Thread: Wedding presents in the US of A?

How much do Americans usually spend on wedding gifts and what those gifts generally are? Where would, say, a $200 worth gift be on a stingy - decent - generous scale?

I'm no expert but I think it depends on your relationship to the person and the general situation of the wedding - how formal it is, how many guests, is it a young couple or a third wedding etc. $200 sounds mighty generous if you're just a guest. My brother got married very informally and I didn't give them anything. Sorry.

So you were the last to laugh, eventually.
The couple is young and it’s their first, the location is a not so big a town in Kansas and the girl who is invited to the wedding is a friend of the bride whom she made friends with two years ago during her stay there working on a student work and travel program.

I think $50 would be plenty.

AlexB, The Internet is your friend here... my friend!

Most likely the bride and groom are "registered" at a few shops and they probably have the registry of items they would like listed online. Then you can see what they want and either try to arrange to purchase that item or send the amount of cash that is equivalent for an item they would like that is in your budget.

Also, as a creative person... I have always found that a very nice matting and framing of the wedding invitation makes a great gift. It is something that the couple will usually not get from anyone else, it helps them to remember their vows and what they were like when they GOT married when they have difficulties (as long as they don't throw it at one another during that fight), it is a piece of art in that new home and...whenever they or anyone else looks at it, they say, my friend so and so gave this to us, and they will think of you.

So, you can do that along with another gift or all by itself.

Here are links to a few of the more popular stores and you can search by their name and wedding dates. If they don't show up on any of these, do a search on the Internet of department stores by their city or state for bridal registries and see what comes up:

Amazon Bridal Registry:
Amazon.com Wedding Registry

Bed Bath and Beyond:
Bridal and Gift Registry, Wedding Registry - Bed Bath & Beyond

Target (a lower price point)
Target - Find a Registry

Macy's (major department store)
Macy's|Wedding Registry, Bridal Registry, wedding gift, anniversary registry

Kohl's (mid price store)
Kohl's