How much money to give for a wedding: rules of etiquette and common sense

• Money as a wedding gift
• Amount for a gift for newlyweds
• Acquaintances, colleagues
• Friends
• Close relatives
• Parents of the newlyweds

Money has long become a common and even traditional gift. During the preparation for the wedding celebration, a lot of money is spent, so the newlyweds often hope that the donated money will be able to cover at least part of the expenses.

Marina, 27 years old, Ekaterinburg

5 thousand rubles from two people is normal. If you go to close relatives or good friends, then you can pay 10 thousand per couple.

The main thing is to try to maintain a balance between income and gift. So that I can congratulate my friends and have money left over for living.

When I call this amount, I mean people with an average salary of 25 thousand.

When can you give money for a wedding?

Money will be a wonderful gift for newlyweds, which will give them the opportunity to purchase the things they really need. And, often, the heroes of the holiday are waiting for such a present.

This gift is most appropriate if:

• the newlyweds warned about the monetary form of the gift;
• it is known that newlyweds do not earn enough;
• the guest cannot decide on a gift;
• if the guest was invited just before the celebration, and there is no time to go shopping.

Olga, 28 years old, St. Petersburg

In my opinion, the size of a cash gift for a wedding depends on many factors. For example, how close are my friends? I can give 10 thousand to my closest ones, if possible; just good friends, the average gift is 6-7 thousand.

Also, an important point is the format of the wedding. If the wedding is luxurious, with a restaurant and big expenses, then I always plan a gift that is more expensive than when I just come to the registry office to congratulate.

In St. Petersburg, it seems to me that the average wedding gift is 3-5 thousand rubles. Anything less already smacks of either early studentism or greed. Most often, if I go alone, I give 5 thousand, if with my spouse, then 6-8 thousand.

Most often, if I go alone, I give 5 thousand, if with my spouse, then 6-8 thousand.

How much money to give to friends and relatives for a wedding?

Oddly enough, there are some human traits: a loved one is often given more than just an acquaintance. For example, a mother can give her son as a wedding gift from several thousand up to the cost of an apartment. Everything is individual. After all, every person wants to give the best and more to their dear blood.

If the question is about how much money to give to a friend or girlfriend for a wedding, and even more so to close friends, then the equivalent is often no different from the amount for a brother or sister. On average, the amount of money can be from 5 to 10 thousand, or even more.

How much money to give to friends for a wedding?

Sometimes not very close people are invited to the wedding. Perhaps these are distant relatives whom you have never met, or simply co-workers at work or neighbors. In this case, you don’t have to shell out too much and just donate 2-3 thousand per person.

This amount may also apply to distant friends. For example, you can also give money to a friend who is not considered a relative for her wedding, starting from three thousand. But if this is your best friend, then of course it’s not worth saving. After all, close people should always wish and give only the best.

Learning to present a “cash” gift in an original way

Original ideas for presenting a cash gift include a deposit. Wealthy relatives open a deposit in the name of the spouses, which will bear interest over time.

The amount accumulated for the gift can be invested in travel packages, after consulting with the newlyweds. Gift vouchers are also considered a financial gift, wrapped in an unexpected “package”.

You can make the bills fall on the bride and groom. For example, present them with a figurine of a Mexican pony, which they will break by taking a stick together. Such a gift looks impressive and unexpected.

It happens that guests give money by putting it in a bouquet of flowers. In this case, the young people need to be hinted that a round sum is hidden in the buds so that they do not lose it.

Banknotes can be presented in a hat by hiding the currency inside the headdress. The presentation requires a beautiful story and acting, but will be remembered for a long time.

You can tie banknotes to the legs of pigeons sitting in a cage. When the gift is presented, the money is untied and the birds are released. The gift turns out to be symbolic, since white doves are not only a symbol of peace, but also of weddings.

Some resourceful guests arrange a short quest for the newlyweds, during which the couple looks for a gift. Simple tasks and an unusual atmosphere will add spice and mood to the search for money.

You can give a secret book. When presenting, hint that this gift should become a family heirloom or make it clear that the volume is required reading.

