The answer—it depends. At the end of the day you can only give what you can afford,  what feels right for you and you shouldn’t feel pressured to do more.

Cover the cost of your plate

Once upon a time the etiquette was to cover the cost of your plate. In other words, the cost of your gift should equal the cost of your meal—this could be upwards of $300 for a couple. Fortunately today this isn’t expected. You're not thanking a couple for the invitation, you're saying congratulations and that can be done any way you want. But if you want to cover the cost of your plate that’s OK too!

Are you travelling to get to the wedding?

If you've paid for flights and accommodation then this can get expensive and most couples wouldn't expect a luxury gift.  You do still need to get them something though, so maybe choose from the lower priced items on the gift registry!

Use your budget as a guide

You can set a range for what you are comfortable giving and that can be based on how close you are to the couple. If you have a lot of weddings coming up, you may want to look at the overall cost and see what you can afford for each one. At the end of the day, you don’t want major credit card debt to pay for your wedding gifts.

Get into the registry early

Buying from the gift registry can make life a lot easier because the couple have selected what they want, so you know it’s something they need. If you do buy off the registry try and be organised.  Sometimes in a panic you can end up buying something much more expensive than you'd planned because there isn’t much left on the registry and you’ve left it all to the last minute.

Go in with a group and split the costs

A pooled gift often allows you to get something much more valuable than you could on your own. The group gift can be very popular and not everyone has to put in the same amount so it allows for flexibility. Of course, everyone needs to agree on the gift and the costs.  

Go handmade

If you have a talent you can personalise your gift without spending too much. If you’re into photography take a special photo of the couple and put it in a nice frame. Are you a talented baker? Then perhaps offer to make the wedding cake. Many people often cherish the things that cost the least amount but come with the most thought. 

Need help with your budget?

One of the things we help members with is coming up with a manageable budget. Life can be expensive and we’re here to help you. If you’d like to speak to a Financial Adviser from TelstraSuper Financial Planning you can reach them on 1300 033 166 or you can request a call back online.