FabSugar

Yum's Top 10 Kitchen Registries

YumSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:00:47 -0700

Earlier this week, we offered some wedding advice for finding a gift registry that's right for you, but even with our recommendations, there are so many stores to choose from. So, we've compiled a list of our favorite registries - for the most part, nationwide retail outlets with standalone stores, call centers, and online sites to suit all of your guests' needs. We also took stock of shops with a wide selection of products and convenient perks and benefits. To see the list of our favorites (in no particular order), read more.

Williams-Sonoma: This tried-and-true kitchen store favorite boasts a thank you note manager, a solid return policy, and a 10 percent discount on items both remaining in your registry and outside it.
Target: Despite your income bracket, you can't go wrong at this ubiquitous store, which proffers a huge assortment of practical, everyday items at bargain prices. Guests can shop online with a Target or an Amazon account.
Crate & Barrel: This 160-store chain boasts a 10 percent completion discount on registries - and that includes furniture. Anytime an item is purchased or added, all changes, whether online, in store, or over the phone, will be reflected within a short window of 15 minutes or less.
Macy's: This national network of department stores is everywhere in the United States and offers a number of perks, including a charity donation program, completion rewards of 10 percent off, and a Registry Star Rewards program, which rewards purchases in the form of a Macy's Gift Card.
Bed Bath & Beyond: Aside from being practical and everywhere, this store offers a registry incentive program where you can register for or complete certain sets and get other items free. Need help? That's available anytime through the store's call center.
Bloomingdale's: For a range of timeless kitchen pieces and fun kitchen gadgets, sign up for this high-end retailer, which pairs you with a personal registry consultant and also provides a 10 percent completion program and donations to charity.
Sur La Table: Everything your kitchen ever wanted can be found at this culinary haven, which carries specialty items like DeLonghi grills, John Boos cutting boards, and Le Creuset cookware.
Kohl's: This registry ups the ante with a completion program offering 15 percent off, as well as announcement cards that give guests discounts on in-store purchases.
Neiman Marcus: Head here for the gold standard of gift registries, where you can choose from a massive selection of formal tabletop items. Gift packaging is complimentary on bridal registry purchases.
Cooking.com: If you want to go virtual, you can find everything and anything kitchen at this one-stop online shop, which has an extreme selection of 80,000 products and a 10 percent off completion program.

Brides-to-be, where have you registered? Let us know if you have any other recommendations!

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How-To: Register For Your Wedding

CasaSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:00:15 -0700

Planning your wedding can be stressful, but the fun part is registering for gifts! Unfortunately, some people get carried away at the thought of all the presents coming their way and register spontaneously, not methodically. You have to remember that you're going to live with these gifts, and your friends and family are spending real money on them, so you better like them! Beyond that, you should think about what you need, not what you want, so you can really "set up house" - that's kind of the point. I have a few tips that will make it all easy for you. To hear them, read more.

