Are they only registered for the pots and pans as a set or are they seperate as well? If they are seperate, you could buy as many as you are comfortable with. I know a lot of places encourge couples to register for both a set and individual pieces for groups that want to buy together and this exact situation.

If it is only a set, I agree with what Dear said. In the card write something about you wanting the newlyweds to use it toward their very special pots and pans.

Oops...encourage couples!

$700?!?!?! WTF??? i think a gift certificate or cash is a perfectly exceptable present.

i am soooo over with demanding selfish brides!!

well you have to have JUST the right pot to boil spagetti, lol. i agree that the gift certificate is the way to go, she can use that "toward" her purchase.

we had something similar when my dh's brother got married. he picked out the serving bowl from their formal pattern which was about $400. he asked to see it and they brought one over when he was paying for it. he said something like "no, no. i got the BIG bowl". yes sweetie, big price, small bowl (would have held about 8 cups of water). i think hw expected something the size of a punch bowl.

Do not buy her a set that she did not register for she would than have to turn around and drag them back to the store to exchange them for what she wants. I would be one of those people that would register for a $700 set of pots and pans. All Clad is definitely worth it I don't understand why people think that makes a bride demanding or selfish. Most of the pieces that come in the set are also sold individually so you can spend what you are comfortable with or make your life easy get a gift card to put towards their purchase.

While I would never pay that much for pots and pan, I don't think it makes her selfish just because they registered for them. Almost all wedding registry tips say to register for items of all price ranges because you never know what you might get! That being said, I definitely agree with the gift card idea. That way, if she doesn't get the pots and pans and she still really wants them, she can use your gift card to help pay for them herself.

I love it when cubadog comments before I do. She always puts down so beautifully exactly what I was going to say.

People pick and choose what they care to indulge in, so her indulgence is $700 pots and pans, then who are we to judge? I agree that the particular price is WAY more than most of us would care to spend on a wedding present. I completely agree with the purchasing of a gift certificate at the store in question. I'm sure she'll have enough GC's to get the pot and pan set of her dreams.

You can definitely buy the pots & pans separately even if they only registered for the set. If you go to the store or even on-line then you can get whatever you want and send it over. I know a lot of brides who registered for the set - received the individuals and were able to return things and buy the set.

That way you can get her what she wants without breaking the bank!

$700?!?!?! is she crazy? go with the gift certificate/cash.

If she feels she needs $700 pots and pans then that is what she wanted. If you can't afford that give a gift card to the store or something else from the registry. It is a faux pas not to get something on the registry. Maybe she has all the fine china. This is the "ONE TIME ONLY" marriage and this is the only registry she is ever going to have so let her indulge in what she wants.

I'm sure she wasn't thinking you'd get her the whole set. If you register for 10 different pots and pans, which is about normal, that's $70 a pop - expensive, but $70 for a wedding gift for a close family member seems reasonable.

She's not being horrible and selfish by registering for something expensive. Jeez!

now wait a minute. it's not as if these will be the last pots and pans she ever has. and even if they were, you don't have to indulge some romantic fantasy she has (they have) about what a kitchen set up iinculdes. i'm sure she would just go on living with a "leser" set of pots and pans, lol. it's not a "fux paux" to give her something not on her registery. it's the thought that counts, not the cost of the gift. the registery is a list of what they want, not what those attending the ceremony are REQUIRED to purchase from.

Definitely don't buy her a set she didn't register for. It's not a requirement to purchase off the registry, but it doesn't make much sense to buy her any old pots and pans when she's been very specific about which pots and pans she wants. If there's anything else on the registry that you'd like to get, do that. Or, I like the idea of a gift certificate from the store she's registered at.

Lickety your flat out wrong. Everyone has experienced the gift you did not ask for and have had the pleasure of trying to return it. For a wedding unless you truly know the couples taste you really shouldn't deviate from the registry. I am sure if she received even one of the pans she would be thrilled or a gift card with a note that says towards your new kitchen. After watching many of my friends exchange the "lesser" gifts they would have much rather received a $10 gift card than the clearance vase. Plus if you like to cook nothing is worse than sub standard cookware actually it can ruin the meal. So here is to the power of the gift card!

the bride sounds absolutely looney tunes. expecting anyone to fork over more than $50 is insane.

