How much to give for a wedding gift for family of 5 attending

[MELSMICE]

We will be attending in Orlando in 2 less than 2 weeks. It is for one of my dance instructors that works for me. (she is from Orlando) We normally would not go to the wedding, but we will be in Orlando anyway at OKW.

All 5 of us are attending.......all adults. Two of my DD's have become very good friends with her & the other DD hangs out with them all occasionally.

We will be giving a monetary gift. Any thoughts on an amount?

If it was DH & myself I would probably give about $150-$200. Should I give $500. That seems like a lot, but there are 5 adults attending. I don't want to look stingy, but I also don't want to look like I'm trying to play "big shot" because I'm her employer.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

If your dd's are adults and have income, they should be buying their own gifts IMHO.

If you are springing for the whole deal, I Would take whatever you would customarily spend if it were just you and your husband and multiply by 2.5 to account for your children.

So if you spend $100, then $250. If you spend $50, then $125. If you spend $200, then $500. Though that is quite high. I'd keep it more modest.

But I'd really consider having your adult children at least chipping in.

 

[katesorad]

I'd say to do $300 unless you can easily afford more. If you can easily afford more, then do the $300 and throw in a $100 gift card for a nice restaurant in their area!

My parents always told me to give $100 per person attending the wedding, since that's usually what a plate of food costs at weddings I guess.. so it makes sense for me.

 

[aprilgail2]

For a family of 5 adults I would give at the very least 500.00.

 

[msjprincess]

I'm sure you're going to get a lot of different answers all of the place, but for me personally I would give $500-$750 depending on how close I was to the couple.

 

[pyrxtc]

sorry but I would not give that much to a friend for their wedding. We have given my siblings $200 for their weddings plus helped out where we could. Most likely it would be closer to $100 for friends, I don't believe in "covering your plate". If they cannot afford such a big wedding, don't have one.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I would just give the 500 and be done with it.

 

[mrspaha]

I don't have a suggestion on this; I just wanted to comment that I am flabbergasted at the amounts people give these days. It's been actually several years since we've gone to a wedding, but we're at the age now where many of our friends/relatives have kids that are at the "getting married" age. In face, we just got a "save the date" card for this coming June. I'll have to start checking this out -- I had no idea people give that much now... In addition to saving the date, I'm going to have to start saving the money.

 

[Pikester]

I guess I'm cheap. Close family and friends get $50 maybe $100. Anyone else gets $25-$40.

I look at a wedding as the coming together of two people who love each other and want to share their lives. I look at the reception as a party that the newly wedded couple are throwing to celebrated their union and are inviting friends and family to celebrate with them. It's their choice how much or how little they want to spend on said celebration. If I have to give the couple a large enough monetary gift to cover my "cost" then they might as well just sell tickets to their event.

 

[antmaril]

I think $500 sounds right for five adults to attend a wedding.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

$100 a plate!

Threads like this make me glad I volunteer to do the photos for my (close) friends and family's weddings!

 

[jrmasm]

I guess I'm cheap. Close family and friends get $50 maybe $100. Anyone else gets $25-$40.

I look at a wedding as the coming together of two people who love each other and want to share their lives. I look at the reception as a party that the newly wedded couple are throwing to celebrated their union and are inviting friends and family to celebrate with them. It's their choice how much or how little they want to spend on said celebration. If I have to give the couple a large enough monetary gift to cover my "cost" then they might as well just sell tickets to their event.

Me too. The day I give a $500 wedding is........


NEVER!!!!

 

[golfgal]

I am also just amazed at how much people give for wedding presents. Around here a very generous gift would be $100, maybe $200. Also, your gift isn't your admission fee to the wedding. I don't know of ANYONE that looks at it that way. It is just such an odd concept-something I had never heard of until DIS.

I agree that your DD should provide their own gifts.

 

[BKMETV]

I guess I'm cheap. Close family and friends get $50 maybe $100. Anyone else gets $25-$40.

I look at a wedding as the coming together of two people who love each other and want to share their lives. I look at the reception as a party that the newly wedded couple are throwing to celebrated their union and are inviting friends and family to celebrate with them. It's their choice how much or how little they want to spend on said celebration. If I have to give the couple a large enough monetary gift to cover my "cost" then they might as well just sell tickets to their event.

Well said!!

 

[NikitaZee]

$500? No way. I would give $300, and feel very good about that amount.

 

[gillep]

DH and I give $100-200 depending on how well we know the person, when we were younger we could only afford $50-100. I also don't think that you need to be paying for all 5 of the adults, put in whatever amount you would like for yourself and DH and in another card have your children pitch in whatever they can.

 

[jme829]

Holy cow...$500 for a wedding gift???

My niece (one and only on either side and my god-daughter) just got married two weeks ago and we gave her $100 and she was appreciative for that! I was in charge of "recording" the gifts the day after for her, and I don't think anybody (grandparents included) gave much over that.

That said, we did have to travel to the wedding (WI to OH) so we had about $400 in expenses, plus DD17 was in the wedding so her dress/alterations was another $250, so I guess if we were local, we would have been able to give her a bit more, but I wouldn't have gone over $200 .

Her catering was $25 a plate and I thought that was high (especially for what little they got for it!)

If it's an acquaintance they get around $25-50 depending on how close we are.

 

[mjkacmom]

At least $300 (and I'd up it if it was held here, but it's Orlando, not NYC). And for those who think $100 is high, I imagine it's hard to find a venue that inexpensive now.

 

[lil mermaid]

If your children are adults,they should be giving their own gift, and not be included in a "family" gift, IMO.

I'd give whatever amount you normally would give for you and your husband and have your children do their own gifts.

 

[Traveliz]

I would figure on whatever you give this dance teacher for a wedding gift will set a precedent of what you give other dance teachers who work for you - so I keep that in mind.

Liz