Wedding Gift-Giving: The Do's and Don'ts

I’d like to share my take on the do’s and don’ts of wedding gift giving based on my personal experience and what I have read over my quest for wedding guide diva-ness :-)

Wedding Gift Budget

So how much should you spend on a wedding gift? Well, the quick answer is it depends. Don’t spend more than you can afford but Do think about how close you are to the couple and how much you are willing to part with your hard-earned moolah. Experts say that the budget for a wedding gift should be typically between $50-100 but there is no hard and fast rule about this. I have spent more than $100 on wedding gifts to my closest friends and relatives.

Wedding Registry

The couple opted to have a wedding registry. Should you buy from there? You don’t have to if what they have selected is beyond your budget or if you’re not into purchasing from the registry. Visiting the couple’s registry would give you an idea of the couple’s taste that will allow you to go and get something unique and tasteful that will blend in with the rest of their stuff.

Wedding Engagement Gifts

You’ve learnt that your friends are getting married but opted not to have an engagement party. Don’t feel obliged to give a gift to your friends but if you do feel like it, you can give them a bottle of bubblies with a card that says ‘Congratulations’. I’m sure it will be appreciated.

Attending as someone else’s date

So you’ve been invited to attend a wedding as someone’s date. Again, don’t feel compelled to shell out for a wedding gift. It is your date’s responsibility as he or she is the one that has the relationship with the couple. Don’t feel embarrassed if you come in empty handed. The couple will not be expecting a present from you.

I hope these little tips help you who find themselves in a bind regarding what to do around wedding gift-giving. If there’s anything else you can share from your experience, please feel free to leave a comment and I’ll add them as I go along.