I wanted to register for china for our wedding, but we ended up going the Crate and Barrel route instead. And then of course a year, and a couple broken dishes later, the stores stopped carrying our set. You can get them through special order, but what a fuss. So when we moved and needed more dishes, I changed up our set. Between thrift stores and hand-me-downs, we now have a mix of fun china and great basics. Do they match? Well, no… not in the traditional sense. But they do all work together. And the best part? If something breaks, its easily replaceable. We have some basic white pieces, some fine china, mason jars, tea cups, milk glass mugs, glasses gilded in gold, and more. And why would we store all these pretty pieces in the cabinets? I saved that space for food and appliances, and picked up a great old china cabinet for $65 at a thrift store! Now when we entertain, our dishes add some fun and interest to the dinner table!