If there is no time to choose a memorable gift or put on a staged show to present money, they resort to a proven method. When purchasing a wedding card or money envelope, the amount is placed there. When presented, wishes are expressed in words and a gift is presented, without hinting at what may be there.

How to give money and remain original

It is unlikely that anyone would think of taking out a purse from his bosom during his congratulatory speech and, after counting out a certain amount, putting it on the central table or passing it to the newlyweds through the guests. A cash gift requires appropriate registration:

1. Paper envelope : a postcard in the form of an envelope with an original picture and warm wishes (they will come in very handy when it comes to your turn to make a toast) can now be purchased at any bookstore or post office, so it is worth preparing it in advance, like a regular white postal envelope may look a little careless.
2. Original box : it can be decorated using various techniques (scrapbooking, quilling, origami, kanzashi, etc.) or simply tied with a neat ribbon; made to order, bought in a store or made yourself - it all depends on your imagination and taste.
3. Toy or chest : banknotes can be “handed over” to the newlyweds by a soft bear or kangaroo; the treasure can be hidden among rose petals in a beautiful box, which will later be useful for lovers to store the family budget or jewelry.
4. A certificate or gift card is a relatively new and already quite popular method that is also worth adopting.

You can also express your good attitude towards the newlyweds with the help of a handmade envelope: the newlyweds will definitely keep it for a long memory.

What does the amount depend on?

Why banknotes are considered the best wedding gift:

1. Young people will be able to spend the donated amount as they wish.
2. Guests will not need to waste time and effort looking for an original surprise.
3. If you give the newlyweds something, there is a chance that someone will give a similar gift.
4. Perhaps newlyweds at the very beginning of family life have limited funds, and creating a life from scratch is difficult.

There are certain etiquette rules according to which money is not given for a wedding. It is not advisable to hand over banknotes in the following cases:

• you are going to a celebration with your boss;
• newlyweds are much older in age;
• the newlyweds are financially secure and do not need anything.

There is a drawback to a cash gift - it is faceless, and after a couple of minutes the envelope with banknotes will be lost among similar gifts. To make the surprise memorable, present the banknotes in an original way: make an envelope for the money yourself, read a funny poem of your own composition, show a funny skit, or come up with some other exclusive greeting.

So, you received an invitation to a wedding, you decided that you will give the newlyweds bills, and now you need to decide how much money to give. It must be taken into account that each person has individual financial capabilities: someone can put a large sum in an envelope without serious losses for the budget, while others will have to save for a long time in order to collect a good gift for the newlyweds. Also, the size of the gift will depend on the degree of relationship: parents and close relatives will probably want to give a luxurious gift to the bride and groom, while guests who barely know each other may limit themselves to a standard amount.

General recommendations:

• Close friends, employees, and relatives use the classic scheme to calculate the appropriate figure: the approximate cost of the wedding banquet per person is calculated and multiplied by two. It turns out that the newlyweds will “recoup” the money spent on the gala dinner and will also receive an additional bonus from the guests.
• How much money should I give to my friends for their wedding? Friends, as a rule, are 20-30 years old, they have just graduated from university or are gradually building a career, they themselves are getting married, and therefore often do not have too much income. Usually friends put a large bill in an envelope from one person - 100 dollars or 100 euros, sometimes 5,000 Russian rubles, depending on their own capabilities. If the best friends are a young married couple, they can give 200-300 dollars between them, and young people can give 50-70 dollars per person.
• Witnesses often prepare a common envelope for the bride and groom, where they put the same amount, depending on the format of the holiday. Surely, the witnesses know how much the wedding preparations cost the newlyweds, so calculating the amount of the gift will not be difficult.

• Grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, as a rule, do not spare anything for children. How much to give to close relatives? The minimum amount should not be less than $100, and how many large bills to put in is decided individually.
• Brothers and sisters prefer to give a common surprise with their parents, but in the case when brothers/sisters marry or marry their youngest, they can give a large sum: from 100 to 500 dollars. If possible, please your younger sister or brother, who is starting a new family and will be sincerely happy to receive any gift from a loved one.
• Parents can give either a large sum of money or an expensive present: trips to a romantic trip, keys to a new car or apartment, a country house.

