how long do you have to give a wedding gift?

Question

i heard that you have up to a year to give a wedding gift. I thought It was to be given the day of the wedding

Answer 1

Up a whole year after the wedding.

Answer 2

Nowadays gifts are traditionally given at the showers. If a guest is unable to attend a shower or they are just unexpectedly generous, they will give a gift at the wedding. Lots of people bring cards (some with cash) to the wedding, so be sure to set up a gift/card table.

Still yet, some people may choose to wait until after the happy couple has set up home and ask them if there is anything they forgot to register for or didn't realize they would need. So it may be a few months.

With transportation and shipping as fast and scheduled as they are now compared to when say, Emily Post dictated the rules of etiquette, I would say a year would seem lazy and a less thoughtful, like an afterthought. Oh you got married last year? What do you want? See, it just isn't the same...

Answer 3

You have up to a year after the wedding is over to send a gift. Most of the time people do send it/ give it the day of the wedding but there are some people who might not be invited but may still want to give a gift.

Answer 4

The ettiquette is to present a gift within a year. The reason for that rule is that years ago, it was hard to ship and/or travel to attend wedding ceremonies. The time allowance was made to create something (a homemade quilt, handmade furniture, etc.) to give the new couple.

Today, many families will do bigger gifts, so they may give them at Christmas, birthday, post-honeymoon, etc. Other people wait until a couple moves into their new home and then ask "Ok, what do you NEED?"

It's all personal preference. What would be tasteless is going to a wedding and never giving a gift. Or, the wedding couple inviting people only for gifts, not because of the celebration.

Answer 5

You NEVER bring gifts to the actual wedding or reception. That creates a burden for the families, to transport the things, and also a security hazard as they can get stolen.

Gifts should be either given at the shower, or SHIPPED to the couple's home, or the bride's home before the wedding.

The one-year thing is a myth. You have a window of a few months before & after the wedding date. NOT a year.

Answer 6

It would be nice if it were given by the wedding, but sometimes it isn't possible. We attended a rushed wedding recently and still haven't gotten a gift. People have to understand you do the best you can. Make it easy on yourself and get it before the day if you can, because after that it's easy to forget!

Answer 7

You should give the gift within the first year. Keep in mind that although many people take gifts to the wedding, that should be avoided as it leaves the couple and or family to have to arrange to take everything home and hope cards don't get separated from the gifts, etc. The proper way is to either have the gift shipped directly from the store or to ship it yourself to the bride's home.

Answer 8

Technically it's the first three or four months at the latest, but I have heard of relatives and friends from out of the country bringing gifts as close to a year from the original wedding date. It's family and good friends, even if it's not great etiquette.

Answer 9

Miss Manners says you have up until the first anniversary to give a wedding gift. After they've been married a year, it would obviously be an anniversary gift at that point.

Answer 10

yes, etiquette states you have up to a year. most people do bring it to the wedding, but some people can not attend, and others make hand crafted gifts that they may not be able to complete on time.