All this knife talk has me thinking about how much I appreciate the good knifes I have and how much I'd like a few more.

I'm getting married next fall, and I would like to commission a set of knives for kitchen use.

I'm looking for something high quality, but not with necessarily fancy handles. They'll be everyday knives, so dishwasher safe might be something to think about. I'm looking for functional art with an emphasis on functional. I'd like to avoid paying for art art.

Is it advisable to find someone locally so that you can meet them in person?

Any recommendations?

Or, alternatively, should we simply get a block of Wusthofs and be done with it?