Top 9 Best Wedding Registry Gifts for Engaged Couples

— -- Wedding season is upon us, which means it’s time to start thinking about the best gifts for the bride and groom.

Good Housekeeping Institute’s chief technologist Rachel Rothman joined “Good Morning America"'s "Wide World of Weddings" live stream to help our viewers create the ultimate registry guide of must-have items for the home.

Rothman’s Tips on How to Best Build a Registry:

Stay true to yourself: Don’t feel obligated to register for things you know you won’t use. But do think ahead. It’s likely your family and needs will grow.

Make sure to register for more items than people you’re inviting: It will give them more flexibility when picking a gift. Also, make sure you hit a lot of varied price points. You want to have plenty of items priced under $50 (sometimes friends or colleagues who are not attending may want to get you a smaller trinket). And register at two to four venues to likewise give guests multiple choices.

Go to the store if you can: There are some items you’ll want to touch and feel before deciding if they're the ones you’ll want. Utensils are a good example of that.

Scope out the stores you want to register at: Make sure their gift-buying process will suit your crowd (How many physical locations? Can guests order by phone and online?) and see what perks they may offer (Example: a completion program that will offer a 10 to 15 percent discount on fulfillment of items not selected).

Browse registries of peer newlyweds: You can see what other guests bought (or didn’t) so you’ll get a general idea of things you may want to stay away from. It may also help spark some ideas for your own!

Keep track of your gifts: Some registries offer online tools for managing it, but I personally found maintaining my own to be far simpler.

Rothman’s Top Wedding Gifts to Register for:

Mixer: KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, $430 Nothing beats this kitchen staple for mixing cakes or kneading loaves, which also has optional attachments like a pasta maker, an ice cream freezer, and even a spiralizer. Note: You don’t need a stand mixer if you only dabble in baking. If you do a lot, it’s indispensable.

Dutch Oven: Le Creuset Round Dutch Oven, 4 ½ Quarts, $290Made of enameled cast iron, it’s the perfect go-to for soups, pot roasts and even no-knead bread! It’s beautiful and practical and can take you from stove top into oven to a table.

Knives: Wüsthof Classic, from $50Big knife blocks look impressive, but all anyone really needs is a general-purpose knife like a chef’s/cook’s knife (or the Japanese type, a Santoku); a serrated bread slicer; and a parer. These earned top marks for sharpness and for feeling like an extension of the hand. Note: Most important thing when buying knives is to physically hold in your hand first -– comfort is paramount.

Wine Glasses: Riedel O Wine Tumblers, $30 for 2 Perfect for casual entertaining, these stemless wine glasses are perfect for any type of wine from chardonnay to pinot noir. The best part? These are dishwasher safe. Note: You’ll notice a difference if you don’t use the glass for the type of wine it was designed for.

Trash Can: SimpleHuman 45-Litre Rectangular Step Can with Liner Pocket, $130When you’re talking trash, SimpleHuman’s stylish workhorse is at the top of the heap. Extra bags can be tucked into its back pocket so you can each inside to grab a fresh one. Rothman loves its soft-close lid, drip tray and fingerprint-proof finish for easy cleaning.