10 Special Wedding Gifts

1. My own personal go-to gift is a beautiful piece of handblown glassware from Simon Pearce. I'm partial to the Simon Pearce Bowls ($70 to $95) that are perfect for serving fruit, desserts, or dips or floating flowers for a centerpiece.


2. I always caution brides to be careful about registering for too many appliances..they take up lots of counter and cabinet space and while making homemade ice cream, paninis, and waffles sounds like a lot of fun, they're not the kinds of foods a young couple is likely to be cooking on a daily basis and maybe not even monthly. But everyone needs a toasting appliance and the Breville Smart Oventoaster oven is a work of art. Every time we test it, it rates near perfect and it sure is eye candy for a countertop. The SmartOven comes in 3 sizes priced $150 to $250.


3. Whether they're the type of cooks that make everything from scratch or whip up mac n' cheese from a package, chances are at some point, they're going to need ovenware and why shouldn't it be good looking. Emile Henry makes wonderful French ceramic pieces in just about every size and shape imaginable in colors ranging from cool moderns like slate, sand, and juniper to cheerful traditionals like raspberry, lemon, and tangerine, to rustic ones like fig and brown. I'm crazy about the new extra deep Ruffled Artisanal Collection. Prices for Emile Henry ceramics range from just $7 to several hundred dollars with lots of choices at just about $50.


4. Kitchen utensils may not sound like the sexiest gift but the ones from Rosle are drop-dead gorgeous. Made of gleaming stainless steel, these classic tools will be used day after day yet are so durable they'll still be around at the 50-anniversary mark. They're available in designs that can hang over a rack or from hooks. Buy one perfect ladle or a whole collection. The price of each utensil ranges from $28 to about $50.


5. If the bride and groom are coffee fanatics..and who isn't these days?..start them off with the very best automatic drip coffeemaker on the market..the Technivorm Moccamaster (about $300). Too steep for your budget? The Bonavita ($150) is also a top-notch brewer, if a little less uniquely styled.


6. Still another coffee choice: a nonelectric French Press ($60). Surely the loveliest is from Le Creuset's Cafe Collection which is available in Marseille blue, cherry red, or truffle brown. If you like, you can round out the gift with matching espresso or cappuccino cups (sets of 2, $30 to $35) and/or a cream and sugar set ($40).


7. These days many couples already have more than enough stuff. For newlyweds like these, consider a gift certificate to Club W, that will send them 3 unusual bottles based on a palate profile they create online. According to how much you want to spend, treat them to anywhere from a month to a year's worth of wine for anywhere from $40 to $480.


8. I think in every marriage, there's a time when the first lasagna (of many to come) is about to be prepared and there's a mini-crisis as to what pan to use and someone scurries off to buy a a not very expensive one that will just do. My advice: Start them off with a perfect pan that will see them through many noodles over a long and happy marriage. The Mario Batali by Dansk Deep Lasagna Pan ($145 but always on sale) is just such a dish. As it's enameled cast iron, it's heavy, especially when filled, but at 3-inch deep, it holds a full box of noodles plus lots of layers of sauce, cheese, and sausage. It comes in Batali's signature orange as well as chianti, blue, yellow, and white.


9. These days, when husband and wife are both likely work full-time, a slow cooker's become a kitchen basic. The Cadillac in the category is the All-Clad Deluxe Slow Cooker ($279) for both its high performance and gleaming good looks. Looking for a homier choice? Make a Crock-Pot Create-A-Crock ($50) for them decorated with images of their friends, family, or themselves during their courtin' days.


10. While there's lots of good cookbooks out there, no home should be without the comprehensive Good Housekeeping Cookbook ($22.40).