Not So Basic White Dishes

The month of June always makes me think of weddings, mostly because its when I got hitched (my husband and I celebrated our third anniversary this week!). So in honor of wedding season, here's a round-up of casual dinnerware sets to inspire prospective brides and grooms as they build their registries. Choosing everyday dishes to register for can seem daunting; after all you may be eating off of the dishes you choose for many (happily married) years. For that reason, I suggest sticking with classic white dishware. As much as I like bright colors and patterns, food generally just looks better on a white background. But white does not have to equal boring! Here are a few not-basic white options at a range of price-points.

I love the pops of color on the edges of this Abbesses porcelain dinnerware collection from Canvas Home.

If a colored rim isn't your thing, how about gold or silver? The subtle assymmetry of this set from West Elm keeps things from getting too stuffy.

Something with a bit of texture, like this Spool dinnerware set from Crate&Barrel, can also make a statement.

Another great way to spice up some basic white plates- go with a non-traditional shape, such as the rounded corners on this Quadro set from Target.

Non-traditional shapes are not just for modern tastes, as the Lotus collection from Anthropologie illustrates.

This set, from Nate Berkus's collection for Target, mixes texture AND pattern, yet it isn't overwhelming.

Each piece in this set from Williams Sonoma has a different rim, making them especially fun to layer.

Or, for the best of both worlds, try a set that only has color on the bottom, like this Colorwave dinnerware collection from All+Modern.

Hope these options have given my brides and grooms out there some food for thought! What qualities do you look for in your everday dishes?