Be polite, be gracious, and follow good etiquette. While it's OK to ask for financial contributions instead of gifts for your wedding, it's not OK to ask for them on your wedding invitation. The only appropriate places to mention your honeymoon fund are your wedding website, shower invitations, and via word of mouth.
“Please do not feel obliged to buy us a gift, all that we are expecting is you. If you would like to give something, a contribution towards our honeymoon would be greatly appreciated.”
There's no rule that says you can't ask for money as a wedding gift. It may feel like a wedding faux pas, but these days there's no need to stick with tradition when it comes to your big day. Communicating your wishes and desires is never a bad thing — after all, it's your celebration.
Though it's a relatively modern take on the traditional wedding registry, asking your guests to help fund your honeymoon is becoming a more common occurrence. "In my opinion, honeymoon funds are absolutely acceptable," says etiquette expert Elaine Swann.
(If that amount isn't much, there's always the option to create something meaningful.) Consider the average wedding gift amount -- Honeyfund gifts average about $150. How well do you know the couple? Spend as much as $250+ for close friends or family, as little as $50 for coworkers or casual acquaintances.
A typical cash wedding gift could range from $50 to $500, depending on the same factors listed above. Even then, aiming for the $100 mark is generally sufficient and will be comparable to the average cost of a physical wedding gift.
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.
Today many modern couples save up for their honeymoon together or ask wedding guests to pay for certain parts as a gift. But traditionally it is the groom or his family's job to pay the full cost of the honeymoon from flights to hotels to excursions.
Who Pays for the Honeymoon Today? These days, many couples pay for both their own wedding and honeymoon. They may have help from their families, or they may fund it completely by themselves. Either way, they are usually in control of most if not all the decisions.
Who pays for the honeymoon? Traditionally, it's the groom who pays for the honeymoon. Today, however, most couples split the cost, with many also asking for donations towards their honeymoon instead of wedding gifts.
She offers these guidelines to wedding-goers wherever they might be: A distant relative or co-worker should give $75-$100; a friend or relative, $100-$125; a closer relative, up to $150. If you are wealthy, are you expected to inflate the gift? No, Cooper says. “If they do, it's because they're just generous people.”
If You Do Ask for Cash, Have a Plan for It
“If you do want to ask for cash, be sure to have a plan for it,” Ramhold said. “That way when someone asks what you want for the holidays, you can say something like, 'Money would be most helpful, as I'm planning a trip for next year' — or something similar.
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.
An easy rule of thumb is to stay within the average range of $75 to $200, but you can adjust the exact amount based on your personal finances, as well as your relationship with the couple.
A honeymoon gift basket is a great idea to give to a couple when they are getting married. Not only are there several practical things they are going to need, but you can have a small part in making their first trip as a married couple be a little more special and carefree.
The 2-2-2 rule states that you and your partner go for a date night every two weeks, spend a weekend away every two months, and go away for an entire week every two years.
99 percent of newlyweds take a honeymoon. The average couple will spend three times more on their honeymoon than a regular vacation. 40 percent of honeymooners will travel within the United States, about 60 percent will travel to a foreign country. Honeymoons usually last 7 to 9 days.
Average Honeymoon Cost. The average cost of a honeymoon is currently around $4,500 per couple. But it really depends on where you plan to go and for how long. Choosing your destination for a honeymoon could range from a weekend adventure on a USA honeymoon to a dream vacation across the world to the South Pacific.
Does the mother of the groom give the bride a gift? The mother of the groom traditionally brings a small gift to the bridal shower. When it comes to the wedding itself, the mother of the groom can give the bride a more sentimental gift, like a family heirloom, to officially welcome her into the family.
How long is the average honeymoon? The average honeymoon is around 7 days, with many couples spending up to two weeks away.
$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.
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.
2023 isn't much different! We're seeing the same general amount to give for a wedding gift of cash: anywhere within the $75 to $200 range is the norm. On average, most wedding guests give a gift of around $150 to $160 as a wedding present. According to etiquette experts, though, the minimum amount is around $75.