How much should you spend on a wedding gift?
The working American ranges: $50 to $75 for a distant connection or coworker, $75 to $100 for friends and relatives, and $100 to $200 or beyond for close friends and immediate family. Adjust honestly for your budget, your city, and whether you also paid for travel, a shower gift, and a bachelor weekend, because the couple sees the whole ledger of your effort, not one line.
Two persistent myths, both busted by the etiquette establishment. The cover your plate rule, that a gift should match the cost of your dinner, has never been an actual etiquette standard; your gift is not a ticket reimbursement. And cash or a check is entirely proper now, often preferred, especially for couples who already share a household.
If you attend, you give something. If you decline the invitation, a gift is a kindness for close relationships, not an obligation.
$75 to $100 for friends and coworkers, $100 to $200 or more for close friends and family. Cash is fully acceptable now, and no, the gift does not have to cover your plate. That rule was never real.
- Emily Post Institute
- The Knot wedding guest studies
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https://frequentlyaskedquestions.us/q/how-much-wedding-gift/Everybody Asks. (2026, July 28). How much should you spend on a wedding gift? https://frequentlyaskedquestions.us/q/how-much-wedding-gift/“How much should you spend on a wedding gift?” Everybody Asks, 28 July 2026, https://frequentlyaskedquestions.us/q/how-much-wedding-gift/.“How much should you spend on a wedding gift?” Everybody Asks. Last modified July 28, 2026. https://frequentlyaskedquestions.us/q/how-much-wedding-gift/.This page summarizes the primary sources listed above. For academic or encyclopedic work, cite those primary sources directly wherever possible.