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If one struggles with basic questions concerning wedding gift etiquette, do not despair; you are not alone. According to results of a recent survey conducted by the Knot – a popular website that enables couples to create their very own wedding websites – almost half (47 percent) of Americans report needing help.
The Knot’s latest annual Wedding Guest Study surveyed over one thousand people who attended a wedding in the past 3 years, to find out how much people spend on gifts. Results showed that the average guest spent $118 on the wedding gift, and members of the wedding party (attendants) spent half again as much ($177 on average). Of course, one should factor in his or her own financial situation and whether spending on travel and accommodations will be required, as well as personal closeness to the bride and groom.
If one will be attending an engagement party and shower in addition to the wedding itself, a reasonable rule of thumb is to allocate the targeted total gift budget this way: 20% towards each the engagement present and the shower gift, and 60% towards the wedding gift itself.
The Knot’s survey revealed other interesting insights. Surprisingly, whereas the average spend was $118, almost half (46%) of the items listed on the typical couple’s registry cost under $50.
Four out of five couples (83%) now use wedding websites as the means by which they share their gift registries with guests, and more than one in three guests (37%) purchases his or her gift directly from the registry. About two-fifths of guests present monetary gifts in one form or another – cash, checks or gift cards.
Younger couples tend to prefer to receive money; they can put it towards helping pay for a honeymoon, paying off school loans, a down payment on a house or simply making ends meet. Those living in apartments or starter homes typically appreciate gifts every couple welcomes to round out their home or apartment, and their kitchen, in particular.
Kathleen Grodsky, VP of Marketing and Operations at the online store Butcher Block Co., says she is not surprised at all by the Knot’s survey findings. We sell a wide range of kitchen necessities that are perfect for newlyweds – especially John Boos wood cutting boards, Chroma Type 301 stainless steel kitchen knives and Artelegno magnetic knife blocks, explained Grodsky. These are the types and brands of kitchen accessories that every household aspires to own, she continued.
Grodsky estimated that as much as twenty percent of the company’s total sales trace to gifting – purchases related to birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, Hanukkah and of course, weddings. Gift cards are our best sellers, she says. The gift-giver does the legwork, finding a website like ours that sells only the absolute best kitchen furniture and accessories, easing the burden on the ultimate buyer – the soon-to-be-wed couple.
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