wedding cash gift amount

I do $100 for both of us, but we both don't have super incredible jobs. All these people saying $300-500 - omg. I would gift more if I financially could, but I can't at this point in my life! And my friends/family would not judge me for it.

We live in New York nothing is cheap here at all so we take that into consideration so we usually do 150 each so 300 per couple but I agree do and give what you can I know I'm not planning a wedding just so that I can get what I spent back your presence and whatever you can give will be more then enough

I think 100-200 is fine, considering he just lost his job. If it was a sibling, I'd say a bit more, but I think that's fine.

If you can do $75 thats good. I nice card with a handwritten note is a nice touch. That goes far in my book.

@Emily her husband just lost her job, I think hundreds of dollars would be way too much of a stretch

When I was working as a full-time teacher, I gave around $50 dollars for the shower and $100 for the wedding depending on how close I was to them. Once I was laid off and went back to school I cut down to $50 for the shower and $50 for the wedding.

Shit, apparently I should've invited you guys and your friends to my wedding.

Last two weddings I went to, I gave $50. But I'm poor, so...

I'm really perplexed by this thread. The average gift I received at my wedding was $100. Only the 60 y/o + couples gave me more than $100. Maybe it's a regional thing.

^^ Yep. Largest gift we got was $200. The average was way less.

ETA: OP, don't worry about the number. Give what you are comfortable with. If $150 will stretch your budget painfully, then give less.

Holy shit! Some of our friends can barely pay their rent, let alone gift $500! I need to get to know those people lol. Kidding.... Anyway, if we aren't going to the wedding and we really don't know you, we send $50. We're trying to pay for our wedding and just bought a house. They should be glad I sent the RSVP back in record time lol. If we are attending the wedding, it's usually $200, but since your FH just lost his job, I'd give them $50. Is she aware that FH lost his job?

@angelique, believe it or not, it's not that hard to find a 300 plus per head wedding venue around here. It honestly wasn't even that extravagant...

Sometimes I really wished I lived in a different part of the country. Because yes, Kassy and Snarky, it's heavily dependent on where you live!! That's why I asked OP where she lived.

Jersey Jen, you can come live near me It's much cheaper over here, clearly.

Yes, please!!!

I got $500 from my grandparents and my uncle I'm pretty close with. I'm pretty sure all my friends gave $50 lol

You don't skip paying the rent or mortgage to give a generous cash gift. If you need to save up some discretionary income for a few weeks to give a nice gift, that's fine. However, if your combined annual incomes are $35 - $50K, don't try to match the gifts of those who earn six figures (and those gifts would be in $300 - $500 per couple/more or less category). If you give nothing, they'll remember. If you are wealthy and are always bragging about it, but choose to give $50, they'll remember. Beyond that, they'll cash every check and you won't stick in their heads as someone (or a couple) who came empty handed. Remember, you can always chose a gift off of their registry, or you are free to find some pretty crystal piece or candlesticks (of your own choosing) from TJ Maxx or Home Goods. Personally selected items are still wedding gifts. The important thing is that you gift them -- and please, don't pass on giving them a card with a message that says "gift forthcoming" (you have quite a few months to send a gift -- but do it as quickly as possible) in the hopes that you'll be forgotten (or it will be assumed that your envelope was stolen. That's a line that's as old as weddings). If it takes you three months to save up enough money to send the couple a gift, then at least leave the couple a congratulatory card with the promise of a gift forthcoming -- and then, keep your promise.

The average we got was $100 per party (whether it was just one person, or one couple), but we did get up to $600 from an honorary "aunt" of DH's. Our standard gift as a couple would be $100, if we have to travel to the wedding, but possibly more if it's local. $100 really seems standard for people we know -- all the couples our age gave that amount, regardless of what I would guesstimate their salaries to be (ie: couple that owns 3 homes and have lucrative jobs gave that, as did grad students who are making significantly less).

And that's why I said she should give what she can afford Annakay (as did most people in this thread). I did not say she needed to give hundreds of dollars.

Where you live make a huge difference. In a less expensive part of the country where people don't make as much money a smaller wedding gift is going to be typical. Where I live most of my friends gave about $150 per person. But a few of our family members aren't in very good financial situations and gave us a lot less and that was fine. OP I think $75 with a nice card will be fine, I'm sure the cousin will understand.

I would not want any of my family to feel strained due to my wedding gift when I'm just inviting them to celebrate with us and the gift is just a nice gesture. You could get by with giving them less if you give them gift cards for fun date night out (dinner or movie). I would love that gift because it is thinking outside the cash box. I live in the suburbs of Chicago - so gifts up here are a little more - but my fiance is from rural Michigan - where I think we could get homemade blankets and such from aunts. It doesn't matter - I just want them to celebrate with us. All that to say - whatever you give will be from your heart and they will be grateful.

I give from $50-$100 per head, depending on how much shopping I did that week! I think people are happy with any amount. $10 is lunch or gas for one week for me. Whatever you give should be appreciated.