- I'm a professional bridesmaid, and thing people ask me the most is: "How much money should I gift at a wedding?"
- The average wedding gift is usually $100, but you could go higher or lower depending on a few things.
- Cost of attendance, your budget, relationship to the couple, and whether or not you brought a plus one all matter.
- Read more from Personal Finance Insider .
I'm a professional bridesmaid , and so I'm asked all sorts of questions about weddings. Surprisingly, the one thing that I seem to get asked about the most is on the topic of giving money as a wedding gift.
Why is this question so popular, and yet still a bit taboo? Perhaps because the answer is more complicated than it might seem.
Several studies suggest that the average cost of a wedding gift in the US is around $100. What that number doesn't factor in is a person's financial situation, costs associated with going to the wedding already, and other essential things to consider before writing a check.
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If you've noticed that your 2022 calendar is filling up with weddings and you're nervous about figuring out how much to give each couple, here are five ways to determine how much money you should give them as a gift.
1. Check your budget
If you already have a monthly budget laid out, look at how much cash you have available to put toward a gift. If your expenses are higher during a particular month or you're going to multiple weddings, you might have less money in your "gift category" to spend.
You don't have to feel like you need to bend or break your budget in order to afford a wedding gift. Give what you can around your monthly spending and savings goals.
2. Factor in the cost of you attending the wedding
While it might be easy to forget, your presence at someone's wedding is also a gift. If the wedding requires travel and accommodations, factor those expenses into the amount of cash you decide to give for your wedding gift.
As a personal rule, if the wedding requires minimal travel like a car ride or one night in a hotel, I usually take 15% off the amount I'd normally give. If it requires a flight and multiple-night hotel stays, I take 30% off the amount I'd normally give.
3. Give more if you have a plus one
One instance where you might want to give more than you usually would is if you're bringing a plus one . If that person doesn't have a close relationship with the couple, keep in mind that it's costing the couple money to have them at their wedding. Giving a gift on their behalf as well is a nice and respectful gesture to the couple.
If the person is someone the couple does not know, I usually give 30% to 50% more than I usually would as a wedding gift. If the person has a relationship with the couple, I double the amount or ask that person to give their own, separate gift.
4. Consider your relationship to the couple
If your gift-giving budget is a bit more flexible, you can consider your own relationship with the couple. If you're a close friend or relative and think of this cash gift as a way to help them build their future together, you might feel inclined to give more than usual.
As a personal rule, if the person is a very close friend or a family member I usually give 50% to 75% more than I normally would.
5. Assess your overall financial situation
When it comes to wedding gifts, the most important rule to follow is to make sure you're giving only what you can afford to give at the moment.
If your finances aren't in the best place, consider giving a gift off the registry instead, where you'll find a range of price options. Or, you can always just give just a card and send a gift later on if it feels right.
Via PakApNews