wedding girfts $$

Original post by Eternalyyourz

Dec 16, 2007 01:22 PM

How much on average do you think a couple gives as a gift to the bride and groom?

Also, do you think that a lot of people give actual gifts rather then money?

(I am trying to guess what we are going to get back after the wedding! LOL- though I know not to rely on it!)

THANKS!

Eternalyyourz Posted: Dec 17, 2007 09:44 AM

Re: wedding girfts $$

Posted by PegaLega

Our average was 250-300, this is what most of our gifts were. We got some that were more and some that were less depending on the people.

thats a great average!

Espo22 Posted: Dec 17, 2007 09:52 AM

Re: wedding girfts $$

most people in NY, give cash not gifts but once in a while you do see it.

FH and i give between $300-400...we figure most weddings now can be anywhere from $100-200 so we just go with that...if its a real close friend or family member we'll give more.

On average though i would say most ppl leave about $100-150 each. You will get others who leave more but i say its better to estimate from that average and then what you get over, would be a bonus

ALSO, i know you said you wan't to make the money back. If you mean just to make back the money for the Rh then that would be more likely but not the entire wedding. Most monetary gifts just about cover a person's plate and thats it...so as long as you're not adding flowers, photography, dj, limo's and everything else to what you would like to make back then its fine. Also many times couples don't even make back their RH money but figure this is one lump sum you'll have at once, i know over the course of your engagement you'll think about how much more you put in, but it'll be good to have that much at once.

MrsG2007 Posted: Dec 17, 2007 10:06 AM

Re: wedding girfts $$

You don't sound greedy...the truth is most of the time...newly married couples depend on gifts that they receive at the wedding...to cover cost of the wedding or honeymoon....or even to save for a house...

Weddings are expensive...and most of the time you don't break even on the gifts...

Eternalyyourz Posted: Dec 17, 2007 10:37 AM

Re: wedding girfts $$

Thanks! after I started writing the posts, i reread them and was like.. wow someone can def. take these the wrong way!
That is exactly it... we are not even including what we spend on our honeymoon in our wedding costs, and we would like to be able to have a largish sum of money to start saving on for a house one day... plus I said I wasnt going to let our wedding get as big as it did. It's just a big burnen when a bride and groom are paying for it themselves and want to buy a house in the near future as well.

ML110 Posted: Dec 17, 2007 10:50 AM

Re: wedding girfts $$

i got married 2 years ago, and let me tell ya.. you'll be surprised ( and not in a good way- LOL) by what you get from some people. i think it depends on where your guests are from. if most of them are from the NY area, they have an idea that weddings here are expensive and will probably give you $$$.
BUT, for us, DHs family is all from waaaay out in redneck western PA and have no idea what a wedding in this area costs- we got $50 per couple from them, one family of 4 gave us $50 total for all 4 of them.... we also got $150 total from a family of 6 ( 2 parents, and 4 GROWN children who have their own good, full time jobs and didn't even bother to give us their own cards ) and my side is from NJ where we had the wedding, so they have an idea of how expensive things are in this area. BUT, i was the first in a long time to get married, so they really didn't have a good idea of wedding prices now.
LOL so i guess you could say we learned first hand not to expect ANYTHING, and just plan a wedding we could afford regardless of gifts....

vika111 Posted: Dec 17, 2007 11:46 AM

Re: wedding girfts $$

$300 per couple
Everyone gave $$ - no one brought gifts

Eternalyyourz Posted: Dec 17, 2007 12:04 PM

Re: wedding girfts $$

Posted by vika111

$300 per couple
Everyone gave $$ - no one brought gifts

Wow that is great.. I would be so happy if that is what i experience as girfts for my wedding.

Thanks for the post! it gave me hope!! :)

jenn122397 Posted: Dec 17, 2007 12:15 PM

Re: wedding girfts $$

our average gift was $300 per couple but of course some gave ALOT more or ALOT less than that too.

the only boxed gift I got was a lenox first christmas ornament but they gave money as well

2 couples stiffed us

ETA: thats just to show you how different everyone can give

Eternalyyourz Posted: Dec 17, 2007 01:15 PM

Re: wedding girfts $$

ah.. stiffed you! CRAZY! I cannot believe people, but there is always one in every bunch.

colleen1117 Posted: Dec 17, 2007 03:18 PM

Re: wedding girfts $$

Posted by surfersgirl

i think 300 is a nice gift.
if we are close to the couple we give 500+.

Surfersgirl ... you are now officially on our A List!! and what do I need to do to qualify as close

Eternalyyourz Posted: Dec 17, 2007 03:32 PM

Re: wedding girfts $$

Posted by colleen1117

Posted by surfersgirl

i think 300 is a nice gift.
if we are close to the couple we give 500+.

Surfersgirl ... you are now officially on our A List!! and what do I need to do to qualify as close

Be friends on LI WEDDINGS maybe?? :)

Angelicanka Posted: Dec 17, 2007 05:56 PM

Re: wedding girfts $$

As much as I hate to say it, I think it also depends on the culture. In all the weddings we've attended we've given at least $400 for me and FH as did the other guests. Recently a friend of ours had a wedding with a lot of guests from another culture. Almost all the couples brought $100 total.

Autumn08 Posted: Dec 17, 2007 06:24 PM

Re: wedding girfts $$

Not everyone you invite is going to be able to give a generous gift. I try to give $100-150 pp so if I go with FH it's usually about $300. I would figure that's about average because some people would come up with less and many family members may splurge more.

Wifeynella Posted: Dec 18, 2007 03:22 PM

Re: wedding girfts $$

300 is the average in our family and with our friends. 500 is we are very close.

lucite Posted: Dec 18, 2007 03:26 PM

Re: wedding girfts $$

Most people from out of state do not give very much and some bring gifts. However I cannot complain about the close family members who were all very generous. They kind of make up for the others. However do not expect to make money on your wedding. Whatever you get is a bonus.

GinaZ Posted: Dec 18, 2007 03:26 PM

Re: wedding girfts $$

I think it just depends. there really isn't a rule because gifts are technically not a must. I know people who got actual gifts and money gifts ranging from $25-$1000. It just depends on the family/person.

surfersgirl Posted: Dec 18, 2007 03:59 PM

Re: wedding girfts $$

Posted by colleen1117

Posted by surfersgirl

i think 300 is a nice gift.
if we are close to the couple we give 500+.

Surfersgirl ... you are now officially on our A List!! and what do I need to do to qualify as close