Moms and dads on both sides can agree in advance what gift they will prepare for the children. You can fold and present one envelope with a large amount from two families.

• The godmother and godfather give the newlyweds approximately the same amount as relatives. It all depends on your own capabilities, but you don’t need to take out a bank loan or borrow money to surprise your godchildren with a luxurious surprise. Traditionally, godparents present icons to the bride and groom as a symbol of a future happy family life under God’s protection. After all, the purpose of godparents is not expensive gifts for godchildren, but guidance on the spiritual path, and for second parents it is important that the children have a life together, regardless of financial well-being.

When calculating the size of the gift you will give to the newlyweds, take into account the format of the wedding: if a luxurious reception is planned, a large sum will be given, and if it will be a modest dinner in a restaurant, then giving gifts is much simpler.

Customs of different countries

In the Russian Federation, the minimum amount that guests give to a wedding is 2-3 thousand rubles. And how newlyweds are congratulated in other countries:

• In Belarus, the start starts from 50-70 dollars, but close friends can be given 100-150 dollars per person.
• In Germany, Italy and Spain, a minimum of 150 euros is placed in an envelope, and relatives and friends can give 300 euros.
• The French usually offer 150-200 euros per person.
• The Chinese, according to tradition, give young people 99 euros, since the number “9” has a special, magical meaning for them.
• In Japan, it is customary to give a wedding gift of 250-280 dollars, in the UK and USA - from 100 dollars.
• In Mexico and Brazil, the amount of a wedding gift can be 70-90 dollars.

If the wedding celebration will take place in Moscow, keep in mind that organizing a large-scale celebration in the capital is an expensive pleasure. Therefore, the donated amounts must correspond to the scale of the wedding, but, as a rule, the start starts from 5 thousand rubles.

How much to give to make the wedding worth it?

When having a wedding, the newlyweds hope not only to pay it off thanks to gifts from relatives, but also to accumulate some starting capital for family life. To make sure the wedding pays off, you can share with your parents how much you spent on organizing the banquet, decorating the hall, photo shoot and registration at the registry office. Relatives will one way or another learn all the numbers from their parents and will try to make a good gift. Friends also often ask how much the restaurant cost per person, so as not to give an amount less than the cost of the banquet. But even if you were given little money for your wedding, you should not be offended by your loved ones. Perhaps you shouldn't have such a big wedding if your family can't give you large sums of money. Be grateful for any gift and for any attention!

What is the best gift?

There are plenty of requirements for a wedding gift. It can be considered truly successful if it...

• necessary : ​​it is obvious that newly-made spouses need a lot to arrange their own family nest, but the American tradition of introducing invitees in advance to the list of desired gifts has not yet taken root with us;

• appropriate : there are many wedding signs, including those related to gifts to the newlyweds, so you should think three times before coming to a wedding with a wall clock, a set of knives or baby rattles;
• compact : this does not mean that the newlyweds cannot be given, for example, a car or a washing machine, but in this case, keys or a product passport will be quite enough;
• original : fortunately, the times of traditional rugs, carpets and dinnerware are left behind, but an alternative to these universal “gifts” has not yet been found;
• expensive : it is the cost of the future gift that most often causes difficulties for invitees, since finding a middle ground between “costing a pretty penny” and “not being embarrassing” is really not easy.

Therefore, often the relatives and friends of newlyweds decide to give them a certain amount of money as a gift, and in this case, instead of the question “What to give?” The question comes: “How much should I give?”

Pay attention to the wedding venue

The traditions of how much money to give for a wedding differ in each region of the Russian Federation. In the rich and central parts of the country they present from 10 thousand rubles per person. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, a positive amount is considered to be 15,000 rubles, and in Siberia - 1000 - 2000 rubles per guest. In remote villages and small settlements, 500-600 rubles in an envelope will come in handy.

If the newlyweds decide to have a wedding abroad and invite guests there, then we are talking about valuable gifts in another currency. For example, in France they should give a cash gift of 100-200 euros, and in Germany or Italy - 100-150 euros. In the Middle Kingdom, wedding gifts are usually given in odd numbers, and the most popular number is 99 euros.