Special-Occasion China 101

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Getting Started When setting up your registry consider how you'll use your formal china, says Jeffrey Fina, vice president of Michael C. Fina. His staff asks couples how big their families are, how frequently they expect to entertain, and if they are inheriting china. Also think of how your life will change over the years, adds Vickie Roan, owner of the Menagerie, a shop in Austin, Texas.

Assessing Your Needs Most experts recommend registering for 12 five-piece place settings (typically, a dinner plate, salad plate, soup bowl, cup and saucer) of fine china, but you might want to ask for 14 to 16 sets, so you're prepared for surprise guests or a broken dish. If you entertain infrequently, says Leah Ingram, consider a medium-price, dishwasher-safe pattern you can use on both formal and informal occasions.

Cost and Quality Depending on how it's manufactured, china can vary greatly in price. The Royal Copenhagen patterns Palmette and Mega are both hand-painted and differ only slightly, yet one is less than half the price of the other. Royal Copenhagen's Flora Danica is created the same way it was 200 years ago—by hand, including openwork edging and 24kt-gold painting—which accounts for its much higher price tag.

Notes on Care Many manufacturers recommend hand-washing dishes that have gold, platinum or cobalt-blue detailing (and never put them in the microwave). Avoid citrus-scented detergents, and opt for liquid, which is less harsh than powder. To store china arrange it in plate guards or on plate racks; if you'd rather stack plates on a shelf, place paper towels between them. Don't hang cups from hooks, since this can weaken the handles.

Something Extra Some guests will want to give you a gift that's more distinctive than a dinner plate, so register for accessories too, like this sterling-silver Rope place-card holder (Lunt Silversmiths, $100 for four; 800-242-2774).