How Much Do You Give at Weddings?

It’s wedding season again, and you're probably attending weddings of friends, family and coworkers throughout this summer and fall.

A big topic of discussion when attending a wedding might not be good table talk, but it's definitely a valid question: how much should you spend?

Some guests have a set amount they spend on every wedding, while others consider different aspects of the event when deciding on a gift amount.

For example:

How Close Are You to the Couple? Do you give more to your closer friends and family or are all weddings created equal in your eyes?

How Fancy Is The Affair? It is obvious that some weddings are much more expensive than others; more specifically, some weddings cost $25 per person at the reception, while others can cost $100 or more.

Deciding a gift amount based on the cost of the wedding is considered the “at least cover your meal” philosophy. As a guest, do you feel obligated to give a bigger gift when you know the food and setting are more extravagant?

What Is Your Financial Situation? Should you give more with each bonus or raise you receive at work or less if you become a single-income family? Is there more pressure to give a bigger gift if you are considered successful or should you be able to give less if you are still a student?

In my situation, I base my gift amount on all circumstances, but I also give a lot of thought to gifts I believe the couple would really use and enjoy off of their registry. I have the added benefit of already being married and having gone through the whole experience, so I have a little better idea of what we needed when starting our life together, and I try to keep that in mind while shopping for a gift.

In the end, what to spend on a gift is a completely personal decision, whether you base your amount on the wedding and bridal couple or give a set amount at each affair.