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closeMen have found their place in the kitchen, says Gayle Salisbury. To her right, Margaret Murphy nods in agreement. The two women run the 6-year-old wedding registry at Bellingham’s home store Greenhouse, where they’ve met grooms who are cooking more than their brides, and excitedly choosing kitchenware for their wedding registry.
Maybe it’s a wisdom that comes with age. “Younger couples dominated the registries 15 years ago, but now some couples are registering for a second time,” Murphy says. ”They’re more savvy about their needs. They’ve developed their own taste.”
Salisbury estimates the majority of couples already live together, with different needs from those who are setting up house for the first time. Instead, they’re setting up a gourmet kitchen, with Cuisinarts and high-quality knives.
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A WASTE-FREE WEDDING
Bellingham bride Mariah Ross hesitated at the idea of keeping her wedding completely local, but she and husband Jon were determined to have “zero waste” at their nuptials.
Their only compromise was at the registry. The couple skirted the big box stores and supplemented their Greenhouse registry with a tableware site from New Mexico — nambe.com — where guests from out-of-town could register online. Greenhouse hadn’t launched its Web site at the time.
The Rosses relied on friends and family to pull off a ceremony and reception that was, well, in the family. One cousin made their invitations, a close friend married the couple, and Jon’s father prepared a rehearsal dinner from local produce — without any leftovers at the meal’s end.
At the reception, caterers Ciao Thyme provided nosh and Bellingham reggae outfit Yogoman Burning Band had the party dancing. Guests left with a consumable party favor (two chocolate hearts).
“We made sure everything went to work,” Mariah says. “It was a pretty amazing experience.”
Mariah Ross, 34, and husband Jon, 26, lived together before they were married this past July. Hand-me-downs furnished their home and they were looking forward to upgrading their space with a collection they loved. But Mariah Ross groaned when Greenhouse called to let her know that the guests for her July wedding had depleted the registry. The couple were challenged to choose more gifts than the fewer, nicer items they had already selected.
“Forget quantity,” she says.
At Fountain Galleria in Bellingham, owner Mary Deets has seen her collectibles business disappear. Couples register for items that have a function, she says. They don’t have room for clutter.
“It’s a different generation.” Deets says. “Less is more.”
Barware, wine and cocktail kits are popular, and couples are upgrading their basics for better quality, and trendier, kitchenware. What used to be big-ticket registry items like fine china are now obsolete.
Amelia Ireland from Pacific Chef in Bellingham says it’s because couples know what they’re looking for. People are choosing to shop locally for better quality, and are more aware of their impact on the environment.
Pacific Chef has started introducing as many eco-friendly product lines into its stock as it can — a daunting challenge in the culinary industry. The selection is small for kitchen stores, but couples are still willing to pay more for bamboo products, organic linens and pans without Teflon.
When Ireland registered for her own wedding gifts with husband Jesse last year, the couple had been living together for seven years. They chose to upgrade, like most couples who have already shared a home.
“They’re registering for the best skillet on the market because they already have 12 pots and pans,” she says.
Second marriages aren’t the only ones climbing up the culinary ladder. Even younger couples are trying to set up quality kitchens. The difference, says Salisbury, is money doesn’t influence older couples’ registry.
Younger couples consider their friends’ budgets, she says. She thinks couples that are getting married for a second time have a better sense of self and don’t stick to the traditional registry.
But there really isn’t anything traditional about today’s registry anymore, because each couple has started customizing it to their lifestyle. At any age, though, Salisbury recommends one thing: Buy knives that will last a lifetime.
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