When it comes to wedding gifts, cash is always a good idea. It can help the couple pay for the wedding, their honeymoon, college loans or to save for a house or their future. The hard part can be determining an appropriate amount to give.
The exact amount should depend on the relationship between the wedding couple and the person who is giving the gift. There is no exact science here, but the following may help to give you a better idea of what is acceptable. A gift of under $50 is generally considered too small. If you are attending a wedding for a co-worker or distant friend or relative, think $75-$100. If your gift is for a relative or friend, $100-$150 would suffice. If you are in the bridal party or attending the wedding for a close friend or close relative your cash gift should be more like $200+.
If you would prefer to gift an actual gift, the best rule of thumb is to stick to the registry. Many couples make it easy by setting up a website that links to their registry or money you can allocate toward different items for their honeymoon, such as a dinner sunset cruise or a portion of their plane tickets. Either way, the couple personally chose these items, so you can’t go wrong if you stick to their list.
Traditional wedding gifts have more of a modern twist these days. Simple bed linens and cutlery gifts have morphed into a more modern type of wedding gift, like spa-like bed or bath gifts such as satin sheets or luxurious personalized bath towels or top of the line kitchen appliances, cookware or gadgets.
Another good idea, if you are part of a group of friends in attendance or a member of the bridal party, is to band together as a group to purchase a big ticket item, they may not be able to purchase on their own.