<p>jklm, I had the same exasperating problem when using a Mikasa stoneware pattern so I switched to Crate and Barrel Aspen porcelain about 4 years ago and there’s not a mark on any of my pieces.</p>
<p>hayden: I think Waterford was one of the many casualties of 2008. I don’t think it’s the same (like so many things from my younger years!) and isn’t made in Ireland any longer. You could try and find older sets or individual pieces at auction or in consignment stores.</p>
<p>What pattern?</p>
<p>ETA: I’m looking at wikipedia. Maybe they are manufacturing in Ireland again now. I haven’t seen any new pieces the last few years with any marking indicating that.</p>
<p>Still another Amapola fan here–I began by buying myself a service for 8 while DH & I were dating (the local department store had a deal where you could pay $50 per month for a year with no interest) and got the rest for wedding gifts. As I recall, it was rather expensive for everyday china, which is how I used it, and 32 years later I still do. I have replaced a few dinner plates and salad plates through the Replacements website over the years.</p>
<p>I have recently been very taken with the Juliska berry and thread (?) pattern, but the downsides are: It seems to be quite popular with current brides (I don’t want anything that everybody has) and the plates are very heavy. In the end, I think I’ll stick with what I have.</p>
<p>I wish that the thrift/resale shops around here were replete with complete sets of old-fashioned china! </p>
<p>I never see it.</p>
<p>Thank you for that recommendation, Worrywart. That’s good to know.</p>
<p>Anyone ese like V & B Cottage pattern? A friend has this pattern, and I have chna envy. It is so cheerful.</p>
<p>I love Cottage, too. Mixing and matching pieces is so much fun. Plus that pattern has some plates with scalloped edges.
[Villeroy</a> & Boch “Cottage Inn” Dinnerware - Casual Dinnerware - Dining & Entertaining - Macy’s](<a href=“http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/villeroy-boch-cottage-inn-dinnerware?ID=110702]Villeroy”>http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/villeroy-boch-cottage-inn-dinnerware?ID=110702)</p>
<p>We went looking today to see where we might want to register. I fell in love with the Mikasa Parchment dishes but I think they will be too expensive, we won’t get any of them if we register for that. I liked the lenox Opal Innocence Carved ones almost as much, but same story. Otherwise I liked the beige colored martha stewart lisbon collection but I don’t know if it would look very good in my kitchen, and the noritake colorwave ones in either the navy or the turquoise are okay and would look better in my kitchen. I don’t know. I liked a few things but only really loved what I can’t and probably shouldn’t have! </p>
<p>It was fun seeing a bunch of the patterns I have googled after seeing them mentioned on here. :)</p>
<p>Your kitchen? What about your dining room?</p>
<p>I don’t have a separate dining room.</p>
<p>Ema…when we got married, we did not have a separate dining room either. Because of that, we asked ONLY for dinner plates (which were a gift from one grandmother). We have 12 plain cream color with gold rim Lenox dinner plates. They match everything. Over the years, we have gotten things to go with them…we have the Holiday cups and saucers, and dessert plates, for example. Because we only had dinner plates, it was easy to use them with a nice tablecloth and mix and match serving pieces. And the plates only were not that costly back then!</p>
<p>Our eating area is pretty unique, we can dress it up or down as much as we want… it’s hard to explain but it is sort of L shaped and the eat-in part is farther away from the food preparation area and you don’t really see one when you are in the other, so it is more casual than a formal dining room by far but can be dressed up quite a bit, too. I loved the really formal plates just because they were so pretty, and I think I could make them work in our eating area, but since they are so expensive it probably isn’t worth it. We have almost nothing to eat off of right now so something more casual is probably appropriate so that we can get more of it, and so we will be able to afford to purchase ourselves whatever we don’t get to make a full set. But so far, nothing is catching my eye. If you have any ideas knowing what kind of designs I like I would be interested to know. I saw a lot of things that looked similar to the opal innocence but there is a fine line for me between pretty and too simple with the all white dishes.</p>
<p>The problem I do have with my eating area is that it has reddish wood floors and dark green-blue walls. So, for example, I am thinking the turquoise noritake would look ridiculous-- the color would look hideous next to the walls Everything we currently have is navy and looks okay but I can’t tell if it’s really okay or if I am just used to looking at it. I think I want to paint the kitchen a more neutral color, maybe a light blue-gray or something, that will make me feel less weird about bringing different colors into the room. </p>
<p>Emaheevul, you might think about registering for what you like best and figuring that if you don’t get very many, you can use wedding money to buy more. People always give money. Plus, people might go together on a place setting. Get what you love. You only need two place settings to start and then you can add each year. If you LoVE what you have, you will be happy with it for a very long time. Best wishes. </p>
<p>Ebay has some good buys on the Mikasa.</p>
<p>Don’t get the Noritake Colorwave. Believe me. I have several chipped pieces sitting in my basement right now. </p>
<p>My mom has it and my cousin just got it for her wedding. It’s pretty but I have heard that about it chipping, and I really prefer deeper bowls. So far it is the only casual set I have liked the look of. </p>
<p>I’d advise you to pick out something you really love and NOT register for place settings. The most essential pieces are dinner plates. A dozen dinner plates will stand you in good stead for a LONG time. The next most useful are salad/dessert plates, then serving pieces, especially bowls and platters. Having everything matchy-matchy is not truly sophisticated, anyway. You can buy salad plates etc that harmonize with the dinner plates you register for, and with other patterns you acquire later.</p>
<p>In addition, family members may continue to give you additional pieces for Christmas in years to come. My family would. If yours wouldn’t think of it, you can always tell them if they ask what you want, or hint around. :D</p>
<p>Yes consolation…that is exactly what we did! 12 nice Lenox dinner plates. Additions came in later years. First the Holiday cups/saucers/plates. Then some other pieces that harmonize well with those cream plates. A little depression glass dessert set. And most recently a set of Franciscan Apple which also has a cream background. It’s fun to mix and match…and our basic palatte was this 12 plates.</p>
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<p>This is what I do for my 2 DILs. Every time there is a Friends and Family sale at Macys, I pick up a place setting or serving piece from their pattern or a coordinating one and hold onto it until the next gift giving occasion. </p>
<p>My SIL and BIL returned the china I gave them at their wedding because they didn’t get “enough” of it at that time. We would have given them some every year for Christmas, but I guess that never occurred to them as a possibility. By the time they told me about it, it was too late. Oh well. They actually got some vintage familial Minton that was WAY nicer than what they registered for IMNSHO when my FIL died.</p>
<p>Ema, which color of Parchment did you like? I looked at one site that said that the 5-piece place setting (Dinner, salad, rim soup, and teacup and saucer) was $52.99. That doesn’t seem expensive at all to me. I would guess that most people spend at least that much on a wedding present.</p>
<p>BTW, Toledo, you are torturing me with that avatar. I’ve had a yen for that pattern for years. :)</p>