Consider your timeline. If you're having any sort of engagement party, try to register by the time the invitations for that party go out, making sure you've covered all the price points. Many of your friends and family will want to buy your engagement and wedding gifts as soon as they hear about the engagement and get it out of the way. Don't feel rushed; you can always go back and add more items later on. If you're not having an engagement party, about nine months before your wedding day is a good time to register; it doesn't make you seem as if you're either rushing or procrastinating.
Do your Spring cleaning, and take note of what you already have and what you need for your home.
Then, get together and make a list of things you both want for your home.
Before you start checking boxes, cruise around to a bunch of stores and decide which one or which few suit your tastes the most. Stick to three stores or fewer to keep things uncomplicated, and make sure one of them is a national department store like Bloomingdale's or Macy's.
Most major stores have some sort of registry system, if not an online one. However, if you love a certain boutique or specialty store, they may not. But most will be more than willing to work something out with you, so just ask!
Go through all the questions. Figure out what kind of return policy each store has, how shipping works, whether they take phone orders, whether they have an online database to track orders, etc. Your older generation of friends and family may only want to shop by phone or in store, so there should be something available for them. And it's ideal to be able to track the orders as they come in, so you can add more items at different price points, or remove items if need be.
Use our downloadable registry guide to make sure you've covered all the bases for your housewares, and go ahead and register with each store, giving as much detail as possible to make it easy on guests. Choose size, color, brand, etc.
You can also use MyRegistry to register online from a variety of sources, giving your friends and family a central place to shop for you.
OK, so let's say you already have all the table runners and Le Creuset pans you could ever want. What then? Nowadays it's not uncommon to have an alternative registry. If you'd like, you can register with a charity or even to pay for your honeymoon. Although it's not the most proper of moves, if you really need help with your finances, you can even register for stocks or cash for big ticket items you may need.
Once you're registered, there's some etiquette you should follow for getting the word out. It's a bit taboo to send your registry information out with your invitation. If you have a website for your wedding, you can post it discreetly there. It's also common to have your maid of honor send out the details with the invitations for your bridal shower, and the same for the bachelor party. You can ask your family members to pass the word along to the guests as well. And, if your guests ask you up front where you are registered, go ahead! If you are sending out a package to your guests with other details about the wedding (maps, hotel information, etc.) apart from the invitation, you can slip in a printed card with the registry information.
Most registries remain active for at least a year after the big day so guests can make purchases after the fact. And many stores will give you a discount on the items that weren't purchased, so that you can buy them for yourself.

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How to Choose the Right Kitchen Registry For You

YumSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:15:35 -0700

If you've got a wedding in the works, you've probably begun looking into a crucial element of the event - the registry. This retail service will help you determine what cookware, dinnerware, servingware, drinkware, tools, and appliances will be stocked in your kitchen. But with dozens of retail outlets, where should you sign up? Get tips for selecting the right registry for your kitchen when you read more.

Establish priorities. If your place is small, are you looking for kitchen tools to do double duty? Is eco-friendliness a must? If you want to mix and match tableware, make sure that's an option.
Choose a national registry that takes orders online, by fax, over the phone, and in person. That way, both your cousin in Silicon Valley and your computer-challenged great aunt in Baltimore can shop happy.
Your registry should offer a wide range of price points, so your guests can select gifts within their means.
Look for a large assortment of styles as well, from traditional to contemporary and basic to ornate.
Make sure you have a clear understanding of the return and exchange policy, as well as the overall terms of service. For instance: Is there a service charge? How long will the registry be kept active?
Some questions to consider: How much attention is paid to customer service? Is there a representative who can help you resolve any logistical issues? Does the registry alert you when gifts have been purchased? Will updates be reflected on your registry within 11 minutes, or 11 hours? Is the registry flexible with shipping locations?
Don't overlook perks. Some registries offer a completion program, which allows couples to fill in incomplete kitchen sets at a discount. Other sites will donate to a charity of your choice every time a gift is purchased.

If you've got any helpful tips for finding the perfect registry, please feel free to chime in below!

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How to Use the Internet to Manage Your Wedding Registry

GeekSugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:30:40 -0700

Engaged? Congratulations! You're about to start your life as a married couple, and one of the advantages of getting married is getting to register for fabulous things to feather your nest with. But like many things that sound fun at first, it can also become overwhelming.

The Internet is your best friend in managing your registry. So much can be done online that you (almost) don't even have to set foot in a store to look at china patterns. Of course, you also need to know where to start, which is where I come in.

First step: Deciding where to register.

These days, it seems like most couples are moving away from registering only at stores that have a lot of brick-and-mortar outposts because so many people are comfortable shopping online. It's also good if you don't know which store is convenient for most of your guests - but pretty much everyone has an Internet connection. The best places to register, in my opinion, have both physical stores (so you can see things in person) and online-accessible registries.
Some bigger stores that have both a physical presence and online registries are: Macy's, Crate and Barrel, Bloomingdale's, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Target, and CB2. For each, you can either go to the store and register there, and they'll set up your online registry simultaneously, or you can just set up the registry online.

