How Much Should You Spend on a Wedding Gift? (2024)

An invitation to a wedding—or a dozen—means outfits to buy, trips to book, and (whether you attend the festivities or not) gifts to purchase. Gifting isn't what it used to be. Registries have gone digital, honeymoon funds appear every now and then, and many couples living together before they wed seem to have everything they need. Today's wedding landscape filled with everything from four-day destination events to simpler backyard affairs has guests wondering what one's expected to spend on a wedding gift, if cash is acceptable, if bringing a plus-one affects what one spends, and more. Here, BAZAAR Bride's breakdown of all things gift etiquette—from the experts who've seen it all.

How much should you spend?

That all depends on whether the gift is off the registry, an experience, or cash. Upon consulting the experts, a wedding gift should range from $75 to $750—but most agree that $300+ is the sweet spot.

"It used to be that you'd spend approximately what you expected your meal to cost," explains celebrity and luxury event planner Marcy Blum—"but I think that's over." That adage stemmed from a time where weddings were far more formulaic and centered around one main dinner reception. Now, couples are creating experiences for their guests that include multi-event weekends, interactive entertainment, far-flung destinations, welcome bags, favors, and more—and those gestures merit a token larger than the cost of a catered meal."

"At minimum, a gift should be $75 to $100 if you are purchasing something off the couple's registry," explains Hugh Howser of H Three Events. "That's the lowest ticket price of a high-end item on an average registry. Most registries now pool money for you, and so if you can't spend much more, you can at least contribute to something larger."

"If you're a very close friend of the couple, it would be typical that you would spend more on that person; same would apply if you were invited with a guest," explains Lynn Easton of Easton Events.

"Destination weddings don't change the rules," adds Easton. Though some might attempt to suggest that a wedding costing guests more to attend lets them off the hook from sending a standard-to-generous gift, that's not the case. In fact, couples planning more formal, experiential events are a pair you might consider spending more on.

"Base what you spend on the formality of the wedding. If it's a destination wedding in Europe or a black-tie affair at a museum, I'd suggest spending a bit more," advises luxury wedding planner Lyndsey Hamilton. "The couple has clearly considered the guest experience, and those cues come from the invitation, the dress code, the location. … Infer from the formality how 'formal' your gift should be. A backyard BBQ or a garden party in the daytime doesn't mean you should give a lackluster gift, but doesn't require you to go all out."

When in doubt, check the registry. "It's a good gauge of what the couple expects to receive," Hamilton says. "But, if you’re planning to give cash—up the ante a bit."

Can you give cash or a check?

"Among our brides, [a cash gift] is not the right way to go," Easton admits. And Howser agrees, "I would never tell someone to gift cash, it's so impersonal. This is a wedding, not a charity gala." But if you must—"I'd never give a check," Blum explains. "If I'm giving cash, I'm going to give cash, along with a handwritten note."

It seems buying off the couple's registry is by far the more cost-effective way to go. "You can give a $200 Le Creuset piece from the registry, but if you're going to gift cash, it should be a larger amount to feel impactful," Easton says.

Easton, Blum, and Hamilton all agree that given the impersonal nature of a cash gift, the amount needs to be substantial, to the tune of around $500. Howser recommends not gifting less than $300 if you opt to give a cash gift. The packaging also matters. "If you do give cash, it should be done in a way that's thoughtful and has a lovely presentation to it. Present it a gorgeous envelope, or maybe have the packaging calligraphed," Easton suggests.

On the flip side, Hamilton has had a different experience. "People do love cash. … A lot of people are living together before the wedding, and so a registry feels really formal nowadays. Maybe people are registering for upgrades to their home, or fine china, but giving someone cash allows them to purchase whatever they'd like or add an upgrade to their honeymoon."

Blum advises that if you are giving cash for the couple to spend on their honeymoon, it's far more elegant to gift them the experience instead—be it a couple's massage at the spa, a romantic dinner at the best restaurant, or a surprise hotel upgrade.

Can you bring a gift to a wedding?

"Even if you do give cash, you're not bringing that—or any gift for that matter—to the wedding," says Blum.

In fact, bringing your gift—even if it's just a card—does the couple and the expert team they've hired a disservice. It's their planning team that ends up being in charge of safekeeping the gifts brought to the venue and safely delivering them to the client. That responsibility can interfere with the event taking place and the couple's plans for the evening once they're required to transport gifts home after the celebration.

Let's be honest: There is nothing sexy or romantic about ending one of the best nights of your life by loading up the trunk of a car to lug odds and ends home. When gifting for a wedding, it should be sent in advance, ideally via the registry, at a time you know is convenient for the couple to receive it. "Nobody wants to carry a Cuisinart up a hill, or have one placed in the trunk of their getaway car," insists Howser. "Under no circ*mstances are you to bring a gift to a wedding."

If you don't attend the wedding, do you have to send a gift?

The short answer is yes. The couple invited you with full intentions that you would be joining them to celebrate, and sending a gift is the proper thing to do.

With that in mind, "A lot of my clients aren't asking for gifts anymore," explains Hamilton. "They're keeping sustainability in mind, and asking for guests to donate to a charity of their choice or the couple's, or opting out of gifts altogether. Some couples just want to celebrate and offer an amazing experience to their family and friends with nothing in return."

However, should that not be made clear on the invitation or wedding website, a gift is undoubtedly the elegant gesture, even if you are unable to attend the event.

Do you need to buy something on the registry?

"If you know the couple well enough to find something that's fabulous off the registry, go for it," Easton says. "For instance, if they love Portofino and you get them a gorgeous painting, that's amazing. But don't do any guesswork. If you are stressed about thinking of what to get, registries are gift-giving made easy." The couple registered only for things they loved, wanted, or needed—it's best to stick to their wish list.

If you shop the registry too late and find that little you'd gift remains, there are a few ways to approach it. You'll frequently find that single pieces of a couple's desired china pattern, glassware set, cookware packages, and objet remain on the registry—meaning that the couple is an item short of some of their favorite things. "I actually think it's fun to give a hodgepodge," Blum says. But there's only one chic way to do that: Pick up all the scraps until they amount to a substantial amount spent, perhaps around $300+, then send a cheeky yet thoughtful note along with the more random assortment.

"If the registry has nothing left on it, gift them a dinner at a fine dining property they love– or use the venue as a way to dictate a creative gift off-registry," Hamilton advises.

As for foolproof off-registry items that work every time, Hamilton recommends a good set of knives. "Nobody ever wants to spend the money on amazing knives for cooking. But when you give someone great knives, you're supposed to give them a penny for each knife for good luck. They should be packaged carefully with pennies in a satchel; explain that while this gift is traditionally bad luck, you've gone ahead and counteracted that. When they're cooking quality meals at home, they'll think of you and thank you later."

As for Easton, she recommends something for entertaining rather than cooking. "Who doesn't want a beautiful glass to drink anything out of, from milk to Scotch?! You cannot go wrong with a set of crystal flutes, coupes, or low-ball glasses." Make your off-registry gift that much more impressive by including a beautiful bottle of a spirit you'd serve in them.

Blum takes a more practical approach: a beautifully made wooden salad bowl and servingware. "Couples get more decanters than they know what to do with," she explains. "This is something they'll always need, but definitely isn't anyone's first choice to gift or register for."

How long do I have to get the couple a gift?

According to Emily Post, you have one year. "But most people getting married today have no idea who Emily Post is," Howser says. "You should technically be sending your gift to the couple, or coordinating for it to be sent at a time of their choice, before attending the wedding. If you need a bit of extra time, that's fine—but if you leave it for more than a month or two after the wedding, they'll assume you aren't sending a gift."