Money as a wedding gift...how much should you expect? - African American Wedding Photographer | Chip Dizard (2024)

FAQs

Is $500 enough for a wedding gift? ›

There Is No Rule Regarding Cash Gifts

Wedding experts do, however, advise starting at $100. From there, you may want to adjust up to $500 based on factors such as your relationship with the couple, your budget and the cost of your attendance at the wedding.

Though the average wedding gift amount is within the $100 to $150 range, your relationship with the couple will greatly influence how much (or little) you should ultimately spend.

If it's a co-worker or a distant friend, TheKnot.com recommends guests give at least $75-$100 on the wedding present. If your guest is a relative or a friend, the wedding website suggests somewhere between $100 and $125.

The Knot says that it's a good idea to spend $50 to $75 on an acquaintance, a co-worker or a relative you barely know. For a standard family member or a friend, $75 to $100 is a good range to shoot for.

Anyone who received a separate invitation from their parents to the wedding should give their own gift. Because a family gift tends to include more people, it is customary to be on the nicer end of the registry, spending in the $200 to $300 range, but, again, stick to what fits within your budget.

Wedding Gift Amount: Per Couple

In this scenario, you might consider spending anywhere from $100 to over $200 on a wedding gift. "If you're attending the wedding with a significant other, you can always give a gift together," Post explains.

Don't Bring the Gift to The Wedding

Generally speaking, however, it's not considered proper wedding gift etiquette to bring a gift to a wedding (the exception being a card with a check). While you should bring a shower gift to the actual shower, it's easier for the couple if you send a wedding gift to their home.

May your marriage be as rich and beautiful as the love you share. We're so excited to help you live your best lives with this gift. To our very best friends: Hope your wedding day is just the beginning of a joy-filled journey that lasts a lifetime. This gift is just a small token of our happiness for you both.

According to Swann, $25 is a solid starting point; you'll spend more depending on your degree of closeness to the couple and your own budget. The etiquette expert uses what she calls "the onion method" when determining appropriate wedding gift spending—regardless of whether you RSVP yes or no.

But if it's a birthday gift for a close friend or family member—or for a milestone birthday, like turning 18 or 75—it's not uncommon to spend in the $50 to $100 range.

How much do parents give for a wedding? ›

How Much Does the Bride's Parents Provide for the Wedding? As for the bride's parents' financial responsibility, Hoopes says they typically cover around 70 to 80 percent of the wedding cost.

It makes a nice gesture, without being too much. At the end of the day, it is still completely up to you. Gift the amount of money that you feel comfortable with - whether that's £10 or £500! The newlyweds are sure to appreciate the gesture, and the most important thing to them is that you were there.

Wedding check or cash—is one better than the other? Writing a check is better than giving cash 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.

What is an appropriate amount for a cash wedding gift? As a rule of thumb, you can give $50-$500 as a single guest, depending on your relationship to the couple. For a casual guest who might not be making a ton of money, $75 should be sufficient.

THE ETIQUETTE

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.

Ideally, you'll want to send a physical gift before the wedding or within three months of the event. It's fine to bring a card with a check to the celebration. As for how much to spend, you'll want to consider your budget, relationship to the couple, and how far you're traveling for the wedding.

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).

It used to be that the role of the bridegroom's parents was restricted to hosting the rehearsal dinner and leading him down the aisle, but that is no longer the case. In a recent poll by wedding enthusiasts, the Groom's parents cover up to 24% of the wedding costs.