$50 Gift Vent

RunDog · June 2012

Ok, so I didn't know this, but apparently, according to the Knot, the minimum you should spend on a wedding gift is $50. That's a lot to me! Especially when I'm trying to plan my own wedding. http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/attending-wedding/articles/how-much-to-spend-on-wedding-guests.aspx I'm going to a wedding in a couple weeks and was going to spend about $30. Does anyone else think the Knot is wrong about this? Now I feel bad for the other weddings I've gone to where I only spent $30. How does everyone else feel about this new rule of etiquette?

How much is everyone spending on other people's wedding gifts?

GoodLuckBear14 · June 2012

First of all, what the wedding industry, including TK tells you when it comes to money is total BS almost 100% of the time. They have an interest in making people spend as much as possible.

The B&G should never expect a gift. Give what you can afford and nothing more.

Summer2011Bride · June 2012

Never take what TK says you "should" do for a wedding seriously. They are the wedding industry and out to make money.

You spend what you can afford on a wedding gift, whether that be $100, $30 or just giving a card with a nice note.

tkddddddddd · June 2012

I'm going to be honest. Before wedding planning, I would have said totally give what you can afford. In my mind now after planning my own wedding and the like...to me $20 or $30 - especially for a couple seems like an insult. I know you're not "required" to give a fit and all of that but still...it just doesn't feel right to me.

willywally5 · June 2012

I usually give $50 to friends and $100 to family along with some tangible gift from the registry or for family, something that will have special meaning to them.

I guess I'm a cheapskate according to TheKnot! LOL

AdeleDazeem · June 2012

You give what you can afford. THE END. No one can or should dictate what kind of gift you give because the gift is up to the giver.

acaponi87 · June 2012

The Knot can suck it.

Give what you are comfortable with.

MNVegas · June 2012

Since there should be no expectation of gifts, just give what you want. No one should tell you how to spend your money or how much to spend.

cwaggoner07 · June 2012

I used to give around 30, but after we get married I will probably bump it up to 50-60 because we're a set of 2 people now, you know?

HobokensFury · June 2012

Around here the standard is to "cover your plate" which on average is $100 pp. But to answer your question give what you can afford.

RunDog · June 2012

I'm glad a lot of you don't agree with the Knot on this. As PP said, it does make sense to give a little more once you're married and are giving as a couple. Right now my FI and I don't live together and share expenses and wallets, but I do plan to dish out a little more when we can afford more. I just thought it was really inconsiderate of TK to say there should be a "gift minimum", as if nobody out there was financially struggling.

[Deleted User] · June 2012

Give what you can afford. But....what would you spend for an evening out for two that included dinner and drinks?

GoodLuckBear14 · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_50-gift-vent?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:34Discussion:38a609d7-ad29-4862-bd61-6cd71f3ef922Post:6e2a7239-c523-462a-88e7-760a68030f11">Re: $50 Gift Vent</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm glad a lot of you don't agree with the Knot on this. As PP said, it does make sense to give a little more once you're married and are giving as a couple. Right now my FI and I don't live together and share expenses and wallets, but I do plan to dish out a little more when we can afford more. I just thought it was really inconsiderate of TK to say there should be a "gift minimum", as if nobody out there was financially struggling.
Posted by vscrivano23[/QUOTE]

Stick around and you'll see that we rarely agree with TK - on pretty much anything that requires a wallet opening.

Kristin789 · June 2012

>>But....what would you spend for an evening out for two that included dinner and drinks?

Exactly.
In my area, we give $30 - 50 in shower gifts (for wedding or baby), and $100 - 150 for wedding gifts. Which is what The Knot says is the average now:

Coworker and/or a distant family friend or relative: $50-$75 Relative or friend: $75-$100 Close relative or close friend: $100-$150+

Read more: Wedding Gifts: 5 Rules of Wedding Gift Giving - Going to a Wedding? - Wedding Planning http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/attending-wedding/articles/5-rules-of-wedding-gift-giving.aspx#ixzz1yPIcKnd1

Kristin789 · June 2012

>>But....what would you spend for an evening out for two that included dinner and drinks?

