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A: Do you know someone who is getting married? Before you run out and buy them a gift, realize certain rules and etiquette apply. No matter how well you know someone, it’s better to keep it formal then risk hurting someone’s feelings.
Thou Shall Not Skip the Registry
A bride and groom create a wedding registry for a very specific reason: To ensure they get the essential items they need to start their new life together. While you might not find a vacuum cleaner or a blender to be a thoughtful or heartfelt gift, keep in mind it’s exactly what the couple wants, so you really can’t go wrong by purchasing it.
Thou Shall Not Under Spend
Typically, the average person spends about $75-100 on a wedding gift. That amount rises for larger cities like New York, L.A, Miami and Boston. Keep that figure in your head while scanning the bride and groom’s gift registry. If you find that nothing is left at the price level, it’s perfectly acceptable to pool your funds with several friends to purchase a larger item for the couple such as a set of luggage, TV or barbecue grill.
Thou Shall Not Bring Your Gift to the Wedding
In some areas of the Midwest it’s still perfectly acceptable to bring a wedding gift to the actual wedding reception. Unfortunately this is not the norm and shouldn’t be treated as such. Don’t burden the bride and groom with worries over transporting their gifts on their wedding day. More and more, couples are getting married far from home and don’t have the space or the resources to store gifts until they return home. While monetary gifts are completely acceptable at a ceremony and reception, all other gifts should be shipped to the bride’s parents home before the wedding (if the couple don’t live together), or directly to the couple themselves.
Thou Shall Buy a Gift Even if You’re Not Attending the Wedding
If you’ve been invited to a wedding, and you find you’re unable to attend, don’t think you’re not responsible for a gift. As a close friend or family member, it’s customary to still purchase a gift for the bride and groom.
Thou Shall Not Send a Gift After the Wedding
Forget having up to one year to buy a gift for the bride and groom – this exception no longer applies. These days, it’s considered bad manners to send the couple a gift any more than six months after their wedding date.
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