Wedding Gift Etiquette: How Much to Spend (and What to Give)

"How much should I spend on a wedding gift?" is the most-asked wedding-gift question — and the honest answer is: it depends on your relationship and your budget, not a fixed number. Here's a sensible framework.

A rough guideline by relationship

• Coworker / distant friend: modest — a registry item or a thoughtful keepsake in the lower range.
• Friend / relative: mid-range — a nicer registry gift or a personalized piece.
• Close friend / family: more generous — a meaningful gift or a larger contribution.

Never go into debt over a wedding gift. A thoughtful gift within your budget always beats an expensive one that strains it.

Cash, registry, or keepsake?

Cash is always appreciated and increasingly common. Registry gifts are safe and wanted. But a personalized keepsake — their wedding song as art, a custom map, their vows framed — is the one they'll remember was from you, because it's not on any list. Keepsake ideas →

Timing etiquette

You technically have up to a year, but sooner is kinder — ideally before or within a few weeks of the wedding. If you're shipping a personalized gift, order early for production time.

The simple rule

Give what you can comfortably afford, and make it personal if you're close to the couple. Shop wedding gifts →