Exactly.
In my area, we give $30 - 50 in shower gifts (for wedding or baby), and $100 - 150 for wedding gifts. Which is what The Knot says is the average now:

Coworker and/or a distant family friend or relative: $50-$75 Relative or friend: $75-$100 Close relative or close friend: $100-$150+

Read more: Wedding Gifts: 5 Rules of Wedding Gift Giving - Going to a Wedding? - Wedding Planning http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/attending-wedding/articles/5-rules-of-wedding-gift-giving.aspx#ixzz1yPIcKnd1

GoodLuckBear14 · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_50-gift-vent?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:34Discussion:38a609d7-ad29-4862-bd61-6cd71f3ef922Post:dfdda5cb-ce94-4e69-9631-ff44e86b7c15">Re: $50 Gift Vent</a>:
[QUOTE] /> />But....what would you spend for an evening out for two that included dinner and drinks? Exactly. In my area, we give $30 - 50 in shower gifts (for wedding or baby), and $100 - 150 for wedding gifts. Which is what The Knot says is the average now: Coworker and/or a distant family friend or relative: $50-$75 Relative or friend: $75-$100 Close relative or close friend: $100-$150+ Read more: Wedding Gifts: 5 Rules of Wedding Gift Giving - Going to a Wedding? - Wedding Planning <a href="http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/attending-wedding/articles/5-rules-of-wedding-gift-giving.aspx#ixzz1yPIcKnd1">http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/attending-wedding/articles/5-rules-of-wedding-gift-giving.aspx#ixzz1yPIcKnd1</a>
Posted by Kristin789[/QUOTE]

You aren't paying for a dinner out - you are going to a party hosted by someone else. What would you pay as a cover charge to get in their front door for dinner? Nothing. What would you bring as a hostess gift? Something appropriate and in your budget.

NovaMetzler · June 2012

I'm thankful I don't have to go to weddings where the bride and groom are so greedy that they expect a certain amount! My fiance are on a tight budget, sometimes we can't afford a gift. With our wedding, we are inviting people because we want them to share our day with us, not to empty their pockets! If they can't give a gift because they can't afford it - so what, its not like I'm going to hold a grudge, I'm just glad they came!

RunDog · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_50-gift-vent?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:34Discussion:38a609d7-ad29-4862-bd61-6cd71f3ef922Post:1b4817f5-a81e-47f8-8bc0-c6633c010682">Re: $50 Gift Vent</a>:
[QUOTE]Give what you can afford. But....what would you spend for an evening out for two that included dinner and drinks?
Posted by IamTheMommaOfTheBride[/QUOTE]

So what is your point? Am I supposed to bring a gift everytime I get drinks and dinner with a friend? You're implying that bringing a gift to the wedding is a tradeoff for dinner and dance, as if I'm supposed to bring a gift equivalent to the cost per plate. I'm going to bring the best gift I can afford regardless of how cheap or elaborate the wedding is.

mbuckley85 · June 2012

I have heard the "cover your plate" theory, but I say give what you can afford. FI and I are going to two weddings in one weekend this year, driving 5 hours to one locations, two nights in a hotel, flying to tge other location, one night in a hotel and taking the train home. Our enormous travel costs for the weekend will have to play into how much we give as a gift!

[Deleted User] · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_50-gift-vent?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:34Discussion:38a609d7-ad29-4862-bd61-6cd71f3ef922Post:7dda31ad-ba7c-4a63-ab88-fcaa54e5e535">Re: $50 Gift Vent</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: $50 Gift Vent : So what is your point? Am I supposed to bring a gift everytime I get drinks and dinner with a friend? You're implying that bringing a gift to the wedding is a tradeoff for dinner and dance, as if I'm supposed to bring a gift equivalent to the cost per plate. I'm going to bring the best gift I can afford regardless of how cheap or elaborate the wedding is.
Posted by vscrivano23[/QUOTE]

My Point:
give what you can afford

I am not implying a tradeoff but if you can afford an evening out with dinner and drinks, then can't you afford the equvalent $$ for a gift?
Also, depending on how talented and artistic you are, some of the best wedding gifts we received were handcrafted and homemade

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