To see the rest of my online registry tips, as well as linking etiquette and some warnings, just read more.

Want things that are only available online? You can register with Amazon, or alternatively, you can register with the website Wishpot, which lets you add products from any website on the Internet and it puts it into one registry.
If you decide on multiple registries, you can use MyRegistry or Wedding Channel to add gifts from tons of stores.
Don't want home things? You can also register for your honeymoon at HoneyFund or you can request charitable donations with JustGive.org.

Getting the Word Out:

Although etiquette usually dictates that people find out about registries via word of mouth, it is the 21st century, and if you're going to create a wedding website or blog, a discrete (read: not flashing) link to your online registries is OK in my book.
If you didn't create a wedding website or don't feel comfortable linking, rest assured that people can search The Knot for any online registry just using your name.

But Be Careful:

Be aware that if you register at certain stores in person (like Macy's), the prices for sale or promotion items online may be different - that is, not on sale. If you think the full price is unreasonable, then ensure the price matches online.
Exchange and return policies are not always the same for the online registry purchases as they are in store. Some stores even require receipts if you want to return a gift, so make sure that you read all return and exchange policies for the stores you register at.

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You Asked: Do I Have a Right to Feel Cheated?

DearSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 06:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar,

My husband and I had a decent size wedding of about 120 people. Each guest cost my parents about $130. One family we invited sticks out in particular. Eight people in their party showed up (all adults) and when it came time to open gifts after the wedding, theirs was $100 - $100 from eight grown, working adults!! My husband and I were both shocked initially because the family is pretty well-off, but my husband decided we should let it go.

We've been married for over a year now and I can't seem to completely get over this. They are family friends of my husband so I hate to mention it to him, but it still hurts me to this day. I know I'm being selfish, but do I have a right to feel kind of cheated? I would never dare approach the family about it, but I've lost a lot of respect for them. In fact, their daughter (who attended our wedding) is getting married at the end of the month and I'm tempted to skimp out on her gift just in spite. Are my feelings justified? And when it comes to wedding gifts, what are the general rules anyway? - Holding a Grudge Gretta

To see DearSugar's answer, read more.

Dear Holding a Grudge Gretta,

Giving a gift of $100 from eight people is definitely a little cheap, but you might not know what their financial situation is - while they appear to have a lot of money, times are tough right now for pretty much everyone. With that said, you have a right to be a little annoyed, sure, but since a year has past, I'd say it's time to just let it go. If you're tempted to be stingy with this woman's wedding gift, go ahead, but I think the better option would be to rise above your anger, be the bigger person, and give them a moderate wedding gift as if nothing happened.

When it comes to wedding etiquette, there are no black and white rules. I prefer to think of each wedding on a case-by-case basis. Factor in what you've already done for the couple: if you've given the couple a shower and engagement gift, bought a bridesmaid dress, or traveled far just to attend their wedding, I think it's perfectly acceptable to give a less expensive gift. If the wedding is the only event you've attended, I suggest purchasing something off their registry in a price range that fits your financial situation - anywhere from $50 to $100 is adequate. Consider how close you are to the couple as well, but like I said before, there are no real rules so do whatever feels right. I hope I was of some help!

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Would You Put Gadgets on Your Wedding Registry?

GeekSugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:00:29 -0700

Last week, Heidi and Spencer's separation of gadgets was getting me down, so I now cast my geek-love view on hope and the future: wedding registries! Registries are supposed to be the gifts you and your betrothed choose to start your life together, and you pick what will make your house a home (check out Casa's roundup if you need any help).

In my case, home tech and gadgets figure prominently. My first instinct is that registering for a flat screen TV would be excessive when you consider the price, but considering other things couples register for, maybe it's not so outlandish. Though I've yet to see someone register for a Wii, I say, why not? If you're geeks, then how is it any different than registering for pricey china you may never use? You already saw all my favorite geek items for registries, and though it sounds untraditional, wouldn't a new camera be a perfect way to make memories as a new couple?

