registry items for your kitchen. Even better, I have two easy recipes for you to make with those items. And trust me. The recipes are easy. They're ones I make all the time. So if the girl who used to eat sauce sandwiches can make them, so can you.

A Bride On A Budget's Top Five Best Buy Wedding Registry Items For Your Kitchen

Crock Pot

Potato soup

• Add five cloves of garlic (chopped), 32oz. chicken broth. six potatoes (peeled and chopped), one onion (chopped), half a stick of butter, 2.5 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the Crock Pot. Cook on low for seven hours, then high for one hour.
• Mash the potatoes (in the Crock Pot). Add one cup half and half, one cup shredded cheddar cheese, and three tablespoons of green onions. Stir. Serve (with sour cream and green onions on top, if you want).

Citrus Ginger Chicken

• Put two pounds of chicken breast in the Crock Pot. Top with a mixture of a half cup orange marmalade, three cloves of garlic (chopped), half an inch of ginger (peeled and chopped), and two tablespoons of soy sauce. Cook on low for about seven hours.
• Shred the chicken when it's done (it does this when you pull it out of the Crock Pot anyway) and serve over rice.

Ninja Professional Blender

Salsa

• Boil one medium sized onion (chopped), four tomatoes (chopped), and one jalapeno (chopped) for seven minutes.
• Strain and add the ingredients to the blender with a generous pinch of salt, a handful of chopped cilantro, and 1/4 cup of water. Blend until smooth-ish.

Berry Smoothies

• Blend together half a mango, half a banana, one-quarter cup of frozen mixed berries, and one-quarter cup of orange juice.

Soda Stream

Homemade Ginger Ale

• First, make ginger syrup: Boil one-quarter pound ginger (peeled and chopped), one cup sugar, and one cup water. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and put into a squeeze bottle. 
• Use the Soda Stream to make carbonated water and add the ginger syrup.

"Homemade" Soda

• Use the Soda Stream to make carbonated water. Add in your choice of Soda Stream syrup.

Cuisinart Cookware

Kale Pasta

• Boil pasta (in one pot) until it's al dente. In a pan, saute two onions (chopped), two garlic cloves (chopped), and 16oz. of mushrooms in a pat of butter until the onions are translucent. Add kale (pulled from the stem) to the pan. Cover and steam until wilted.
• Mix together the pasta (drained) and the kale mixture. Add 15oz. ricotta cheese and one-quarter cup Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 9x11 pan for 30 minutes at 350.

Simple Pasta Sauce

• Saute one onion (chopped) in a pan with three tablespoons olive oil. When they are translucent, add three cloves of garlic (chopped). Add one 28oz. can of diced tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Cook for 20 minutes over low heat.

Rachael Ray Mini Muffin Pan

Cake Mix Muffins

• Combine boxed cake mix, one cup water, and one small container (5 to 6oz) of Greek yogurt. Fill the mini muffin pan.
• Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.

Mini Egg Bakes

• Stir eggs, milk (in a one egg to two tablespoon milk ratio), a pinch of salt and pepper, and your choice of toppings (spinach, bacon crumbles, etc.). Fill the mini muffin pan.
• Bake at 350 until the egg is cooked through (about ten minutes).

Just a quick note about the Best Buy wedding registry. You can create your registry here. Any items that are purchased off your Best Buy wedding registry will ship free, no minimum needed.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of these items would you add to your Best Buy wedding registry?

Create A Best Buy Wedding Registry #BestBuyWedding #ad

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

After we registered, Pete and I had a whole conversation about it. "I don't understand why we had to register," he said. "Why do we have to tell people what gifts to get us? We should just let them get us what they want."

"Here's the thing," I started. "What if we didn't tell anyone what we needed and everyone bought us a toaster. So now we have 50 toasters. But we don't need 50 toasters. We don't even need one toaster. We already have one toaster that we don't use. So we don't need 50 more of them. So we have to return them. But where did they come from? Target? Walmart? Bed, Bath and Beyond? A regifted gift? So now, in the middle of planning a wedding, not only do we have to figure out where 50 toasters came from, but we have to drive to 50 stores to return 50 toasters and then just buy what we need. So it's easier to just register and tell people what we need in the first place."

