Just wanted to share a horror story with you. My good friend was invited to one of her in-laws' sister's wedding this weekend. My friend and her brother were invited, which I thought was nice--like, oh, that's sweet to include you even though you aren't blood! Turns out it was more of a gift-grab. My friend was telling me how she showed up with a card and her brother apparently did not show up with anything, which is kind of "meh" to me, since while they are nice, gifts are not the price of admission. BUT! Apparently the bride gave noticeable side-eye to both my friend and her brother. My friend felt terrible and like she'd made a horrible faux pas, and it was my distinct pleasure to tell her, "No, honey. When you invite someone to a wedding, you hope that they will show up and celebrate with you. That is it. Expecting or demanding gifts is tacky as hell, and if anyone should be embarrassed, it's the bride." It felt so right!
(Also, there could have been a shitload of cash in that card, and the bride couldn't have known it. Not that it would have made any difference, but it's just not that hard to choose the gracious reaction instead of the shitty one.)
This baby knows exactly how I feel