Whether you are preparing for your best friend’s wedding or on your 8th wedding of the season, we can point you in the right direction when it comes to gift giving. The last thing you want to do is go to a wedding, partake in the dinner and all the festivities and then show up with an inappropriate gift, or worse, no gift at all. Leave a long-lasting, happy impression—they invited you to the biggest of the event of their life after all!
Wedding and engagement gifts have an extensive range when it comes to how much they cost. Some presents can be as low as 25 dollars, whereas the most expensive options you can find could be hundreds of dollars.
We recommend that you base how much you should spend off of how long you have known the couple and how close you are to them. Are they lifelong family friends? Have you known them since you were a kid, but never had a close relationship with them? Have you know them for a short amount of time, but have grown very close? These are questions to ask yourself when determining a budget for a wedding or engagement gift.
Because you are giving something to both the bride and groom, it makes sense to get a gift or a pair of items that both partners can use and/or enjoy. It is not proper etiquette to only choose a gift for the groom, like a bottle of cologne, or something for the bride, like a new purse.
To find an appropriate gift for both partners, think about what they like to do together as a couple. Couples eat together, watch movies together, exercise together, etc. There are many gifts available in pairs, for him and her. These options include matching robes, monogrammed barware, matching wristwatches, or a gift card to their favorite restaurant.
You can also buy a household item that both partners can use or enjoy to signify that they are a family. Such things include a welcome mat, personalized artwork, high thread count bed sheets or a stamp set that prominently features the couple’s family surname.
Whether you are on a more modest budget or are prepared to show a lot of love, keep in mind it is the thoughtfulness of the gift that matters, not the amount you spend.