Wedding Gifts - How Much to Spend

Most adults know how much to spend on birthday gifts or Mother's Day and Father's Day gifts. We have a feel for what is appropriate for baby gifts. But when it comes to wedding gifts, how much to spend may not be so easy to determine. We don't want to spend so little that we look cheap, but we don't want to spend more than we can afford just to compete with other guests.

Etiquette

With wedding gifts, how much to spend seems to be a question of etiquette. Few of us feel totally comfortable with the rules of etiquette. In other areas of life, society has moved away from such rules. Etiquette books no longer have a place on our bookshelves.

Happily, etiquette books, or at least those who read them, have a place on the Internet. By researching those sites, you can get a better idea of how much to spend on wedding gifts. You will want to remember these points.

1. Negative: Do NOT try to spend according to what your meal will cost. It is a common myth that etiquette's "rule of thumb" is to estimate how much your meal might cost and spend that much on a gift. The current (2007) price range for a meal is thought to be between $65 and $150 per person. If two of you will be attending together, you would double that amount. This is NOT true according to etiquette. Furthermore, a recent survey shows that only 10 percent of brides agree with that idea. If followed, it would mean that a couple choosing a casual affair would receive less expensive gifts simply because the reception was casual.

2. Positive: Emily Post says there is no rule. You should let your affection for the bride and groom guide you, but you should stay within your budget, and be financially responsible when you buy a wedding gift. The giving of wedding gifts is not a competition. Your gift should reflect who you are and your relationship to the bride and groom. If you cannot afford to give as much as you would like, remember that the gift can be given within the first year after the wedding. Sooner is better, of course. But with that much time, you may be able to save enough to purchase the wedding gift you would truly like to give.

U.S. National Average

In the U.S., the national averages spent on wedding gifts fall into 3 categories. Each category is determined by the relationship of the guests to the bridal couple.

1. If buying for a co-worker or a distant family member, guests tend to spend $50-$75 each on a wedding gift.

2. Those attending the wedding of a relative or friend are likely to spend $75-$100 each on a wedding gift.

3. When a close relative or close friend gets married, the wedding gift will probably cost $100-$150 or more per each guest.

This may not be appropriate in your town or city. It is good to check with peers and learn what wedding gifts customarily cost where you live.

Personal Decision

With wedding gifts, how much to spend really is a personal decision. Guests may give whatever wedding gifts they choose. You should never be guided by how much you think the bride's family will spend on the meal. You should not be guided by what others might give.

Shop for a wedding gift according to what you think the bride and groom will like, not according to the price tag. If they have registered at a local store, check the registry. If you see an item you want to buy and can afford, don't be turned away because it is the least expensive item on the registry.

Send Wedding Gifts and End the Competition

Etiquette says wedding gifts are to be sent to the bride's home. They are not to be delivered in person, either to the home or to the wedding location. If wedding gifts are delivered to the wedding location, the bride and groom should wait and open them at home in private.

Finally, whether a wedding gift costs $5 or $5,000, a well-mannered bride and groom will accept it graciously and appreciate the thoughtfulness.

©2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about wedding gifts at http://www.distinctivegiftsandcards.com. Anna has posted additional information on that site about other gifts and cards. If you would like to find unique gifts for the bridal party, visit Anna now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anna_Hart

Find More : gift wedding , flower wedding , bouquet flower , flowers bouquet , wedding gift ideas

Wedding Gifts Are Easy to Find on the Web, Just Be Sure to Do Some Research Before You Buy Anything

So your friends are getting married but they haven't registered for any gifts? What are you going to do? Well, luckily for you, there are plenty of online stores that sell wedding gifts so you should have no problem finding a gift that's suitable for your friends. Before you buy anything, you'll need to do some research to make sure that you get a good deal and that they end up with a high quality product.

Firstly, you should have a quick look on Google and see what's available on today's market. Most of the time, you'll find a good range of options to choose from. You will need to compare a few gifts and have a think about what sort of things will be appropriate for the happy couple. Think about their circumstances.

Are they moving in together now that they're getting married? Are they already living together? If they don't yet have a home then a great idea for wedding gifts is to buy them something that they can use together in their new home. A gravy boat perhaps? Although, you don't always need to be so cliche.

Have a good think about what sort of hobbies your friends have. Try to buy something that they can enjoy together. There's nothing worse than buying wedding gifts that only one member of the couple can enjoy. You have to remember that they're starting a life together so it's a good idea to buy something they can both enjoy.

If you don't know the couple that well then it's safe to assume that a standard wedding gift will suffice. Have a good look around online and you should find a range of options that are suitable. There are a lot of websites out there that are dedicated to wedding gifts and ideas for presents that you can give in this joyous time.

Overall, buying wedding gifts on the web is actually quite easy. Just make sure that you do your research and that you are sure that both of your friends will enjoy the gift. Take your time and don't worry too much about anything - just make sure that you're happy before you part with any cash.

Author Kiera M Kerr talks about buying wedding gifts on the web. http://www.personalisedgiftideas.co.uk has a huge range of options and information available, you should easily find what you're looking for.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kiera_M_Kerr

Find More : Gift Wedding , Bouquet Flower , Flower Wedding , wedding gifts , wedding gifts

How Much Money to Spend on a Wedding Gift?

Whenever you go to a wedding, you probably ask yourself "How much money to give for a wedding gift" or "how much money to spend on the wedding gift"?

There are of course several approaches to calculate how much money to spend:

1. The "how much the meal cost" approach - is to estimate how much your meal costs and cover that costs (so if you brought a date to the wedding you should spend at least twice the meal cost). The hard part with this approach is estimating the cost of the meal.
2. The "spend as much as you can" approach - which basically says that you should spend as much as you can afford.
3. The "hard numbers" approach - suggests the following hard numbers: $75 if you come alone and $150 if you bring a date (these are June 2008 numbers). You should increase this number to $100-$125 for a relative or friend, and if it's a close friend or close relative, to anywhere from $100 to $150.

If you are planning to give the couple an engagement gift and a shower gift in addition to the wedding gift, The Knot suggests that you come up with a total expenditure that feels right to you and then divide it as follows:

20% of your total on the engagement present
20% of your total on the shower gift
60% of your total on the wedding gift

As with any gift, no matter how much you end up spending, the most important thing is that it comes from the heart!

Enjoy the wedding!

SimchaBucks was created to help event goers decide out how much money they should spend on a present for an occasion, such as weddings, bar/bat Mitzvahs, baby showers or graduations.

For event holders, SimchaBucks can help estimate how much money they can anticipate receiving.

SimchaBucks can also help event holders manage the thank-you note process, by recording the names of the gift givers and the gifts given. This makes tracking and acknowledging this gifts easier.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Boaz_Cohen

Find More : Gift Wedding , Bouquet Flower , Flower Wedding , gift givers , engagement gift , wedding gift