Monetary Wedding Gift Amount?

Updated on June 27, 2013
J.W. asks from Orland Park, IL
18 answers

Hi Girls. My husband's nephew is getting married; we're flying from Chi to Denver, staying for three days. What monetary wedding amount would be considered generous? Thanks much :)

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C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

J.:

Welcome to mamapedia!

it all depends upon the lifestyle of the recipients!!

I gave cash to both my nephews when they got married in Feb and April. I flew from DC to Vegas.

You give what you can afford, not what you think is expected.

2 moms found this helpful

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

You're already spending a lot of money to be there (hotel, air fare, food, etc). I would say at least $100 for family. My firends get $50. That's what I can afford when I have 3 kids to feed.

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M.K.

answers from Columbus on

It depends on what you can afford! My usual is between $50 - $100 depending on how close I am to the person. Considering you're travelling that far and it's a relative, I would guess this is a close relationship and I would probably give $100.

Now, if you listen to others, they'll recommend giving a monetary gift equal to the amount spent on your dinner at the reception!! Which in my opinion is totally ridiculous!!

Good luck and have fun!!

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E.E.

answers from Denver on

Really depends on their age and their idea of "normal". For us, anything $50 or more made our jaws drop. We were older when we married and really didn't expect anything, let alone such generosity. If we'd been kids though, I think the same amount would have surprised me.

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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

My husband and I got married 26 years ago tomorrow. The cards from family mostly had checks for $100 in them. Friends mostly $25 -$50. Our son got married last month. They said most of the cards had $100 or more. It didn't seem based on how many people from the family came.

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J.G.

answers from Chicago on

We tend to give between 150-250 depending on the relationship or depending on if we travel.

3 moms found this helpful

C.V.

answers from Columbia on

I suppose it depends upon your budget and your relationship with them. If you are very close, I'd say $50-100. If not, $50 or under.

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S.S.

answers from Dallas on

Never give more than you can comfortably afford. If that's only $50, then that will be fine. No gift should be considered bad or cheap. Your presence is the real gift. So sick of there being an expectation by anyone for the amount/value of any gift.

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D.C.

answers from Columbus on

There shouldn't be an expectation that you have to "buy" what your dinner, drinks, etc cost at the reception in the guise of a "gift". Give whatever you can comfortably afford.

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J.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

My husband I always give at least $100. If a close friend then $200 if we can afford it.

1 mom found this helpful
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O.O.

answers from Kansas City on

Generous to who? I would be impressed by $5000! Lol
We always give more to family, but weddings, for us, means at least $100.

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

At least $50.
Depends on your budget.
Here in my neck of the woods, for family, it tends to be in the amounts of $100+

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J.B.

answers from Boston on

I would give at least $150

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J.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

I am really surprised by the number of people that would give $50 for a wedding gift. It cost $48 to take a family of 4 to the movies on a Tuesday night where I live and that does not include snacks. During a wedding reception you typically have 4-5 hours of an open bar, appetizers, dinner and dessert. When my husband and I attend a wedding I would not give less than $150 for the 2 of us. I just gave my cousin $250 and I only speak to her at weddings and funerals😊. I really did not think I was being generous. (I got married over 17 years ago and most people gave $100 back then although close relatives gave much more than that.).

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O.H.

answers from Phoenix on

"Generous"? I would say $250 is generous in my book. But I'm from a simple family, simple friends and live simply. When giving a gift, it should be from the heart and no thought given to if it is "enough" or not. You give simply what you feel good about giving. Good luck.

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P.K.

answers from New York on

For a nephew between $300 & $500. He is family, not an acquaintance.

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D.H.

answers from Louisville on

I agree with those - what you can afford!

that said - how can you *know* what to *gift* to ~cover your share of the reception costs?~ or am I just missing something - how do you know what will be at the reception before you go?

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S.H.

answers from Santa Barbara on

It all depends on your income. I agree that $250 is very generous and I had a couple of relatives spend this one me. I would be grateful if I received anything. I had a great aunt (widowed and does not have much) give me $20 and that meant a lot.

Story: I had a college friend who said she was only writing thank you cards for over $5000. It was actually for the death of her husband and she was a young mom. I am not sure I could find one friend/relative to give me that much should my husband die. (okay, off topic, other than it is all relative to the economic standing). I hope she did not actually not thank anyone, but it was her time to vent.

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