For all of our network wedding coverage, be sure to check out I Do Sugar!

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Adding Big Ticket Items to Your Wedding Registry

GeekSugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:30:54 -0700

Now that you've set up your Online Wedding Registry, it's time for the fun part - adding items! Before you start panicking, listen up - it's totally OK to add big ticket items like TVs or cameras to your registry. Some couples may feel uncomfortable including expensive electronics on their registry list, but if you really need (and/or want) a certain item, go ahead and include it! Trust me, friends and family members would much rather combine their money to get you something you will actually use, than waste their money on that fancy blender that hides in the cupboard. Take a peek at my slideshow for some great gadget gift ideas to add to your registry! For all of our network wedding coverage, be sure to check out I Do Sugar! Source

View Slideshow ›

Tips For Creating an Online Wedding Registry

GeekSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:40:39 -0700

I'm not married, or engaged, but the idea of creating a wedding registry totally excites me - dancing around a store (ahem, 27 dresses) with a barcode scanner, scanning to your hearts desire?! Good times indeed (yes, I'm delusional!). Scratch that thought for just a sec, and let's get back to basics and practicality - online wedding registries.

What's great about having an online registry is the fact that friends and family from all over can take part in the gift giving and the whole process is much easier than searching for gifts in stores. If you happened to miss CasaSugar's helpful guide to getting an online registry started, I'm going to give you a few more tips and suggestions.

First thing's first, deciding what stores meet your needs and which ones you want to be registered at. Thanks to sites like MyRegistry, the universal gift registry, you have the freedom to mix and match items from any of your favorite sites and stores to create the ultimate gift registry.

For more tips to setting up your online registry, read more.

Signing Up For Traditional Registries Online in One Place
The most traditional registry spots are Tiffany & Co., Bloomingdales, Macy's, Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Neiman Marcus, Restoration Hardware, Fortunoff, Gump's, REI, Target, JCPenney, Barneys New York, and Dean & DeLuca. You can actually create a registry at all these stores via the Wedding Channel website.

Register Based on Your Lifestyle
Macy’s Wedding and Gift Registry has created an “instant” registry bank for different types of couples and it's surprisingly preceptive and vast. You can just click on personality types like "Jet-Setters," "True Romantics," "Happy Hipsters," etc and get a look at kitchenware and gadgetry that will likely fit your interests. You can check it out at TheKnot.

Don't Forget Practical Gifts
Stores like Target and Amazon seems to one of the best spots for gifts of all kinds. You can register for the regular housewares and high-end electronics in the same place. You can also ask for gift cards from stores like Apple and Best Buy.

The Best Gift You Can Give
If you really don't need gifts consider passing your guests' generosity to someone in need. JustGive is a great nonprofit organization that offers an online Charity Wedding Registry. Couples can choose from any of the 850,000 charities in the US, add personal information about themselves and their wedding, send an email to friends and family notifying them of their registry, and access password-protected reports that detail who has donated to what charity on their registry so they can send out timely Thank You cards.

And don't forget to include your registry info on your wedding website!

To see all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.

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Registry Roundup: Gadgets and Gizmos!

YumSugar — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 04:28:51 -0700

One of the most fun things to add to your wedding registry is kitchen gadgets! From microwave ovens to coffee bean grinders, no kitchen is complete without a few gizmos. When choosing your registry items, be sure to look through your items first. If you already have a state-of-the-art mixer, then there's no need to register for another. If you never drink coffee, why bother with an espresso machine? Also, take note of which of your items you want to replace, and the colors you'll want to get.

Not sure where to begin? Take a look at our handy printable registry as well as all of our wedding coverage at IDoSugar.