So registering is useful. Really useful. But it's still something new ... so new that Best Buy actually very recently launched its wedding registry.

You can head over to this link and create your Best Buy Wedding Registry. But, what would you put on your Best Buy registry? It's not like you can add plates and sheets like a typical registry.

First off, I would put a camera. We actually went to Best Buy over the weekend and I ordered the Nikon D3300 bundle pack. It wasn't cheap. It was on sale and it was still $599.99, plus tax. So is anyone going to actually purchase that off your registry for you? Probably not. But what I think the coolest thing about the new Best Buy Wedding Registry is is the fact that it has Group Gifting. Basically, your guests spend what they want and you get what you want. If one person can't afford $600 for your camera, but they have $25, they can buy a $25 gift card towards your registry. You accumulate all those gift cards and you can purchase those big ticket items. Your guests don't even have to call each other or go in together for it. Best Buy just handles that.

You can add things like CD's and DVD's to your Best Buy Wedding Registry, but the store actually has more than that. Since you can edit your registry online, you can add items that I've never seen in store, like this Lofty Ardant Diamond Silver Framed Mirror. I've never seen mirrors in an actual Best Buy store, but you can find them online. And with one click, it's added to your registry.

So dream big. Think outside of "guest bathroom towels" and add things like a Roku or a similar streaming service so your entire movie room can be set up the way you want it. Add a Bluetooth speaker for each room (we have two and they are fantastic). Or heck, if you really need one, add a toaster. Best Buy has a lot of those to choose from too.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What would you add to your Best Buy registry that you can't find anywhere else?

Love Best Buy for wedding ideas?
Check out our Groomsman gift idea using Best Buy items.

Red Velvet Soda Recipe (and a chat about Target wedding registries) #TargetWedding

If you love this recipe, be sure to Yum it here: Yum

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Target. All opinions are my own.

Last night, Pete and I went out to dinner. We got to eat, phone and distraction free. Of course, it wasn't work free. He talked about his job and I mentioned a post that I was doing for Target Weddings.

The idea of the post (as it has been in the past) is to create a wedding registry that reflects the couple -- but also one that can be used. I mean, adding China settings to your registry is great (we did it) but the times you're going to be using that China is slim (ours has been in uncracked boxes for a year).

What we do use daily is the glasses that we put on our registry, so if you're planning on creating a Target registry, be sure to add a variety of drinkware. Different sizes are good for different drinks. I mean, you're not going to make an 18 ounce Old Fashioned (unless you had a terrible day at work and you're sharing with someone). But the tall glasses, they can be used to make Red Velvet Soda.

Yes, Red Velvet Soda. Pete actually came up with the concept yesterday at dinner. We spent the time between our appetizer and dinner coming up with a recipe for it. And today, we made it. It was shockingly delicious.

Red Velvet Soda

I love red velvet anything. It's my birthday cake of choice. It's basically a vanilla cake with a dash of cocoa powder. Delicious. But I've never seen it in drink form before, so we had to really brainstorm a way to make it work.

What You'll Need:

• Soda Stream Source
• Lemon-Lime Soda Stream syrup
• Cocoa powder
• Vanilla extract
• Red food coloring

What You'll Do:

Make soda in the Soda Stream. Add about 3/4 of the lemon-lime syrup that you would usually add. Pour it into a glass.

Add about three drops of vanilla extract. (It will start to bubble)

Add one (and only one) drop of red food coloring.

Add a large pinch of cocoa powder. (The bubbles will be really be active now)

Gently stir.

Now, I'm going to really give you a big warning here: Stir gently. By now, your Red Velvet Soda is really starting to bubble. And a stir makes this drink think it's a volcano. It will bubble over and explode, just like shaken soda. So definitely be super calm with it.

I made this by the glass, but you could make a whole pitcher of it ... that is, if you have a pitcher.

If you don't, you can always add one onto your Target registry. We didn't add one because we already had three and didn't need to add one more to the mix. But if you need one, Target has a wide array to choose from.

