Wedding gift etiquette

Savemesomemoneyplease

74jax wrote: »

There's no 'standard' now, it's very much what people can afford.

At our's we stressed no gifts at all and some people really couldn't get their heads round it so made a donation to charity in our name which was lovely, but to them 'standard' was giving something (if you know what I mean).

I think £50 is very generous and would be delighted if a guest thought of me so much to spend that one a gift to me. I am sure they will love whatever you decide to buy.

That's lovely!

74jax

Savemesomemoneyplease wrote: »

Thank you. I rather get them something special as almost everything on their lists is the sort of thing you'd have anyway if you lived together. I'd like to get them something that they can say, "ooh, that's my wedding *insert whatever". However, I do want to get them something they actually want, so I will find the most appropriate thing from the list!

I agree, not everyone likes gift lists - I hated the idea as a bride, yet wouldn't mind in the slightest at buying off one if a bride did want to do one.

I would rather had something they wanted and like you say would look at and smile remembering their day.

Savvy_Sue

Savemesomemoneyplease wrote: »

Thank you. I rather get them something special as almost everything on their lists is the sort of thing you'd have anyway if you lived together. I'd like to get them something that they can say, "ooh, that's my wedding *insert whatever". However, I do want to get them something they actually want, so I will find the most appropriate thing from the list!

Ah, you mean 'that's the hideous fringed turquoise lightshade which Smsmp gave us with a kit to convert a champagne bottle into a table lamp' kind of thing? :rotfl:

Fortunately they gave us the bottle of champagne too. The lightshade clashed hideously with the green bottle, and was relegated to the outside loo. I got another lightshade to go with the champagne bottle.

Mind you, we asked for no gifts and only got a few: I do still have the small table lamps we were given, AND I remember (fondly) who they were from.

balletshoes

Seanymph wrote: »

I had several guests who banded together and bought a bigger gift. That was lovely because I got some of the big things too.

thats what we do as friends, if we are invited to another friend's wedding. Say 3 or 4 of us, will pool our gift money and buy one gift with that

thorsoak

Savemesomemoneyplease wrote: »

Fabulous idea!



I was under the impression (wrong?) that was a standard gift size? I'm a complete novice and ignorant of all things wedding! There's no china/kettle/toaster on the list which I thought was odd, maybe I've been watching too many Hollywood films :rotfl:

I would imagine that 99.9% of those who are now getting married have already lived together for some time, and have established homes together - and such things as china kettles and toasters are already in use!

My wedding present list consisted of things like tea-towels, wooden spoons, pillow-cases, sheets, towels and blankets ......with a very daring food mixer tagged on at the end!

Probably best to just cough up whatever you can afford on the wedding present list at whatever store the couple to be have lodged it - and they will get the dosh!

Jobseeeker

Theres no real standard. Some of the cheap things might also be for evening only people. (work colleagues and acquaintances).

I usually spend about £30 but then if I was going with a plus one maybe £50

meritaten

If yur budget is £50 I would buy a gift at around that price. it leaves the less expensive gifts for those who aren't close to the happy couple or cant afford much.

Kynthia

I got married a couple of years ago and its not the fancy vases or wine glasses I enjoy the most but the normal stuff of a better quality than I'd usually buy. I really love the beautiful towels, bedding and toaster that my lovely friends and family bought for us. I also put vouchers and cash towards a new laptop and a new kingsize bed. However it's not the gift, but the fact everyone came to our day that made it so special so don't worry about the gift so much and only spend what you can afford. Someone on a budget made us a lovely cross stich picture.

Seanymph

The nicest gift I got at my wedding was a vase which was hand painted by an artisan who a friend knew to match my wedding dress.

The dogs smashed it within weeks of course, but the thought was awesome.

Perhaps something to match the invite? If they do 'lavendar' for instance a vase with a lavendar motif?

Just a thought - I loved it.

Lunar_Eclipse

[QUOTE=I_was_under_the_impression_(wrong?)_that_was_a_standard_gift_size?[/QUOTE]

There isn't a standard gift size.

I doubt I would spend £50 on a wedding gift for anyone I know now, but that is the amount we used to spend 15 years ago when our friends were getting married. At that time, we were all double income couples with post graduate careers, often in London.