Is this weird? Destination wedding gifting ettiquette

I'm planning a destination wedding and do not expect a gift. People are already traveling paying for lodging food (aside from the wedding) and everything else to be there.

I think that is a bit weird, yes. People may gift less at a destination wedding because of travel costs involved, but it would be weird that they wouldn't gift all together. I suspect that people either forgot the gift in the hype of traveling, and you will be receiving more throughout the next couple of weeks, or they brought a card, but forgot to bring it to the reception. In either case, I would expect to get a few more cards as time goes on. In the meantime, finish your thank you cards for the people who have already gifted you something, and be on the lookout if somebody asks if you received their gift (and you didn't). Did you have a card box at the reception?

Ahhhhh, yeah no my gift is my presence. I assume just about everyone got on a plane and had a hotel room for a few nights and had to eat etc. This is the second post I’ve seen by a bride who’s been surprised by the lack of gifting for a DW, and I’m surprised you are surprised!

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Yup, had a card box there

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Ok, sure. I can buy that maybe people thought it was expensive and all of that. But to not give a card even? Like without money?

If I travelled to a destination wedding, I wouldn't bring a gift. I think it asks a lot of your guests already.

I think it's odd if you didn't even get a card (even with no money). I understand why some people would give less (or not at all) for a DW; however, to not even give a card expressing well wishes is odd to me.

They could have forgotten the card while getting ready to leave it felt weird giving a card without money. Honestly I find none this weird but I might be in the minority. We decided to have the DW and are beyond honored and a little humbled our friends and family were so quick to spend hard earned money and vacation time for our wedding. Them being their is gift enough to me and I wouldn't think twice about not getting a card.

When you choose a destination wedding, you choose to shift a great deal of the expense of a wedding onto your guests. The presence or absence of a $1 card from the dollar store is so unimportant in the big picture. They already showed how much they care about you by spending a small fortune to attend your wedding.

We just went on a week long trip for a friend's destination wedding in Mexico and didn't give a gift. Between the flights, hotel and then all the dinners out during the whole week we spent close to $5000. They didn't even have a gift table/card box.

We're also planning a destination wedding for just parents and siblings in August and I've told everyone they better not get us gifts lol

Their plane tickets and hotel stay were their gift to you. I personally would still give a monetary gift but most peopl feel that they've spent enough (which technically they have). I wouldn't expect more gifts.

Hmm, ok. I get what everyone's saying, it's just not something I would ever think to do. I should also mention that while this wedding was overseas, it was only a DW for maybe half the guest list. And it was a mix of people from both places that didn't give anything.

Generally most people dont travel with a wedding card packed, so I wouldn't be to bummed about that detail. No gift? Yeah, gifting for a destination wedding isn't the norm. Muriel is 100% correct. You are pretty fortunate to get something from 50% of your guests.

I would have given a card but definitely not anything else above my presence being there. I know of a few people that have gone to destination weddings that did no give gifts as well due to cost and time off work to be there. Maybe if they gave a card for earlier events like your shower if you had one they didn't think to give another? Maybe they felt bad giving only a card.

I don't know the specifics nor have I ever attended a DW but had I seen a small registry I would have assumed (I know terrible, never assume) that you didn't need or want anything. Also, with travelling it's a pain to try and bring along extra things, especially a gift, that may be bulky or take up space. I certainly wouldn't want to have an added expense on top of travel and lodging to get to a DW. Maybe they are mailing the gift or card? Who knows but it is a bit odd that half of the guests didn't leave anything, even a card with well wishes.

I find it odd that there wasn't at least a card. Sure, it's expensive to attend destination weddings and it's harder to gift something, but I'm the type that will ALWAYS get a card, even if it's a dollar store one.

I guess I’m the unpopular opinion here but I would never go to a wedding without a card & monetary gift regardless if it was local or a DW. I’m surprised by some of these responses. If traveling to the wedding was too much of a financial hardship for me, I would decline the invitation. Attending a DW is obviously expensive but after spending several thousand dollars on a vacation (let’s face it, that’s what it is) I don’t feel like it’s that hard to buy a $3 card and place $100 in it...

If I were to have a destination wedding I’d never ask the guest to bring a gift because they spent money to go to your wedding. A regular wedding people don’t have to pay to go see you get married so it’s a nice gesture to bring a gift.

id be happy they went to your wedding because it really is hard for people to get days off and spend so much money to go to a destination wedding

Sorry the only weddings I’ve been to where we travelled “overseas” all had something on their website like, your presence is gift enough so no gift was given.

I am having a destination wedding and not expecting gifts, we just are passing along please no gifts through word of mouth. I was still planning on putting out a card box in case people choose to give a card, but now I am rethinking putting out a card box?