I know most of my Wedding Wednesday posts are geared towards couples planning their wedding but this one is geared towards anyone who is attending a wedding! If you are struggling to figure out what to buy as a gift or how much you should spend on a wedding gift, then today's Wedding Wednesday blog post is for you!
First let's go ahead and get the money part out of the way....
How Much Should You Spend On A Wedding Gift
The pricing guide below will help you gauge what is considered standard for wedding gifts. Usually the closest you are to the couple, the more you should spend. However, don't be afraid to tweak this to match your current needs and budget. If you are spending a lot of money for flights and travel to get to the wedding and can't swing an expensive gift, know that the couple will value having you at their wedding more than any gift that you could give! Maybe you are skilled in a craft and want to make them something that you know they will love, that's fine too! Really, do what's best for your situation and what you know the wedding couple will appreciate. The guide below is what the standard is and ideally you should spend at least $50 on the gift.
- Best Friend or Immediate Family/Close Relative: $100-$150
- Friends and Relatives: $75-$100
- Co-Workers and Distant Relatives: $50-$75
- Anyone else: $50
Do You Need To Spend More If You Are Bringing A +1
When bringing a +1 to the wedding, the host/couple is having to spend more on food, drinks, etc so it is considered polite to take your +1 into consideration when purchasing a gift. You don't need to purchase two gifts but spending between 1.5-2x more than the guide above is standard.
Is It Bad To Go In On A Group Gift
If you can't find something that matches your budget and want to go in on a larger gift with other folks, that is perfectly fine! You will still want to adhere to the guide above when chipping in for a larger gift but you may be able to get away with a little less than the recommendation above per person. Group gifts are especially nice for the wedding party! Being part of the wedding party comes with its own set of expenses so a group gift split amongst all wedding party members can be super special for the couple.
How let's chat about what to gift the couple....
Look At Their Registry
When it comes to purchasing gifts, the couple's wedding registry will be able to tell you a lot about what they need and want. You know that when you purchase something from the registry, that it is an item that the couple wants. Registries also update as guests buy gifts so you will know once something has already be purchased so the couple won't end up with 5 toasters! Purchasing from a registry will usually allow you to automatically send the gift directly to the couple so you won't have to worry about bringing it to the wedding or trying to track down the couple's mailing address and some registries will even wrap the gift for you. If you don't see something on the registry that you'd like to get the couple (or if the items on the registry have already been purchased) you can still use the registry as a guide for things they already have and the style of items they like so you can get a different gift that will still match their decor/vision.
Consider Your Relationship With The Couple
If you are good friends or close with the couple, then you will more than likely already know what they love and what they dislike. This can come in handy because you can think of gifts that you know they will love that may not be on their registry. If you know the couple frequents a certain restaurant, you could gift them some gift cards. If you know they love breweries, you could gift them a brewery tour. Don't be afraid to think outside of the box and gift something different that you know they will love!
Cash Is Now Considered An Acceptable Gift
It used to be that cash was considered rude and not an acceptable gift since it was thought to mean that you didn't put any thought or effort into getting a gift for the couple. Now-a-days this has changed! Most couples will welcome cash with open arms so they can purchase items that they didn't receive from their registry, put it toward their honeymoon, a downpayment for a house, or to help pay for wedding expenses. If you can't find something to gift the couple that you know they will love, it is completely fine to gift cash or a gift card so they can get exactly what they want.
And now, a few last things to consider....
Do You Need To Purchase A Gift If You Don't Attend The Wedding
From an ettiequte standpoint, if you received an invitation for the wedding, you should give a gift even if you are unable to attend the wedding. The only time this doesn't hold true is if you are a distant acquaintance and haven't spoken to the couple in quite some time.
How Long Do You Have To Give Your Gift
If you didn't send your gift before the wedding or bring it to the wedding, you ideally have 3 months after the wedding for your gift to get to the couple. You won't want to wait too long after the wedding to get your gift in but this will give you some wiggle room if something you ordered needs more time or if you are on vacation or otherwise not available.
Should You Bring Your Gift To The Wedding Or Send It To The Couple
It's becoming more standard to send your gift directly to the couple vs bringing it to the wedding. By sending it directly to the couple, you lessen the chance of your gift getting stolen, lost, or forgotten. It also helps the wedding couple out because they won't have to keep track of the gifts at the wedding and will have less to transport from the wedding to their home. However, it's still perfectly fine to bring your gift to the wedding if you are unable to send it directly to the couple.
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