KitchenAid Professional 620 Stand Mixer - $899.95	Breville Cordless Immersion Blender - $149.95
Alessi electric toaster with bun warmer - $199.00	Espresso Machine by Cuisinart - $315.00
Margaritaville® Frozen Concoction™ Maker DM2300 - $379.95	Breville Compact Juice Extractor - $150.00
Cuisinart Microwave Oven - $149.95	Dualit Toaster, Red - $239.95
Frisper 'Freshkeeper' Food Vac - $14.95	Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker with Extra Freezer Bowl - $110.00
Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker - $129.00	Cuisinart Brick Oven - $249.95
White Bodum Grinder - $19.99	Cuisinart Cordless Electric Jug Kettle - $69.99
Breville ® Die Cast Espresso Maker - $399.95	Pump Espresso Machine by Delonghi - $250.00
Jura-Capresso Impressa Z6 Fully Automatic Espresso Coffeemaker - $3,699.00	Hamilton Beach® Stainless Steel 12-Cup Percolator - $39.99
Bunn-O-Matic BTXB Coffee Maker, Thermofresh Home Brewer - $200.00	Salad Chef with Cruet - $19.95
Oster Classic Milk Shake Maker - $69.95	Cuisinart ® Smart Stick™ Stainless Steel Hand Blender & Chopper - $49.95
Electric Citrus Squeezer - $169.00	Chef'sChoice Egg Cooker - $39.95
All-Clad® Slow Cooker - $199.95	Zojirushi® Neuro-Fuzzy® Logic Rice Cooker - $184.95
Fagor 6-Qt. Pressure Cooker - $139.95	Portable Professional Griddle - $110.00
Double Stainless Cast Iron Portable Range - $149.00	Breadmaker by Cuisinart - $165.00
Breville® Ikon 5-Speed Juicer - $199.95	Breville® Hemisphere™ Die-Cast Blender - $299.95
Jura-Capresso Z-Series Cup Warmer - $999.00	UNO™ Round Belgian Waffler - $59.95
Cuisinart Prep 9 9-Cup Food Processor - $149.99	Cuisinart 5.5Qt Stand Mixer - $299.99
Vitamix Blender - $545.00	Toaster Oven by KitchenAid - $149.99
Michael Chiarello's Panini Gift Set - $99.00	KitchenAid 9-Speed Hand Mixer, Red - $89.95

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Registry Roundup: Cook Up a Perfect Kitchen

YumSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 01:18:51 -0700

We've covered all the items you should register for in order to create the perfect tablescape. And today we're talking about everything you need in order to create the food for the table! That's right, today it's all about cookware and bakeware.

If you're a big baking fan, then take the opportunity to register for all the things you've been wanting to splurge on. However, if you don't bake, don't bother with every kind of cake pan, just stick with a few basics. Don't worry about sticking to sets either. Get the pieces you want in order to create the best set for you and your sweetie.

Not sure where to begin? Take a look at our handy printable registry as well as all of our wedding coverage at IDoSugar.

