Wedding registries aren’t what they used to be. Traditionally, friends and family gave young newlyweds home goods to start their new lives together: plates, utensils, wine glasses, a fine china set. Today, however, most Americans get married in their late 20s or early 30s. Having already started our adult lives, most of us already have all the kitchen stuff we need. So for your wedding registry, go beyond the Tupperware; ask for Amazon wedding gifts that will actually help you live your best lives as newlyweds.
To get started, check out our 5 must-have picks for your wedding registry—all available on Amazon.
1. The Swiss Army knife of back massagers
Whether you and bae are fitness freaks, you’re working all day, or you’re chasing around the kiddos, a good back massager is like a gift from the heavens.
We recommend this one from Zyllion. There are two great things about it. One, the circular kneading is *on point.* It can work through even the nastiest of knots in one episode of 30 Rock. Two, the simple and portable design means you can use it however you like. So you can pinpoint your neck, shoulders, and lower back, but you can also get to those tight hamstrings after a long run. It gives a great foot massage too, just make sure to change your socks first.
2. The Holy Grail of vacuums
If you’ve never had a cordless vacuum, you haven’t known freedom. No more worrying about picking the right outlet to plug into so you can reach the corner of the bathroom. No more tripping over yourself as you hurry to clean before the parents arrive. Vacuuming with a cordless takes the hassle out of the chore. It makes you feel like a kid again.
We recommend this one from Dyson. This baby is lightweight, portable, powerful, and—we’ll just say it—sexy.
And for pet parents, think about a robot floor vacuum. You can control this one through an app to keep those floors doggy hair free.
3. The home cook’s holy books
Cooking is a fundamentally human experience. And it’s a common way for married couples to spend time together outside of work. You may think you have enough cookbooks already, but these two are different. Instead of giving you prescriptive recipes, these books teach you how to cook. They give you the tools to invent new recipes, perfect ones you already know, and just deepen your cooking experience.
If you’re looking to deepen your understanding of the science of cooking, The Food Lab is where it’s at. Think of it like your high school biology textbook — but way more interesting.
Perfect for the imaginative home chef, The Flavor Bible is like a thesaurus for flavors. The book details the classic flavor combinations, like anchovies and olive oil, nutmeg and cream, and chives and eggs. But you can also just use it to brainstorm a dish based on one starting ingredient. For instance, you can look up the 70 other flavors that compliment chickpeas, or the 100 that go with oranges. Did someone say next Chopped champion?
4. A better (and, most importantly, new) mattress
New mattress, who dis? Most people don’t change their mattresses often enough (the recommended mattress life is 10 years). And your new life together deserves the support and comfort of a new mattress.
We recommend this hybrid mattress from the Weekender. A hybrid gives you the best of both worlds: the comfort of a memory foam with the support of a spring mattress. And the isolated motion springs mean you won’t wake your partner as you sneak off to make her breakfast.
5. A camera that’s made for walking
Even if you already have a nice camera, there are advantages to swapping your DSLR for a smaller, less conspicuous model while you’re traveling. First, a smaller camera is less likely to attract attention from sticky-fingered thieves. Second, and maybe more importantly, convenience matters when you’re on the go. If you’re going out for a romantic dinner in Lisbon, you’re much more likely to bring along a camera if it fits in your cute purse. And that means you won’t miss out on that beautiful shot of you and bae in the candlelight (which the phone camera, honestly, has not yet been able to perfect).
We recommend the Fujifilm X100F. This baby is the newest model in a line of fabulous Fujifilm X100 digital cameras. The x100F has a 35mm prime lens, the go-to length for street photography. Plus, the camera has settings that mimic the look of old-school film — perfect for capturing the romance of your honeymoon and beyond.
Note: If you’re going on safari in South Africa, or hiking in Costa Rica, this is probably not the camera to bring. The X100F is not well-suited for wildlife photography, since you have to be close to your subject to get a detailed photograph. Instead, try a camera with a zoom lens, like the Panasonic Lumix ZS70.
