How much should you spend on a wedding gift?

Question

for an acquaintance you just met a few months before their wedding? I'm not planning on going, but want to send a gift. What's the maximum and what's the minimum amount of money I should put into the gift?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I just bought two wedding gifts for casual friends of mine who have weddings only a couple of months apart. I'm not going to either wedding, but I recently saw them both at our one year college reunion (we do one year then every 5 years) and I decided I wanted to by them both gifts since we're all getting married so close together. I looked up their wedding websites and clicked on the links to their registries (both were registered at Target) and just picked something out that seemed nice and useful. I didn't really pay much attention to how much the gifts cost. I think they were both under $50 before shipping and handling and giftwrapping. One girl I bought one of those kone hand vaccums and the other I got an iced tea maker. Basically, check out the registry since you don't know them that well. You'll find something nice to give them and you won't have to worry about giving them a duplicate or something they won't like. Simply pick something out that you can afford that you think you would like if you recieved it as a gift.

Answer 2

Are they registered anywhere? I wouldn't spend more than 30 on someone that I hardly know. If it were someone that was more important then I would go all out. I wouldn't spend less than 15, because they might think you are cheap. If you don't want to spend a lot, make them a basket of stuff. Buy a laundry basket and put towels and wash clothes and stuff like thatin it. It's cheap, but it's a lot of stuff so it doesn't look cheap.

Answer 3

I think dollar amounts are bad to put on a present. Some people will say you should buy something same as the meal you will eat, but I say buy what you can afford.

If you are set on a dollar amount and want to know what's appropriate.... from what I have seen on these boards it seems to vary by where people live..... West and East Coasts seem to say about $100 give or take.... but where I'm at in the Midwest the dollar amount seems to be about $50 give or take.

Answer 4

This is my personal rule of thumb:

I give an approximately $100 gift for someone I especially like (favorite family member, close friend, etc), and I give an approximately $50 gift for someone I don't especially like (acquaintances, coworker, etc.). I work down from $50 if I don't like that person for a specific reason, but still want to be polite for some reason (I gave my cousin who was rude to me when my fiance and I announced our engagement a set of $25 picture frames). Thats my system. I hope it works for you!

Answer 5

Whatever you can afford. Seriously. If you can only afford $20, then that's what you give. The giver determines the gift, not the receiver. I wouldn't give more than a $50 gift though, not if it was someone I just met a few months ago. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

if it just going to be a normal friend..not so close, i would probably spend about $30 on a gift since i am not attending but if i know i would be seeing her a lot more, i will go with at least $50 and of cos that's if i am going.

Answer 7

If I don't go to the wedding, I don't spend more than $50. If they're registered somewhere, go check out their registry and see if something appeals to you. Otherwise, give them money or a gift card to somewhere appropriate.

Answer 8

I would spend between $25 and $50, depending on your budget. Look at the registry first...there should be some less expensive items. If there isn't one, picture frames or albums are always a good choice.

Good luck!

Answer 9

I would spend anywhere from $20-$30. I would get a nice gift card to a resturant.

Answer 10

100