Moments Together with Pottery Barn

Austin and I celebrated our 5-year wedding anniversary back in March, and it feels like just yesterday we were registering for our new home essentials at Pottery Barn. Being fresh out of grad school, we really needed a few items to make our house feel like a home. At that point in our lives, we were both ready to move on from the bare essentials of college and start building out our home. Wedding planning is fun (and stressful!) but finishing out a home together can also be a special time.

Every Christmas, Austin’s parents carve the turkey with an electric knife that was given to them as a wedding gift 33 years ago. Though it’s straight out of the 80’s, I think it’s sweet that many of their wedding gifts have lasted all this time. I can’t help to wonder what gifts Austin and I will still be hanging on to in 30 years.

Today, we are excited to invite you into our home and share how we styled a few pieces from Pottery Barn’s new registry and some of our favorite wedding gifts from 5 years ago.

Austin and I love spending time in our living room. This is the place where we relax, [binge] watch our favorite Netflix shows and host small get-togethers with our friends. It’s my favorite room in the house! As you can tell, the space is pretty neutral and light. I wanted to add a hint of color with these velvet pillows and give the couch some texture by throwing on these tufted pillows. Our good friends just registered for these pillows and we liked them so much, we wanted to add them to our couch too!

As much as I like to decorate our coffee table with knick-knacks and stacks of coffee table books, Austin really prefers a clean, minimalist approach. And while I was at first hesitant, I have to agree that it’s pretty nice to have the space to set your drinks down or a small plate. This mirrored tray is a new addition to our coffee table and I am obsessed. I kept it pretty low key by adding a candle (the Ocean fragrance is our favorite) and fresh white roses in a clear glass vase. We are really pleased with how it turned out!

Another one of our favorite spots in our house is our dining room table. There are so many distractions throughout the day and we really try to make it a priority to sit down at the table and have dinner together. We both grew up doing that and it’s something we want to do regularly one day with our family. We also think it’s important to be hospitable to the people in our community. Whether that’s our home group from church or our next door neighbors, we want people to feel welcomed when they come over. And what better way to welcome people over than with a nice charcuterie board and wine! I was immediately drawn to this marble cheese board with glass dome and marble cheese knives. The white marble accents are such a nice touch. We’ve had these small snack bowls since our wedding, and love how they match our dinnerware set and serving pieces.

Some things to keep in mind when registering:

• Do it together:  One of our favorite memories was getting to go in-store and registering for all of our pieces. Though you can register online, it’s fun getting the experience in person. This should be a team effort so make sure you include gifts that you both will enjoy.
• Stick to what you love: Think about the life you both live. If you aren’t very formal, a crystal punch bowl probably won’t be used too often. Also, don’t feel like you need to register for everything! Take an inventory of the items you use (or would use regularly) and add those to your list. At the end of the day, it’s all about you two and what speaks to you as a couple!
• Offer a variety of options + price points: It’s always nice to offer items at all price points. Keeping a balance is important and respectful for your guests. It’s also nice to have a variety of options for your guests to choose from when looking at your registry. Ensure there are enough items on your registry so all guests can choose a gift within their means.
• Ask around: We picked up several tips from our parents, grandparents and friends. It was nice to hear about what people loved, never used or wished they had registered for.

To see more of our home, check our Home Tour. Wedding gift or not, what are some of your favorite home pieces?

PRODUCT DETAILS 

LIVING ROOM 

Brooklyn Upholstered 94″ Sofa (I always get questions about our couch and I have to say – it has surpassed our expectations. It’s intimidating buying a white couch, but this has been very easy to clean and care for. We purchased this about 2 years ago and we love it!) | Velvet Pillows | Small Bosphorus Clear Glass Bowl c/o | Signature Homescent Candle Pot – Ocean c/o | “R” Alphabet Mug | similar Faux Fur Pillows | Allegra Tufted Pillow Cover 22×22″