Budget Wedding Present

[TheRose227]

So my DBF's cousin is getting married in a month. They just had the wedding shower and I spent probably $75 on a gift thanks to a lovely holiday sale.

I have no clue what to do for the actual wedding present. We're fresh out of college, we live pretty comfortably compared to most people, but I do have quite a bit in student loans that I'm focusing on paying down.

I don't want to come out of this looking like their cheap cousins! Is there anything you give or is there an acceptable cash gift for a very young couple?

We're new at this whole going to weddings as adults thing and we have so many coming up.

 

[Malibustyle23]

Cash is very acceptable and welcomed although from reading these boards it seems as though there is a wide variety of amounts given. Regardless I believe they would be happy with whatever you can afford to give.

Do they have a registry? You can always check that out for an easy answer as to what they want and you can afford.

 

[tinktinktink]

I personally only buy 1 gift. I don't buy for the shower and for the wedding. Very few people did this when I got married 9 years ago and it was mostly older relatives who bought for both.

 

[kymom99]

My friend's son is getting married and I plan to buy something lasting from their register. I feel like if I pick out something they will have for a long time it is more personal and I don't have to feel bad for not spending a lot.

 

[LovesTimone]

My DD got married just a bit over a year and half ago. She and her DH had registered and got lots of gifts before the wedding, she did have 2 showers. But as far as gifts that people brought to the wedding were mostly a cards with money or gift cards, and they did have a dollar dance.

They had a mickeymoon, so they had requested Disney gift cards. They did get quite a few, some restaurant even 10.00 GC for Mickey D's, and even one for gas one, which was great.

They were so happy with whatever people were able to gift to them. So give what you can, most Brides and Grooms are happy that you can be with them one their special day.

 

[Stacybaeasm]

I had friends get married recently and I happened to be out of money at that moment. I knew they were going for a Disneymoon, so I planned their entire vacation for them. I made their dining ressies (after talking to them) and since this was before FP+, I made out a daily itinerary for them and even spelled out what to fastpass and what to wait in line for. I put it all together in a binder with a place for special photos. They loved it!

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

I personally only buy 1 gift. I don't buy for the shower and for the wedding. Very few people did this when I got married 9 years ago and it was mostly older relatives who bought for both.

Same here. I figure that most showers are designed for close friends and family and not the whole kit and caboodle and typically I only go to the shower if I am close with the bride. So, if i go to the shower I bring a gift that is more for her and then, depending on our budget will either give a small gift for both of them at the wedding or nothing at all. Its too many gifts and not everyone can afford to give out so much!

 

[usd2bmd]

I personally only buy 1 gift. I don't buy for the shower and for the wedding. Very few people did this when I got married 9 years ago and it was mostly older relatives who bought for both.

So do you not give anything at the wedding or do you give a gift at the shower and cash at the wedding?

I have never heard of giving a gift at the shower but NOT the wedding. I would never dream of going to a wedding empty handed.

 

[Jedana]

for DD2 and new SoIL's wedding gift, my DS made glass canisters with a chalkboard square on them, and 2 picture frames with chalkboard painted fronts.

Got the glass canisters, with metal lids in different colors, for $2.50 each at Michaels (on sale + coupon). He and DH taped off all but a small square on each, and then spray painted them with the chalkboard paint ($8.00).

He also did a couple of wooden pictures frames the same way ($2.00 each frame), painting the entire front of them.

Something unique, something personal, and something useful. Less than $20 (including bags, card, etc)
Plus he chose these himself (he was looking with me on Pinterest for ideas) and paid for everything out of his allowance.




Their favorite gift was from a friend of DD's (they volunteered at the zoo together). She took an antique silver tray that she had received as a gift from her first marriage (he passed away 20 years ago--DD was a baby), shined it up, and put a new glass serving dish in the try. It really touched DD2, that her friend would give her a part of her history--and the tray is very ornate and beautiful--the kind of thing you would get from your grandmother or great aunt. As the friend has no children, she looked on DD as a sort of adopted child.

 

[carebee21]

Usually the shower gift is supposed to be something smaller than the wedding gift, so in your situation, I probably would have done something small for the shower and saved the $75 gift for the wedding. But since it is done now, maybe you can do something personalized for them as a wedding gift. A frame with their name and wedding date, a nice monogrammed throw blanket, a personalized cutting board. Something along those lines...

 

[sddis]

For friends, I usually give a cash amount a little higher than what they gave me for my wedding. I was married first among my friends, so I kept a record of what they gave me. Works well because the cheapos of my friends get some of their own medicine and the generous ones get a good amount.

If I didn't have that info, I would give enough to cover the cost of the food for both myself and spouse. So if I estimated their sit down dinner reception was $150 per person, I'd give a little bit over $300 for two people. If it was a BBQ in their backyard that would obviously be less.

Also, if it was family, I would at least double that.

 

[TravelMommy]

We got some great deals on items on my DH cousin's registry with Macy's (one place they were registered) coupons and super sales! I got $200. worth of gifts for $125.