Tableware has historically been something of a staple when it comes to wedding lists. But now that most couples are already living together by the time they tie the knot, it’s relatively safe to assume you already have a set of plates, bowls, cups and saucers to eat and drink from. But is the set you have exactly what you would really choose if you could start again from scratch?

Your wedding is the perfect opportunity to address your need for a splendid new dinner set that will for years remind you of the day you got married. Whether you then treat it as your everyday crockery or save it for those special occasions that punctuate the years is up to you.

Spode is one of the best known and most recognised names in the world of tableware. But while it’s perhaps best known for the Blue Italian range, we’d like to take this opportunity to let you know about the other delightful collections, because they’re all quite different – and there’s bound to be one that fits your home’s style and your personal tastes. Here we’ll go through them all with a brief description of each. Which one is your favourite?

Blue Italian

This is the classic Spode design that has been around for more than 200 years, and is still produced in essentially the way Josiah Spode pioneered in the 18th century. It features beautiful classical scenes and is inspired by the quality pottery of China and Japan. Blue Italian forms the basis of the whole range of tableware: dinnerware, serveware, cutlery, accessories and even glassware. Look out for limited edition pieces too – they could be the perfect way to commemorate your wedding year.

Cranberry Italian

If you love the classic designs on the Blue Italian collection but don’t think the colour is quite for you, the Cranberry Italian collection could be. It takes the wonderful timeless designs but presents them in a gorgeous red-brown shade that’s perhaps less bold than the blue version but no less delightful.

Blue Room

At first glance this collection might resemble Blue Italian, but the motifs are more varied, inspired by country scenes, ancient Greece, florals, the Near and Far East and some fascinating geometric patterns.

Delamere Bouquet

The first of three Delamere collections is Delamere Bouquet, a subtle and exquisitely detailed set of dinnerware, containing all the plates, cups, bowls and mugs you need for a collection you will treasure. The imagery is mainly floral in nature, with copious flowing foliage inside and out.

Delamere Lakeside

A muted blue tone pervades this lovely collection, which transports you to rural Britain, with its flora and fauna on display around the edges of the pieces and in the central images, which true to their name often feature bodies of water you could almost dip your toes into.

Delamere Rural

Elegant, fine and endlessly fascinating, the Delamere Rural collection covers your entire tableware needs from the conversation-piece cutlery, through the plates and cups, right up to the serving dishes, sandwich trays and placemats. If you’re planning on building a collection long after your wedding day (think anniversaries, birthdays and other key dates), this could be the set for you.

Spode Giallo

The supreme Spode Giallo takes the central language of the Blue Italian classic, and blends it with a perfectly complementary mustard yellow repeating geometry to produce a design that has all of Blue Italian’s classic good looks but has a balancing tone that works just perfectly. Plates, mugs, cups, trays … you’ve got the seeds of a real collection when you get your first dinner set decorated so delightfully in Giallo.

Glen Lodge

If you and your spouse-to-be feel a deep affinity with the Highlands of Scotland and all the imagery and splendour that comes with the rolling hills, Glen Lodge from Spode is the collection for you. Marvel at the iconic pheasant and stag images, the fine edge detailing in traditional Scottish patterns, and the high quality glazed finish on the collection. This particular set is endless, too, starting with the dinner sets (plates, bowls, cups) but extending into jugs, tankards, cutlery, tea sets, serveware and glassware too, etched to perfection. The ideal set to come home to after an autumn stroll in the countryside.

Ruskin House

One look at the Ruskin House collection and you’re transported to the heady world of Victorian creativity and scientific leaps, of the Pre-Raphaelites, the Arts and Crafts Movement and William Morris. Entrancing interlocking designs in fabulous organic greens cover the entire collection or highlight the borders of these superb pieces. These are no ordinary dinner sets, with plates, cups and saucers, mugs, sauce boats and serving dishes to cover your whole table with classic beauty.

Strawberry Thief

Sticking with the Arts and Crafts movement, the Strawberry Thief collection channels the unbelievable creativity and passion of one of Britain’s most fertile periods of artistic and technical advancement. If you’re an artsy couple, you’re no doubt already conversant with the style, and if you’re a convert to the cause, this will be the set for you to build and admire throughout your married life.

Winter’s Scene

Designed based on the classic Spode collection from years gone by, the Winter’s Scene collection manages to do that thing where looking at frozen landscapes can make you feel all warm and comfy inside, especially when inspired by steaming meals, sauces, drinks and soups. With a complete collection of pieces to collect, this is perfect, particularly if you’ve opted for a winter marriage – the ultimate white wedding gift.

Woodland

Last in alphabetical order comes Woodland, another absolute classic collection that couldn’t be more British if it tried. Featuring practically every member of the British wildlife family – trout, lapwing, rabbit, snipe, quail, grouse, the list goes on – surrounded by intricate organic and geometric designs. Autumnal tones against a pure white backdrop just works, and in these superb plates, cups, saucers and bowls you have the makings of a memorable collection that will always be seasonal.