"We have a beautiful Italian garbage can for $300," says Tracy Barsotti, director of public relations for Williams-Sonoma, which has a bridal registry. "It's a popular item because these days, people often register for things that aren't romantic but that are for the house. They want things that are useful, yet very high end. Often they view registering for their wedding as a chance to outfit their dream kitchen."

Bridal registries are definitely featuring items that are more creative these days, says Darcy Miller, weddings editor at Martha Stewart Weddings. "People want things that are innovative," she says. "Couples are registering for tents and antiques. There are even registries that allow your guests to donate to your favorite charity. There isn't much that you can't register for these days!"

Even when brides and grooms choose more traditional items such as dinnerware, they may go for silver-rimmed "chargers," which are like oversized dinner plates, and then register for the dinner plate and salad plate as well. "They may want a conventional wine glass but then go for a fun, decorative champagne glass," Miller says."Couples today are looking for something really special."

Barsotti says Williams-Sonoma's bridal registry is seeing a lot of interest in some items that were not much in demand years ago. Take the kitchen composter, for instance. "It sits next to the sink and you can use it to put in eggshells and other scraps," she says. "It sells for $35. Another popular item is the breadbox, which is $55 and comes in stainless steel, white or blue enamel."

Other popular items from Williams-Sonoma are the wine guide and the bar guide. "When you are about to get married you start to think differently about entertaining," Barsotti says. "People want advice on how to do it, and these books answer a lot of