This is a question I was debating with a friend the other day: If you are planning a small wedding and you're doing a wedding on a budget, what is an appropriate amount to put on your gift registry? I've been told that in terms of a dollar amount, it should be somewhere around $150 per person. That seems awful steep. I'm embarrassed to admit that during some very very tough financial times in my life, I've given a small picture frame and $10 to a couple. I know, that's awful, but literally I had zero extra dollars to dish out which always made me think twice about even coming to the wedding at all. I kept thinking, maybe I should have written no on the RSVP and sent a gift later when I had the extra money. But looking back on it now, I keep thinking, is all of this tradition, expectation, and formal etiquette worth it? Isn't the idea that on one of your most memorable days, you are surrounded by those who love and support you the most? That is what's important, but it's not always what's emphasized.
I have heard from others that you should expect a gift equal to what you spent on your guests. Well, in the case of a $500 wedding, that's about ten bucks per person. Most people will likely gift more than that so you'll probably make more than what you spent. See how this money thing gets stressful quickly? My advice is forget about it all together. You get what you get and you don't have a fit - that's what I tell my kids.
So what do you think? If you're planning a small intimate gathering of your closest friends and family, and your on a tight budget, what's appropriate and what's inappropriate on a wedding gift registry?
Have an idea? Share it here by posting a comment below. Let's all help each other out.
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