I wouldn't say that bluejeanie. There are a lot of wedding guests that go in together to purchase a gift and they like having the choice of higher end items. We were told when we registered by family and friends to pick some higher end items for this very same reason. A few of our friends pooled their money to buy us a video camera and we had some family go together to get us every piece of our dinnerware. Granted nothing added up to $700, but they could have spent that much if there were enough people. Plus, I know a few people that spend at least $150 on a wedding gift. They have the money and they like to spread it around.

Boy, I guess I dunno much about wedding presents, since this is the topic and not deviating from the above -- more than 50 is insane? I disagree bluejeannie, I never spend less than 100 to 150(to pay for my plate and the plate of my guest).

My sis is getting married -- since it is a destination wedding and am the maid of honor, 2 k in expenses is the least I have spent -- probs close to 2.5 k, so her present, only because she is my sister is hovering right now around 200 to 250.

Buy her some of the pots individually if it is possible and/or just give her the gift certificate but don't get her something she did not request.

BTW Marci! Thank You!

i'm with bfly, cubadog, and vanyvrgs: buy her one item or a gift card never something that's not on the registry
so far i've already received some super silly things i don't know what to do with
blech
i'm starting to save boxes so i can re-gift for christmas!

i always try to cover the cost of the dinner, so you have to consider where is the wedding being held, is it open bar, full sit down dinner, or is it a simple get together with finger foods in the parent's backyard? anyway, that's my rule of thumb when deciding how much to give!

700 bucks for pots and pans that she'll probably have to replace in a few years anyway? I wouldn't do it. Just get her something else (cheaper) from her registery. That's really selfish if she gets upset with not getting the pots and pans...it's the thought that counts and not the dollar amount.

go for the gift certificate... she should get her own $700 pots and pans for her $700 meals for two!!!

Instead of freaking out why don't you tell her that they are out of your price range and suggest you buy only a few of them. If you asked you husband for a specific necklace from Tiffany's and he bought you something "similar but cheaper" from Kay Jeweler, wouldn't you be pissed?

Chancleta you should the horrible vase that my friend got truly awful so bad she couldn't even re-gift. Off to Goodwill it went!

Gift card is the way to go.

pissed at your husband for buying you jewelry???? the gift should mean something because of who gave it to you. there isn't a "wrong" way to give someone a token of your affection.

If it is Kay Jewelers after picking out something from Tiffany I think she would be entitled to be pissed!

lol, well wait till you get a macaroni necklace from your 4 year old, that they made. nothing more wonderful in the world than a gift from someone you love that really comes from the heart. if the item from tif's is that important to you why not just buy it for yourself? i don't see anything special in opening a box from the store YOU selected to find the item YOU picked out ("surprise"). i might specify a brand of household cleaner when my dh goes to the store, but a gift? no way that's a personal thing. and i feel the same way about a wedding registery. i'll get something on the list if there's something left that i can afford and i like. otherwise i'm getting something else, like a gift card.

Fortunuately, I won't be getting a macaroni necklace as I am not having children.

I have to agree vanyvrgs, I'm getting married next year and I've been attending several weddings this season alone, we always try to cover the cost of our plate. $100-$150 is the minimum in my book, after looking at how much caterers cost, I want to make sure that the bride and groom know how much I appreciate the fact that they wanted to include me in their special day! Registries are wishlists, not demands, but don't stray from what they request, gift certicates or piecemeal is the way to go. I've been told that you register for things that you want but can't afford to buy or can't justify buying for yourself (I can't justify buying myself china, but wouldn't mind having it if I could), with all of the money that goes into planning a wedding, the bride and groom deserve a little something for their efforts too.

That is wayyyy too much money for pots! Give her something, but make sure she knows it was sincere and from your heart. Thats all.