Wedding Gift Ideas – Best Etiquette Advice For Gifts

This is the top guide for finding the perfect gift for the happy couple on their big day! Thoughtful wedding gift ideas they will adore!

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Wedding Gift Ideas

The best gift to get as a wedding guest is something meaningful or significant in some way that shows you care about the new and happy couple!

Wedding Gifts For Family Members

​Here are the perfect wedding gift ideas for family members at affordable prices.

Wedding Gifts For Your Best Friend Or Close Friends

Here are some cool and unique wedding gift ideas for your best friend or close friends!

Types Of Wedding Gifts

Here are some awesome types of wedding gifts to celebrate the happy couple from wedding ceremony to daily life, luxury gifts to practical gifts.

Thoughtful Gift Ideas

The perfect way to give the happy couple a gift that is not only awesome but also thoughtful is to use the following simple gifting formula:

The perfect thoughtful gift idea formula is to find …

an item or items they will both enjoy/use  +  something that shows you know something about them

For instance, you know the couple’s favorite thing to do together is play board games and do puzzles together. Therefore, you would get them some sort of board game or puzzle. Then you would determine what interest they have to add a thoughtful element such as their dogs. Therefore, you could get a customized puzzle with a picture of their dogs on them. Boom! Amazing and thoughtful present!

Here are some thought gift ideas to consider:

Personalized Gifts:

• Gifts with personal information such as the couple’s names or the wedding date
• Gifts that bring back wonderful memories such as photos, mementos, 
• Gifts that showcase their interests as a couple such as spending time in nature, traveling, doing crafts together, watching movies, etc.
• Gifts with a personal message such as best wishes, a saying, a quote, a reminder, a prayer, a poem, a passage, etc.

​Here are some great ideas for thoughtful gift ideas:

• Customized jewelry
• Customized home decor
• Customized pet-themed items
• Gifts based on their favorite:
  • musician
  • book
  • hobby
  • animal
  • poet
  • games
• Monogrammed items
• Inside jokes
• Customized clothing apparel
• Customized photos/photo displays

Practical Gift Ideas

Practical gift ideas are a great way to show the new couple that you are thinking about them in their new life together.

Getting them a useful gift makes a gift extra special because it shows you truly think about them and want a gift to have some utility.

Determine what message you would like to send to them via the gift — here are some great ideas:

• I want them to feel excited
  • You could consider items that align with their already established interests such as camping gear they have been eyeing or saving for.
• I want to make their lives easier somehow
  • These could be things like household appliances such as kitchen gadgets that make cooking easier.
  • Consider items that make their new home feel cozier such as custom wine glasses for hosting
  • Think about items that make the holidays or vacations easier such as gift certificates or experiential gifts.
• I want to get them something to help them feel relaxed
  • These could be items that make their home feel calming such as a towel warmer or foot massager.
  • These could be items that make them physically relax like spa day gift certificates to help them relax post-wedding.
• I want to get them something that helps them remember their special day in a unique way
  • These could be items such as a photo album they like so they can add their special photos later.

Here are some great practical gift ideas for a great wedding gift!

• Kitchen Appliances
• Electronics
• Bedding
• Pet Supplies
• Gardening / Outdoor Items
• Customized office supplies/desk supplies

Group Gifts For A Cash Gift Or A Big-Ticket Item

A group gift is a totally acceptable option for a wedding present and is even recommended in many cases!

A joint gift is a great idea for wedding gifts because it allows you and other people to get the couple something extra special even with a large pricetag that shows how much you care about them.

Couples can and even should make suggestions if guests are wondering what cash gifts to give the new couple — this way all parties can guarantee that it will be a good gift.

Cash gifts for a large joint gift is a great idea because it makes it easier for the guests because it’s meaningful and it’s not as expensive when combined, and a great way for the couple to get something they really want.

A great way to add some additional meaning to wedding cash gifts is to create funds for items they want cash for.

