Do you pay for over-priced registry items?

Well, do you?

I was assembling a gift off of a registry for a June wedding, and noticed that the registry contained a $120 mattress pad (!) and $80 salt and pepper shakers (!!).

I declined to buy these. Not because I object, although if someone were spending $120 on me, a mattress pad is among the last things I'd want them to purchase.

No, it's because I worry that the couple will forget how much the item cost! Perhaps they were giddily circling Macy's or Target or Crate and Barrel with the shooter gun, and adding whatever caught their eye. Maybe they paid attention to the price at the time, but will forget 4 months later; maybe they never paid attention.

Either way, I don't want to be seen incorrectly as the cheap couple who only bought a mattress pad and some seasoning receptacles!

Petty of me? Maybe. But I've seen so much snickering lately by newlyweds about people not "covering their plate", a concept I hadn't even heard of until recently. I don't want to spend $200 and still have people snickering about what cheap wedding guests we are!

Comments

[Marla]

I can sort of understand the salt and pepper shakers, depending on the craftsmanship. They do sit on the center of your table, so quality can be important.

But a $100+ mattress pad is crazy! Are they rich?

[AnnMarie Thomas]

We were invited to a wedding last year where the couple registered for silverware that was over $100 a piece! I wouldn't want to be there the first time someone accidently put that stuff down the garbage disposal!

[S/100/30]

Marla, no, they're not rich. They're doing ok, I'm sure -- he's a policeman, she works for an insurance company, they own a condo -- but I think there are things they need more than that mattress pad.

AnnMarie, that's insane -- my gift would have been two butter knives! :)