What's actually cool about Target is it pretty much has everything.

Like stand mixeres, cookware sets, speakers, cameras, and this Hamilton Beach Double Breakfast Sandwich Maker.

I actually only heard about these last week and I have no idea how my life has existed without it. We make breakfast sandwiches at home often, but this actually makes sandwiches for you. Plus, after you get married, there are two of you to start to cook for. So a double breakfast sandwich maker is definitely what you need.

You'll only need one vacuum, though. At least, that's what I think. And since they are quite expensive, don't expect more than one to fly off your registry.

Even if you don't think anyone will buy you a $400 vacuum, it's worth it to add it to your wedding registry. See, the week of your wedding, Target will send you a 15% completion coupon. That way, you can save 15% off anything that wasn't purchased. That's an easy way to save a chunk of change off high ticket items, like a vacuum. You can even get Target registry rewards when starting your registry too.

What I would add, if I was registering, is this Threshold table lamp. It looks very similar to a lamp that was in a hotel scene from House of Cards that I fell in love with. In the middle of the episode, I had to stop and tell Pete that I absolutely wanted that lamp. And then I wondered if I could find something similar on Pinterest to help me make one. If you are registering, you can just add this lamp. You don't have to worry about DIY'ing one. Just scan it.

If you are planning on creating a Target Wedding Registry, be sure to add items that are useful but also include ones that are fun too. You want to choose stuff that reflects your personality but is also stuff that you will use. And these Red Velvet Soda ingredients are something you'll use (if you are me, at least).

BRIDAL BABBLE: Do you think you would try to make this Red Velvet Soda recipe?

Homemade Cannoli Dip Recipe #TargetWedding #spon

If you love this recipe, be sure to Yum it here: Yum

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Target. All opinions are my own.

On Thursday, Pete jumped onto our bed. "Happy first married Thanksgiving," he said, before tumbling down. It was the cutest thing ever. And it's the truth, too. This year was our first married Thanksgiving. It was also the first Thanksgiving that I didn't spend with my parents. I just went up to New York in September for a wedding and decided I would go up for my cousin's baby shower so I would save my money and not go up for Thanksgiving. Plus, we'll be up for Christmas anyway.

So instead of spending Thanksgiving with my family, I spent it with Pete as our new family, and we split time between two different friends' houses. I knew we were heading to one for the beginning of the day and one for the end of the day, so I made an appetizer for one and dessert for the other. I made caprese dip and cannoli dip. And then, of course, I laughed at myself. Not only did I unintentionally decide to make two dips, I also unintentionally decided to make spins off two Italian classics -- and I'm not Italian. But hey, Pete is, so our nationalities are fused together now. And so are our tastes, since items we scanned for our wedding registry were ones that we liked, not just ones that I liked or he liked.

And speaking of registries, did you know you can register at Target for a ton of different items? Check out my recipe for homemade cannoli dip and a bit about Target registries below.

Homemade Cannoli Dip Recipe

What You'll Need:

• One 15oz. container ricotta cheese (part-skim)
• One 8oz. block of cream cheese (regular)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla
• 1.5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

What You'll Do:

• Mix together the cheeses and vanilla until smooth. (Mixture will be thick.)
• Add in half sugar. Stir. Add in second half. Stir. (This thins it out.)
• Fold in half the chocolate chips. Then fold in the other half.
• Chill until its time to serve.

I brought waffle pieces with us (waffle bowls that I crushed). I wanted to actually crush cannoli shells but down here, people don't know what those are so I didn't bother to look for them. Making this dessert was super easy -- just as easy as creating a Target Wedding Registry.

What I actually really like about Target's registry is the variety of items. You're not restricted to just kitchen items. I mean, you can get stuff for the kitchen, like the Threshold Bistro Ceramic 16-Piece Dinnerware Set or Calphalon Stainless Steel Cookware, but you're not restricted to those types of items. Love a home that smells nice? Register for some candles. Need to keep the bathroom tidy? Register for a plunger. Love music? Register for the SONOS PLAY: 5 Wireless HiFi System. No one is gonna stop you.