Here are some great cash gifts or joint gift/group gift ideas for big-ticket items:

• Honeymoon Fund
  • Honeymoon Flight Upgrade
  • Honeymoon Room Upgrade
  • Honeymoon Experiences
    • Helicopter Ride
    • Culinary Experience
    • Boat Tour
    • Sightseeing Tour
    • Photography Session
• Subscription Services Gifts
  • TV/Movie/Streaming Services
  • Meal Order Kits
  • Housecleaning
  • Books
  • Games
  • Plants/Flower Bouquets
• Gift Voucher Gift Ideas
  • Spa Experiences, Disneyland, Cruises, Resorts
• Concert/Play/Event/Game Tickets
• Plane Ticket / Upgrades
• New Puppy/Kitty Fund
• Donations To Charity
• Deposit For A New Home
• Fund For A New Car
• Cooking Classes
• Instruments such as a guitar, piano, etc.
• Restaurant Fund For A Fancy Meal
• New Wardrobe Fund (if requested/desired)
• RV/Camper/Boat/Kayaks
• Gift Card/Gift Cards
  • Their favorite restaurants
  • Their favorite store
  • Their favorite experience
  • Local experiences they’ve never tried
• TV/Stereo System
• Room Conversion Fund
  • Home Bar
  • Sauna
  • Man Cave
  • Pool
  • Hot Tub
  • Home Theater
  • Workshop

I hope you enjoyed these cash gift ideas for some favorite wedding gift ideas!

Bridal Shower Gifts

Here are some of the best gifts to give at a bridal shower/wedding party!

• Cooking items
• Seasonal items
• Bridal-themed items:
  • Customized apparel
  • New Name Gifts
  • Customized dishware
• Fun beverage items such as glasses
  • Cocktails
  • Mocktails
  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Water Bottles

Engagement Gift Ideas

Here are some stunning engagement gifts for the best engagement party celebration!

Engagement gift ideas for the newly engaged couple:

• Engraved items
• Florals
• Desserts
• Champagne
• Dining Table Centerpiece Decor
• Home Cook-Themed Items such as a stand mixer
• Serving platter/Charcuterie Board

Wedding Guest Gift Etiquette

Here are some expert insights on wedding guest gift etiquette to make finding a great gift easier.

What is the proper etiquette for wedding gifts?

Traditional wedding etiquette suggests gifts should be given before the wedding date, but you have about a year to formally give the gift after the wedding.

​Generally speaking, the proper etiquette for wedding gifts is to give them as close to the wedding day as possible or on the actual day.

What is the timeline for wedding gift etiquette?

Wedding gift timeline etiquette traditionally speaking is based around the actual wedding. The general recommendation is to plan your delivery date to be before the wedding or on the actual wedding day. However, technically you can gift it to the couple within one year after the wedding… however, these days it is recommended to plan your gift delivery date for the wedding day or shortly before.

Should I include a card with the wedding gift?

It is a good idea to include a card when gifting a wedding gift in traditional wedding etiquette terms. 

While not a requirement, it is highly encouraged because they aren’t terribly expensive, they are a thoughtful way to congratulate the newly married couple on their wedding day, they are a great way to express how much they mean to you, they are helpful to the bride and groom in determining who gave which gift, and they are thoughtful and memorable and easy to store.

Do I have to buy a gift from the wedding registry? 

While not required, giving a gift from the couple’s registry is a great and easy way to ensure you are giving the happy couple what they truly want.

Cash Gifts

Cash gifts are a great way to give people a helpful gift that they typically really want or need. Not to mention, cash gifts are perfectly acceptable and appreciated wedding gifts for the big day.

Some weddings these days are even opting fully for cash gifts and having no registry at all.

Some couples even use services such as Honey Fund (not sponsored!) to create a “Wedding Registry” for cash gifts that are essentially funds for subscriptions, vouchers, upgrades, etc. 

See the list above for more ideas!

What is the proper amount of money to give as a wedding gift?

Many people often wonder when deciding to give a cash wedding gift, “Is $100 enough for a wedding gift from a couple?“

There is no right or wrong amount of money to give as a wedding gift! There are no specific etiquette rules for cash gifts because they should be based on personal preference, the amount you can afford, etc.

That being said, traditionally speaking, most people will give amounts anywhere from ~$25 – $500 with the average amounts being about $50-$150. However, this can vary greatly depending on the couple, traditions, age/stage of life, the wedding’s perceived costs, etc. 

Generally speaking, it is polite to give a gift you feel is generous, but won’t break the bank.

Do I have to give the couple physical gifts if I give them cash?

A cash gift is a completely normal, appreciated, and sufficient gift. It can also be a more affordable option if you think about wrapping costs, etc. 

There is no physical gift requirement for general wedding gifting etiquette so the best recommendation would be to simply include a card with your cash gift — which can be physical or digital/online card.

I hope this article was helpful to you in determining the best wedding gifts and best wedding gift ideas and best etiquette tips for gift giving.