$100 to $250 is a safe range for a cash gift at a wedding “Most couples request cash gifts on their wedding day to help them begin their new life chapter. How much you give at a destination or local wedding depends on your relationship with them and your budget,” he says.
Here is a general rule of thumb: For acquaintances and coworkers, giving the couple a gift of $50 may be appropriate. However, if a guest is closer to them, they may want to aim for at least $75 to $100. If a guest has a close relationship with the couple, $200 is an excellent cash wedding gift amount.
That all depends on whether the gift is off the registry, an experience, or cash. Upon consulting the experts, a wedding gift should range from $75 to $750—but most agree that $300+ is the sweet spot.
They suggest the following breakdown: coworkers or distant relatives should spend 50 to 75 dollars. Friends or relatives, 75 to 100 dollars. For close friends, family, or if you are in the wedding party, you should spend 100 to 150 dollars—or more.
The amount you give to a colleague versus a family member such as your son or daughter, for example, will differ. The wedding website The Knot recommends the following amount as a general guide: A colleague or a distant family friend/relative: $50-$75. Friend/relative: $75-$100.
The average wedding gift amount hovers right around $100, which is a great place to start, and you can increase or decrease that based on how close you are. If you're very close or related to the couple (and have the wiggle room in your budget), you may choose to spend more—about $150 per guest (or $200 from a couple).
Yes, it's always acceptable to give cash as a wedding gift. In fact, experts say that giving cash as a wedding gift can be a practical and much appreciated present. Seventy percent of couples registered for cash on their wedding registry, an increase of 10% over last year, according to TheKnot.
"$250-$500. The amount should be at least enough to cover the cost of our attendance at the wedding. Amount goes up from $250 depending on how close we are with the couple. Money is the best gift ;)."
Ideally, gifts should be sent to the couple before the wedding. According to various etiquette experts, though, guests should do their best to send a gift within two months after the wedding date at the very latest. While this is a recommendation, it is a nice gesture to send your gift promptly.
Of course, it would be amazing to give your daughter thousands and thousands of dollars as a wedding gift, but not at the risk of making your own financial situation dire. Depending on their relationship with the bride, wedding guests typically give between $50 – $150 when making a monetary gift.
As a rule of thumb, if you're giving a gift from the registry, start with a gift of no less than $50 and go upwards from there. If you're giving money as a wedding gift, we recommend $75 to $150, upwards of $300.
If you need a dollar amount to go off of, the Brides website says the average wedding gift amount sits at around $200 and you can go up or down with that depending on how close you are to the couple. For someone who is close or related to the couple, they may choose to go to $150 or $200 if you're bringing a plus one.
Garringer advises spending as much as you would if you attended the wedding — which would mean around $100 for a close friend or $150 and up for an immediate family member. For more distant relations, a smaller gift is acceptable (or, as we mentioned earlier, a simple "Congratulations!" will do).
"Most guests spend between $75 and $200 on a wedding gift," she tells Insider by email. "If you're attending a wedding solo, somewhere around that lower end is appropriate, but if you're going with a plus one, we encourage guests to look more towards $150 or more."
Whether it's a 30th birthday or a wedding, if you're invited to a celebratory party, it's customary for a guest to bring a gift. But if you don't bring one, you aren't breaking any laws. More than likely, you won't be called out for your social faux pas, but it will probably be noticed.
Wedding check or cash—is one better than the other? Writing a check is best because only a person with the exact name as the payee on the check can deposit it and you can cancel the check if it gets lost or stolen in the mail.
While it's not required, it's always a nice gesture and will make the couple smile—and there's no harm in that. Some couples designate a table for cards and gifts, particularly for any guests determined to do things the old-fashioned way.
For a co-worker or acquaintance: $50 to $100. For a friend or relative: $75 to $150. For a close friend or relative: $150 to $250. And if you're a young person with limited budget: $50 to $75 is reasonable.
In general, it's thought that guests should spend around $100 on a wedding gift. That said, we recommend spending somewhere between $200-$400 for a sibling as it is generally considered appropriate to spend a little more if you are close friends or family members of the couple.
When it comes to wedding gifts, there's no right or wrong answer on how much you should spend. It's all about your personal budget. And cash is a completely acceptable gift, says Lizzie Post, etiquette expert and co-host of Emily Post's “Awesome Etiquette” podcast. Some couples even prefer it.
Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower. While bride price or bride service is a payment by the groom, or his family, to the bride, or her family, dowry is the wealth transferred from the bride, or her family, to the groom, or his family.
Do: Bring a card. Cards are perfect. In fact, they are preferred. When attending a wedding, showing up with a card is a great way to show your love and support for the couple, without burdening them with a large package to try to get home.
When you're giving money for a wedding gift and attending solo, etiquette says you should spend about $50 to $75. But you may want to also consider the couple you're celebrating. If it's a coworker, or someone you just catch up with from time to time, the lower end of the spectrum is appropriate.
Splitting wedding costs equally between the couple and their families is becoming more common across the board: The Knot 2021 Real Weddings Study found that couples pay approximately 49% of their wedding costs, with their families covering the rest at 51%.
Money etiquette experts suggest spending $10 to $20 for classmates while expanding the budget to $25 for close friends, $50 for relatives and upwards of $100 for your own children.