Glass & Stainless-Steel Cookbook Holder - $39.50	Flour Sifter - $19.95
Epicurean® Natural Pizza Peel - $34.99	Anolon Advanced 4 Piece Measuring Cups - $29.99
Kitchen Art® Adjustable Measuring Spoons & Cups - $5.95	OXO 2 Cup Angle Measuring Cup - $7.95
Adjust-a-Cup - $9.95	Calphalon Classic Rectangular Cake Pan, 9" x 13" - $27.00
Chicago Metallic Perforated 14" Pizza Crisper - $12.99	Cake Tester - $3.95
Mini Tea Cake Pan - $31.95	Nordicware® Mini Scone Pan - $29.99
Pie Carrier - $8.99	Chicago Metallic 2-Piece Baking and Roasting Set - $12.99
24-Cup Cupcake Carrier - $24.95	Pizza/Baking Stone by All-Clad - $99.99
Baker's Dozen Measuring Set - $19.99	Anniversary Bundt® Pan - $34.00
Covered Muffin Pan - $19.00	Calphalon Classic Large Jelly Roll and Brownie Pan Set - $24.99
Anolon Advanced Open Stock Bakeware - $19.99	Williams-Sonoma Nonstick Goldtouch™ Cookie Sheets - $27.00
Melamine Mixing Bowls, Multicolored, Set of 4 - $38.00	Fluted Pie Dish - $14.95
Non-Stick Springform Pans (Set of 3) - $14.99	Silpat Nonstick Baking Mat - $19.99
Martha Stewart Collection Nonstick One Pound Loaf Roll Pan - $12.99	Dessert Bar Pan - $24.99
Kaiser Non-Stick Tart Pan - $15.95	Wilton Tri-tanium Bakeware - $11.99
Sur La Table Nonstick Cake Pans - $7.00	Mixing Bowl Set - $24.99
Nordic Ware® Nonstick Quiche/Tart Pan - $12.50	Nonstick Popover Pan - $21.00
Everything Kitchen Porcelain Bakeware Sets - $14.99	Calphalon Classic Muffin Pans - $15.99
9" Pie Dishes by Emile Henry - $40.00	Square Cake Pans - $15.95
Flared-Edge Tartlet Form - $2.00	Deep Round Cake Pans - $5.95
Kids’ Rolling Pin & Mat - $27.00	Wilton Covered 13" x 9" Cake Pan (Set of 2) - $9.99
Stainless Mixing Bowls with Pour Spouts - $39.95	Madeleine Pan - $15.95
Nordicware Baker's Quarter Sheet with Lid - $14.99	Williams-Sonoma Commercial Aluminized Steel 24-Cup Mini Muffin Pan - $19.95
OXO Salad Spinner - $29.95	Over-the-Sink Colander - $35.00
Footed Colander - $16.95	Emerilware Cast Iron Bacon Grill Press - $19.99
11" Square Grillpan & Griddle by All-Clad - $54.99	Lodge Logic™ Rectangular Grill & Griddle Pan - $49.95
Calphalon Tri-Ply Cookware Set and Open Stock - $39.99	Le Creuset® Dijon Enameled Cast Iron 6-Piece Set - $549.95
Oval Casserole with Lid - $29.95	Lodge Logic Dutch Oven - $44.95
Oven to Table Tagine by All-Clad - $199.99	Emile Henry Ruffled Auberge Oval Baker, Red - $49.00
Le Creuset 13-Ounce Petite Bell Pepper Casseroles (Set of 4) - $99.99	Le Creuset® Cobalt Round French Ovens - $184.95
Le Creuset Braiser, 2 1/4-Qt. - $240.00	Le Creuset Enameled Steel Stock Pot, 12 Qt. - $99.99
All-Clad LTD Stock Pot, 8 Qt. - $319.99	Fagor 4 Cup Egg Poacher - $49.99
Asparagus Steamer - $39.95	All-Clad Brushed Stainless Steel Professional Stockpots - $285.00
Pasta Pot with Lock-In Strainer, 6-Qt. - $74.95	Stainless Steel Splatter Screens - $20.00
Lodge Logic™ Cornbread Skillet - $19.95	Calphalon One Infused Anodized 10" Stir Fry - $49.99
Le Creuset® 3-Ply Stainless Steel Sauté Pan - $154.95	Joyce Chen 10" Bamboo 3 Piece Steamer Set - $14.99
All-Clad® Saucepan with Ceramic Insert - $199.95	All-Clad® Roasting Pans - $159.95
Le Creuset® 10 1/4" Square Skillet - $109.99	Lodge 12" Skillet - $32.95
Calphalon One Nonstick Frittata Pan, 10" - $135.00	Sur La Table Nonstick Skillets - $49.95
Calphalon Tri-Ply Shallow Saucepan, 2.5-Quart - $50.00	Berndes 4.5 QT 11" Nonstick Sauteuse with Lid - $125.00
All-Clad Stainless Steel Saucepans - $119.99	Rösle® Ice Cream Scoop - $23.00
Oxo Good Grips Ice Cream Scoop - $9.99	OXO Food Scale - $49.95

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