There’s no time like wedding season — with its delicate union of family, friendships and finances — to brush up on your money etiquette.
For wedding guests, choosing an appropriate gift can be especially fraught, because it can feel a bit like putting a price tag on your relationship with the couple. There are so many questions, from how much to spend, to if you should (ever) get something that's not on the registry, to the timing of gifts if you don't want to bring a box to the wedding itself.
Follow these rules of thumb to ease the gift-giving stress and congratulate the newlyweds without emptying your bank account.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
How much should I spend on a wedding gift?
There is no set price range, said Anna Post, coauthor of Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette (sixth edition). The cost of a solitary dish towel or single fork is too little. Anything outside of your budget is too much. The gift amount should be dictated by what you can afford and your relationship with the couple. If you’re especially close to the bride and groom, consider budgeting a bit more than you normally would.
Lock down a present in your price range by viewing the wedding registry early, while there are plenty of options. Couples usually select items in a wide range of prices. You can also write a check or purchase a gift certificate at a store where the couple registered. Or you could go in on a present with a few friends or family members. You’ll be able to afford a bigger item without overspending.
Does a fancier wedding require a pricier gift?
Not at all. One myth is that your gift should equal the price of your dinner. Not only is it impossible to know how much the food on your plate cost, but this strategy misses the intention behind a wedding gift. The point isn’t to help the couple recoup the cost of your filet mignon but to congratulate them on their wedding and wish them well as they start a new life together.
Do I need to send a gift if I can’t attend the wedding?
Yes. “There is an expectation that if you’re close enough to the couple to come to the wedding, you’re close enough to send a gift,” said Post. One exception is if the invitation comes out of left field — say, from a friend you haven’t seen in decades. In that case, you should decline the invitation politely and leave it at that.
If you can’t attend the bridal shower, you aren’t expected to buy a gift for it.
I have a year to send a wedding gift, right?
Wrong. Three months is your limit. That said, if it dawns on you a year later that you never mailed the check, it’s fine to send it along. You might want to include a note of apology, too.
Related Content
-
With Fixed Indexed Annuities, Zero Is Your HeroFixed indexed annuities are retirement tools that can offer potential growth as well as principal protection by limiting market risk. Here's how they work.
-
Before Buying Your First Home, Get These Three Ducks in a RowWith mortgage rates higher than we're used to, making sure you can comfortably afford to buy your first home is more important than ever.
-
The Fed Just Cut Rates. What Should Savers Do About CDs and High-Yield Accounts?Here's what to know about CDs and high-yield savings accounts following the Fed's first interest-rate cut in four years.
-
Should You Refinance Your Mortgage Now That the Fed Just Cut Rates?The Fed just cut rates, so mortgage refinance rates will be cheaper. Should you act now, or wait?
-
Fed Goes Big With First Rate Cut: What the Experts Are SayingFederal Reserve A slowing labor market prompted the Fed to start with a jumbo-sized reduction to borrowing costs.
-
With the Fed Having Cut Rates, Should You Sell Your House or Wait?The Fed cut rates at its September meeting for the first time in four years, with more on the way. Is it time to think about selling your house?
-
The FDIC Is From the Government and Really Is Here to HelpThe FDIC has spent more than nine decades in action, so let's take a look at what it does and why it's so important for consumers.
-
Interest Rate Cuts and Inflation: What's Really Going On?For more than two years, we've heard a steady drumbeat of news highlighting inflation and its impact on interest rates. The correlation seems clear, but the issue is actually more complex.
-
How to Make a Charitable Plan That Won't Break Your BankGiving back is great … if you have a plan that's as sustainable and smart as it is generous. Here are five tips for giving wisely.
-
Should You Get a Long-Term or Short-Term CD Before the Next Fed Meeting?Is a long-term or short-term CD better to open before the Fed's next meeting? Here's what you need to know.
