how much money to give as wedding gift?

Question

My fave cousin is getting married and i'm in the wedding!! as a bridesmaid. I'm very excited!!! She is marrying an amazing guy....Hes perfect for her.
How much should I give them? Money is of course tight, im single living alone. I will be bringing my boyfriend to the reception. I was thinking 50, but that seems so low and i want them to be "wow thanks" not "oh only 50?" So, how much should I give? maybe 100?

they also like to go out to eat, so i was thinking maybe 50 gift card to their fave restarnt?

thanks everyone. The resturant is a "cheap" place were they could easily get 4 meals, 2 each....
but ya i need to give them more then 50

Answer 1

hello dear.
also my budget is very tight. not because my wage is not good; too many bills / expenses, mortgages.
i don' t think your cousin is getting married to this lovely man because of the money she is getting from relatives. i bet if you gave her 1000 and did not make it to her big day, she would be very sad about it.
if she generated a wedding list then get her what you find stylish and you can. or else choose anything.
in italy, people normally gift the money the bride would pay for the people attending the restaurant/party. example; you +boyfriend.however, the truth is: choose a cheap present, choose it with your heart.
they will love it.i would go for something practical: mirror, dinner set, tumblers set, etc.

Answer 2

If $50 is what your are thinking that you can do and would be a good gift then go for it...

The only rule of thumb I know of is you try to usually cover at least what your plate cost. If they are having a sit down dinner and say it costs $50 per person, and you bring a date. Then your gift should be $100... But this is totally up to you! They might not even what a gift from you for being in the wedding. Most of the time the bride and groom will give you a gift!

So this is up to you! I think either way it will be just fine. I wouldn't stress over it, have a blast, I love weddings.
Take care and good luck to you!

Answer 3

$50 is fairly standard esp if that's all you can afford.

The practice of trying to determine what the reception cost per person is- and giving a monetary gift of that amount is outdated- esp if the bride and groom are expecting that. Weddings are for celebration not a money making scheme.

That said- your gift of $50 should be appreciated and I feel that is very generous of you. Of course the best gift you are giving your cousin is being in her wedding and supporting her throughout her special day.

Answer 4

Give what you can afford - it sounds like the couple is nice, and will appreciate any gifts they get (which is the way it's supposed to work).

The ideas of "covering your plate" or that they will give you "at least that much" in return if/when you get married are silly and greedy.

A gift is always optional, but a $50 gift card to someplace they like would be nice, and show that you thought about them when choosing it.

Answer 5

A gift certificate would be a great idea; it shows you've put a bit more thought into the gift. $50 would be fine; if they're reasonable people, they'd know that you can't be expected to give a lot. If they're unreasonable (and it seems they're not), well, it's probably not worth it to meet their expectations. Although, it would probably be best to make the gift certificate enough for a dinner for two at whatever restaurant. So don't get a $50 dollar certificate for a restaurant where the bills likely to be over $100. That seems more...logical I guess.

Answer 6

$50 should be enough. If you don't really have a lot of money then don't spend any more then you can really afford. I'm sure she understands your situation. If you are embarrassed then give it to her in private and you can explain it to her yourself. I think I gift card to her favorite restaurant would be just fine. Depending on what there favorite restaurant is. Just think about how much an entree, drinks, appetizer and maybe a dessert would cost. Maybe you can do $75 if you feel like it wouldn't be enough. Something is better then nothing so just give whatever you can. I am sure she will appreciate anything.

Answer 7

I dont think 50 is enough. Even with a restaurant gift card, you cant buy two nice meals with wine etc for $50, not without having to watch the budget.
You are in the wedding party after all and you are bringing a guest. I would say $100 is a good amount. Start saving.

Answer 8

In honesty, for my brother's wedding gift, I paid for $100.00 of their honeymoon expenses.

That's really more than is necessary, especially for a cousin. $50 is a wonderful amount for anyone not of immediate family. You do not need to go outside of your means on such a gift. Besides that, they will probably receive anywhere up to $1,000 from some generous family member. So, you're "Wow" won't be likely, but they should appreciate anything they receive.

Answer 9

With friends I always use this equation, $50 for shower and $100 for wedding if I am coming alone, $150 if I bring a date... If you just don't have the money I am sure they will understand, do what you can afford.
I suggest getting them a visa gift card or something similar that way they can use it for whatever they need or want without being forced to shop or eat at somewhere you pick.

Good luck and have fun in the wedding!

Answer 10

I was just in my bro's wedding and had the same trouble. I ended up giving him 100 dollars. By the time you buy your dress, shoes and give a shower gift, it's alot. 100 is plenty! That should cover 2 dinners at the reception for you and your boyfriend with some left over! Have fun at the wedding!