Wedding gift - what & how much to spend/give?

We went to my nephew's wedding in the UK last month. For gifts, they requested donations to their John Lewis fund - it seems they are setting up their dream kitchen. We have never been fans of this kind of impersonal gift but none of my family can come up with alternative suggestions and I feel we don't really know the couple well enough to send them stuff without consulting other family members.

Now, the travel over and accommodation cost us a few hundred - including car hire as it's quite a remote area. Also (as I mentioned in an earlier thread) my husband's business is losing money this year - so we're having to be careful, and we won't be taking our usual May holiday this year as a result.

My own thought is to send them a £50 JL voucher and be done with it, but I know my husband won't be happy with that. He suggests buying them a garden bench even though they don't yet have anything resembling a garden! Also, it appears from reading other threads that £50 (€60) might be considered miserly.

What would you do please? Just looking for other opinions. None of our UK rellies realise how tough things have got here and I hate playing the sympathy card (my sis-in-law has overdone that one through the years!)

Id send them a £50 JL voucher.

You dont know them that well, you already forked out to attend their wedding, you are not financially flush right now, its a no brainer.

I got married last year and I got cards with 20 euro in them. I got nothing at all from some people. I was just happy to see them - didnt care less about the pressie. Thats not why you get married.

i'm getting married monday next week, have no idea if and what we are getting for wedding presents and i'm certainly not going to be a judge in the most expensive wedding present competition - a wedding is not about the presents, it's about enjoying your special day with the people you like and who like you
give as much as you consider appropriate, imho 50 euro should be enough

I'm invited to a cousin's wedding and while I would really like to go and see family and relations it would involve staying over in a hotel (it's a good distance away) and the gift and spending money. If I don't go what would be considered acceptable to send as a present? Should I send a card and €50 or maybe pick up a small gift to that value to be more personal.

I'm inclined to think that a present to the value of about 50 is good when you are not able to attend and money otherwise. I give 200 for a couple (i.e. 100 euro each when i am asked with a plus one) and if it's a close friend, I give 300 total. Hope that's useful.

Thanks Wonderer, it is useful. I've decided not to go so I'll get a gift worth €50-ish and call instead with that. You give €200 per couple, lately seems I hear people give €150 for a couple these days. You're generous.

I think doing a wedding list that way is a great idea. These days many couples move in and live together for a while before getting married so their house would be already kitted out with all they need. I myself recently got enegaged and am in wedding planning mode. We will not be having a wedding list as we don t need anything. It is quite common for people to give money now, some people don t feel comfortable doing so and that s absolutely fine, do what you feel comfortable with!
We usually give 250 per couple but for one of our good friends we booked them a little break away so that they would have something to look forward after the wedding/honeymoon etc...

Hey guy's, My wedding is in 2 months. I need to start looking for gift ideas for my bridesmaid. I am on a bride on a certain budget but still want to purchase a decent gift for my bridesmaid. Any suggestions would be great.

HaileyM said:

Hey guy's, My wedding is in 2 months. I need to start looking for gift ideas for my bridesmaid. I am on a bride on a certain budget but still want to purchase a decent gift for my bridesmaid. Any suggestions would be great.

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What about a nice newbridge chain?

you could always pick up something nice on honeymoon as present.