Wedding gift

[Lola UK]

I have one of my best friends weddings in 2 weeks and I’m a bridesmaid but have paid out quite a lot already for the wedding - we paid half of our dresses, paying for own hair and makeup and I’ve also paid for 2 hen dos as one got cancelled and I haven’t been able to get my money back from the company.What would you all recommend in this instance?

I’m in a similar situation obviously happy to be bridesmaid, but for this wedding I would have paid over £500 definitely can’t afford another £100 gift on top

 

[Dot_Cotton]

I have one of my best friends weddings in 2 weeks and I’m a bridesmaid but have paid out quite a lot already for the wedding - we paid half of our dresses, paying for own hair and makeup and I’ve also paid for 2 hen dos as one got cancelled and I haven’t been able to get my money back from the company.What would you all recommend in this instance?

In your case, I would say as much as you think can afford. Do you know the other bridesmaids, could you all agree an amount together and maybe club together so it looks bigger if you know what I mean. If you have forked out so much already I would probably be looking at the lower end of the scale like £50.

 

[Lola UK]

£500 so far is crazy!!!!

I know! £200 odd on a hen, £100 for 2 night stay, £50 hair, £50 make up and I have to pay towards the dress too. Plus petrol, drinks, etc etc

it adds up so fast!

 

[gobblegobble95]

As a member of the bridal party, is cash an acceptable gift? If yes, how much would you give?

It’s all about how much you can comfortably afford. I’ve given gifts anywhere from £30 to £250 (my circumstances improved hence the leap in gift) .

I’ve also given vouchers for date days : clay pigeon shooting, comedy nights etc .

 

[Northeast1988]

When I got married last year , we didn’t get any physical cash of our bridesmaid or best man (married together )because their gift to us was the overnight stay on the wedding night which was so thoughtful and they also had contributed a long the way with the hen party and stag party

 

[Base2019]

I’m in a similar situation obviously happy to be bridesmaid, but for this wedding I would have paid over £500 definitely can’t afford another £100 gift on top

£500 so far is crazy!!!!

 

[Alexaj]

I usually give about £50. I gave £70 to my BFF and £100 to my sister. My partner accused me of being tight with money so I'll be interested if anyone else responds to this thread! And what people give if it's night-do.only?

 

[Jongo3]

I usually give about £50. I gave £70 to my BFF and £100 to my sister. My partner accused me of being tight with money so I'll be interested if anyone else responds to this thread! And what people give if it's night-do.only?

My best friend gets married soon and I am going to be bridesmaid this seems a reasonable amount too me as shes going to be asking for money and I had no idea how much you give sort of thing, x

 

[Mrs Cucumber]

Depends on how much I like the person lol some one I was in the bridal party for or family I would do £100 unless you have had to contribute for your dress etc . Anyone else I would do £50.

 

[rather not stop]

As a member of the bridal party, is cash an acceptable gift? If yes, how much would you give?

 

[JoeBloggs]

Depending on how much you can afford and how much the wedding has cost, I would give £50.

 

[turkeydinosaurs]

When me and my husband go to weddings we follow this:
Attending all day: £100
Evening only: £30
Bridal Party or Groomsman: £200

 

[BoPeeping]

£100s is crazy when you are part of the bridal party..!

You have to pay for your dress, shoes, hair, make up, accommodation etc.

Do bridesmaids pay for their own shoes dresses, hair and makeup where you’re from? I’ve seen this quite a bit online in the US

 

[turkeydinosaurs]

I do cash over cheque. Because when we got married we got cheques in my married name that I couldn’t cash until all my details were swapped with the bank

 

[Mrs Cucumber]

This thread has been very useful helping me decide what to give one of my best friends who is getting married in a few weeks. Thank you.

Related question as I haven't been to a wedding in years, how do you give cash? As in years ago I would pop a cheque in with the card, do people literally put cash in, or I was debating transferring the money to her account on the wedding day and putting a note in the card to say I had done that. Just thinking how annoying it might be having wads of cash to pay into the bank after (first World problems I know!)

I've always done a cheque but the last wedding I went to was about 7 years ago so that's probably outdated now

 

[Nugget11]

I’m in a similar situation obviously happy to be bridesmaid, but for this wedding I would have paid over £500 definitely can’t afford another £100 gift on top

Okay you’ve spent WAAAY more than I have! As someone else has said £500 is nuts!

It’s crazy how expensive weddings get!

 

[blueballoon]

I gave £100 to my best friend as a wedding gift when she got married last month

 

[Lola UK]

Okay you’ve spent WAAAY more than I have! As someone else has said £500 is nuts!

It’s crazy how expensive weddings get!

I’m glad you’re saying this, I’ve been thinking in my head ‘am I really stingy?!?’ I know it’s all relative, but her two other bridesmaids have better paying jobs than me, and so things like the hen kept getting more and more expensive

I love the bride, she’s one of my best friends of course I want her to have a special day, but I’m spending £500 for someone else to get married! Meanwhile I have no savings and our house needs reno

I think back in the day, a hen would be a night out, traditionally the bride would pay for the dress, hair, make up, etc etc. It’s not the same anymore! I blame social media (which I blame for everything)

 

[Nugget11]

Depends on how much I like the person lol some one I was in the bridal party for or family I would do £100 unless you have had to contribute for your dress etc . Anyone else I would do £50.

I have one of my best friends weddings in 2 weeks and I’m a bridesmaid but have paid out quite a lot already for the wedding - we paid half of our dresses, paying for own hair and makeup and I’ve also paid for 2 hen dos as one got cancelled and I haven’t been able to get my money back from the company.What would you all recommend in this instance?

 

[BoPeeping]

At home In Ireland we always do £100-£200 per person / per couple (would still not give less than £100 if single) but since living in England £50 per couple seems to be the going rate here!
I’ve had friends in England tell me that £100 is far too much as a gift! culture shock for me