Wedding gift etiquette?
"WEDDING GIFTS ARE big business — billions of dollars big. According to research firm The Wedding Report, this year alone guests will spend $6.9 billion on wedding gifts.
Each time an invitation arrives in the mail, wedding guests face a common and sometimes frustrating dilemma: What should I buy the bride and groom, and how much should I spend? Depending on the couple, where they live and their culture, giving cash is either considered apropos or gauche. And then there's always the quandary over the registry, especially when the only two options left are a $200 waffle maker and a $5 garlic press. After all, there's a fine line between breaking the bank to buy a generous gift and looking like a cheapskate.
The idea behind a wedding gift, according to etiquette doyenne Peggy Post1, is indeed a noble one: "It is a tangible representation of love and support, a generous offering to help married couples get a head start in their lives together."
It sounds lovely, but for guests who don't know the bride and groom well enough to conjure up such a representation or are on a tight budget, here's a gift etiquette primer to get you through wedding season:
1. How much should I spend on a gift?
The amount you should spend on a gift is one of those gray areas that vary based on the wedding location, your age and your budget. A typical amount, says Betsy Goldberg, features editor at Modern Bride magazine, is $75. If you bring a date, expect to give a present worth double that. Don't be afraid to ask other attendees what they plan to spend to get a better sense of what people within your social circle are giving, she says.
Though the gift amount is somewhat arbitrary, Summer Krecke, deputy editor of WeddingChannel.com, offers a few guidelines based on the guest's relationship to the bride or groom: If it's your co-worker's wedding, you should spend $75 to $100; a relative or friend, $100-$125; and if it's your close friend or close relative, anywhere from $100 to $150 or more is acceptable."
Now, I don't know about you, but I rarely spend that much money on a wedding gift unless it's a really close friend or relative. Most people I know, including myself, spend between $20 - $50 on wedding gifts - especially if they are just an acquaintance. And here are a few tricks to save some money when you buy a wedding gift:- Find out what they have on their wedding registry and then go to a discount store like Ross or TJ Maxx to find it at a great price. They are usually 50% - 75% less expensive for the same items, including designer items.
- Get a gift card to the store where the bride and groom registered. They can use it towards whatever they want after the wedding. Want to give a big gift card? Go in with a group of people.
- Pool together money with a group of other guests to buy a really nice expensive gift. The bride and groom will appreciate the special item.
Gift cards are great gifts. I work for a company that manages and tracks gift cards, and I've been following gift card issues on savvywallet.com. Consider this: Last year $100B was spent on gift cards and around $8B was lost/unclaimed.
Posted by
Austin Chu |
June 16, 2008 12:39 PM
Thanks for sharing the useful wedding gift etiquette. I always try to follow these etiquettes.
Posted by
Alexia |
June 17, 2008 3:01 AM