And, if you really like the sound of cannoli dip for your next family gathering, register for a chip and dip plate so you can make it. And register for a bowl and spoon, since you'll need those to make this (actually, though, I originally made this in a plastic storage container because I was transporting it. You can register for those at Target too).

BRIDAL BABBLE: Cannoli dip merges me (chocolate and sweets) and Pete (Italian) perfectly. What's the Thanksgiving recipe that merges you and your significant other?

Slow Cooker Potato Cheddar Soup Recipe (And our delicious date night ideas) #TargetWedding

Content for this Slow Cooker Potato Cheddar Soup Recipe and/or other value provided by our partner, Target. All opinions are my own.

If you love this recipe, be sure to Yum it here: Yum

When you're wedding planning, it's so hard to think about going out on dates. You're so in love and planning a ceremony and reception that will marry you to this person who you're in love with. Of course you want to go on dates with them.

But any spare money you have is imaginary. Your paycheck is going towards wedding things, like flowers and save the dates and makeup trials. You can't spend $50 on a dinner out when that $50 means the difference between having your programs printed on the nice paper or not.

But that doesn't mean you can't have a romantic date night at home. We spent many a nights cooking a meal and having coffee parties and movie nights at home when we were saving for our wedding (heck, we even do that all the time now).

When you're creating your registry, this is stuff to take into consideration. You don't have to be like everyone else and register for towels and bed sheets. You can register for items you need that will turn into date night items.

One of my favorite fall date night at home recipes is Slow Cooker Cheddar Potato Soup. It's absolutely amazing, and super easy to make in a slow cooker -- which you can (and should) add to your wedding registry.

Slow Cooker Cheddar Potato Soup Recipe

What You'll Need:

• 5 cloves garlic
• 32oz. chicken broth
• 6 potatoes
• 1 onion
• 1/2 stick butter
• 2.5 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 pint (1 cup) half & half
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 tablespoons green onions
• sour cream

What's You'll Do:

Peel and chop your potatoes.

Chop one onion.

Chop five cloves of garlic.

Combine the garlic, chicken broth, potatoes, onion, butter, salt, and pepper. Cook in the slow cooker for 7 hours on low and 1 hour on high.

After 8 hours of cooking, mash the potatoes.

Add the half & half, cheese, and green onions.

Stir.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a pinch of green onions

You can serve in super cute soup bowls. It's so easy ... and a lot cheaper than buying soup at a restaurant.

See, when you're wedding planning, all you really want is easy. You don't have time to slave over the oven when you have invitations to stuff and address. So the slow cooker makes this so much easier.

I have a few other fall recipes for the slow cooker that are easy too: tortellini soup, sloppy Joe's, and chicken teriyaki. My mom has a bunch of slow cooker recipes too that she loves. Ask your mom. She might have a few in her recipe book too.

Cook at home together. That's a great date night idea.

And, instead of going out for dessert (one of my favorite things to do, honestly), you can bake something with the KitchenAid Ultra Power 4.5 Qt Stand Mixer. Now, that's something we actually added to our registry but no one bought us. We did get the blender we wanted, so after our delicious date night dinners, we usually have either coffee or a milkshake, which is super easy to make in a blender. I'd make cookies if we had the stand mixer, and we could have those for dessert. My cousin actually made amazing cookies for Christmas last year with the mixer she received, so I would add that to your registry (and hope it appears at your shower). If it's just the two of you for dessert, you can get some great ideas in the cookbook Dessert For Two. Seriously, I'm in love with it.

You could do a classic date night of dinner and a movie by watching a DVD after dessert. DVD's are really expensive (in my opinion anyway), but you could also register for those. Heck, if you're really pinching pennies but want to have a cozy soup at-home date night, you could even register for potatoes. Target has a full grocery section so there's nothing stopping you from registering for ingredients to cook. Sure, I've never seen potatoes on a registry before, but I registered for an owl mug I really wanted. Just one mug. I never saw anyone register for anything less than a pair before, but I only wanted one. My friend bought it for me, so I'm sure someone will purchase potatoes for you.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What are your delicious date night ideas?