Best gift (unexpected or off your registry)?

dem068

What was the best/most useful/most interesting thing you have gotten as a gift?  Either something off your registry or a gift you didn't ask for?  I am trying to spark my creativity and think about some more things to add to our registry that are not the usual things (we registered for those also)

Summer2011Bride

One of our favorites gifts was given to us by BIL and his girlfriend. They got our last name done in letter art and had it framed, along with our wedding date. We have it hanging in our front hallway and I love it. It was a nice surprise gift.

Most useful: new sheets, new towels, Dutch oven, high quality vacuum cleaner, new kitchen utensils

Benny618

a heated blanket.. even our dog is obsessed with it!

PreDempsey

The stuff we received that wasn't on the registry are definitely some of my favorites. My great aunt gave me two gorgeous ceramic bowls that used to belong to my grandmother and coworker got us a picture clock/picture frame engraved with our names and wedding.

fuerst37

One of our friends gave us a "Best of Portland" gift basket. It was full of Portland-ish things, and it was just fun. Not as useful as some of the things we registered for, but FUN. Wine, jams, special candies, hand towels with Portland-ish stylings. Very fun. Very thoughtful.

fuerst37

Wait. Change of heart--a friend of ours made us Adirondack chairs with...wine glass holders built in. H-e-a-r-t.

lovesclimbing

My family makes ice cream with an old-style hand crank ice cream maker once a week.  We did that all growing up and my family still does.

So some of my family friends sent us a set of ice cream dishes, an ice cream scoop, a jar of cherries, a packet of chopped nuts, a jar of chocolate syrup, a jar of caramel syrup and a thing of sprinkles.  It was such a cool gift!

itzMS

Best off-registry:
1. Personalized silver album for 4x6 photos from Things Remembered. I never thought I'd want anything from there, but DH & I love it.
2. Bottle of champagne with our names and wedding dates engraved into it
3. Cash!!!

Best on-registry:
1. Knife set (I know some people say this is a no-no for a wedding gift, but having nice knives is so awesome)
2. Handheld Shark vacuum
3. Nice real crystal vases (we chose Kate Spade)...it's so awesome to not use dollar store ones anymore!

emeejeeayen

I made like 10 registries when I was unemployed and bored like a year ago, and then I went through, and I deleted all but the few we're actually using. I guess I missed one because my dad bought us a Dualit toaster in super pretty aqua blue from Sur La Table for the shower. He said it was the only registry he could find (I have no idea, since our registry info was both on our website and on the invitation), and it was the only item on that registry. What an expensive effing toaster, but man, it's so pretty and cool. 

One of FI's dad's law partners just sent us bone china teacups. I had forgotten to tell FI I had added them to the registry, and I thought he'd be upset since they're so girlie, but he said, "Now we can have Downton Abbey tea parties!!"

hoffse

A few off-registry gifts we absolutely loved:

-A Lladro figurine from my parents

-An antique clock from H's uncle that he restored - you only have to wind it once a year, so they call it an anniversary clock

-A thrown pottery tea set made by a local artisan, from another one of H's uncles

-Two watercolor paintings from my uncle who is a pro artist

-Married couple calling cards from one of my bridesmaids

-A New England picnic basket stuffed with goodies from that area from my MOH

-A hand-made metal serving bowl from a close family friend

Clearly, none of these are items you can really register for.  Some of our favorite on-registry items were:

-Bedding - all sorts because we really need it

-Knives - I agree with PP that good knives are wonderful

-Crystal salt & pepper shakers - completely overpriced but we love them

-Nambe salad bowl - also ridiculously overpriced but one of the best quality salad bowls I've ever encountered so we just had to register for it... and we got it!

kmangan2018

One of our best friends recently gave us a 6 month subscription to Taste-Factor.com. Clearly, this isn't something we would register for, but it's been so fun to do as newlyweds! Taste-Factor is a wine subscription site that sends you 3 bottles of wines every month. After you try the wines, you rate each bottle. Then they send you 3 new wines the next month that are tailored to your tastes. My husband and I are doing this together and it's such a fun way to try new wines and discover each others tastes. I thought I HATED red wine, but it turns out that I just hadn't had one that I liked.  Cheers!!!

tarajames344

I went to a wedding where the bride received all custom crafted furniture. I was amazed. 

southernbelle0915

Registry:
-awesome handheld vacuum that's cordless, light and works on our wood floors
-dishes - finally they all match!

Non-registry
- a Mark Mehaffey original - it is beautiful.
- a piece of folk art from the Santa Fe folk art market

manjermj

An original copy of the Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking cookbook from my brother and sister in law. It was the most thoughtful/awesome gift I could ever get.

photokitty

flag and fireworks fire pit from my parents

We love it! We got married on July 3rd with the fireworks at our reception!