Compiling a wedding list can be stressful, since you want to find things that will be genuinely useful, but that also offer durability. Tableware and cookware will fill up a large part of your list, but you'll need to make sure you think about what will be most useful in the long term. Here are some points to consider when choosing tableware as a wedding gift.

Style

As well as durability, you will need to consider the style of the items you are looking for: do you want elegant china, beautiful porcelain or resilient stoneware? A contemporary design will look great when you are entertaining friends, but runs the risk of being outdated. China will give you great presentation for your food, especially when you are having a dinner party or family meal, but is a bit formal for dinner in front of the television (stoneware would probably be better for that). However, major brands of tableware normally offer a series of ranges to suit different tastes and uses

Durability

Some tableware manufacturers guarantee that their products will last for life, which has a particularly nice sound to it for wedding gifts. Other features that you will need to look out for include whether products are oven proof, dishwasher proof, freezer proof, and how much space they take up. Some ranges promise that they will fit into your dishwasher, which will mean less time fiddling around with plates and glasses.

Materials

China can be strengthened with the application of glazes, and can be the most glamorous table decoration for serving fancy dishes, cakes and deserts. Stoneware is available with a number of beautiful finishes, ranging from funky to classic designs. A large stoneware bowl offers a comforting presentation for soups and broth on a cold winter's day, but can also give rustic charm to a bowl of homemade pasta. A different glaze might give a Mediterranean theme, or you might opt for a bold contemporary colour.

Shapes

You can find tableware of all shapes and sizes, including bowls designed to fit perfectly in your hand. Bowl ranges should now include tailor-made dishes for pasta, rice and noodles, now staples of the Western diet.

Items

A well-stocked kitchen cupboard should contain the following items:

Drinking: cups, mugs, cappuccino cups, espresso cups

Glassware: red and white wine glasses, champagne glasses, tumblers (large and small), dessert bowls

Eating: dinner plates (large and small), cereal bowl, noodle bowl, rice bowl, soup bowls

Cooking: casserole dish, baking dish, tea pot, milk jug, sugar bowl

Serving: serving platters of various sizes, place mats, salt and pepper pots, coordinated table linen and napkins