It has been many years since our family had a wedding. Our nephew who is just
finishing his doctorate degree is getting married in the fall. We know he has incurred many expenses. Okay here is the question: His aunts and uncles
would like to know what the appropriate monetary gift is, or to put it more
bluntly, what is the average cash gift for weddings in 2002?
The "appropriate" amount of a wedding gift (whether a
cash gift or the value of an actual gift) is very much dependent on a
number of factors, mainly, your relationship with the couple, your
social circle, and (most important) your own financial situation.
However, it's possible to share some generalities about gift size, which
I hope will be of some help to you.
In the West, where I live and work, I would say that at the average
middle income wedding, the average gift for a niece/nephew/godchild or
similar relationship probably ranges between about 25 and 50 dollars.
For upper income social circles, the numbers are probably more like $50
- 100. In eastern and southern US cities, the average amounts seem to
be a bit higher. Also, the general gift-giving etiquette appears to be
a bit more strict.
A special relationship between you and the bride or groom might suggest
a slightly higher gift amount. Also, a general habit of giving larger
gifts would also need to be considered.
For example, if you are the kind of person who would give $20 for a
birthday or graduation gift for a person with whom you have a similar
relationship, then for a wedding, you would probably want to spend
closer to $50 than $20. A wedding, since it's a "one-time-only" event
and such an important rite of passage, usually merits a slightly more
elaborate gift than some other events.
You also mentioned your nephew's financial situation, and certainly if
that leads you to want to give more, you can, but that is not something
that is regulated by etiquette or tradition.
Best wishes to you, and to the bride and groom.
Foreverwed.com expert-- Sara L. Ambarian
author of "A Bride's Touch: A Handbook of Wedding Personality and
Inspiration"/ creative consultant/ custom bridal designer
mailto:sara@www.foreverwed.com
For more wedding information:
http://www.foreverwed.com/~sara
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