Have you ever wondered what is the right thing to do when being invited to a wedding? Are you expected to give a gift, whether or not you can attend? That is just one of the many questions people have when being invited to a wedding, which becomes even harder to answer when the invitation is to a wedding of someone they are not particularly close to. You understand what you should do when it is a family member, but when it’s a casual acquaintance, what are you expected to do? Here are a few basic answers to questions you may have if you are invited to a wedding.
1. Do You Need to Choose from Their Wedding Registry?
A wedding registry is there for your convenience as much as for theirs. They list things they will need when beginning married life and it will often be household goods and appliances. The problem may be that some of the items are priced above what you can afford. There is nothing written in stone that says you must order from the registry. For example, if they are Catholic, you are free to choose from creative Catholic gift ideas such as a lovely hand-painted icon for their wall or a crucifix to hang over their door.
2. Do You Need to Buy a Gift If You Don’t Attend?
Here is another question asked when invited to a wedding they can’t attend. It is nice to send a gift if you can, but you are not obligated to do so. This is something that is left totally up to you. In fact, as you will see with the answer to the next question, gifts can be sent up to a year after the event. Therefore, if money is tight today but you land a cushy job in a month or two, send a gift as you can.
3. When Is the Proper Time to Present the Gift?
Traditionally, wedding gifts were brought to the reception and placed on a gift table near the elaborately decorated cake table. However, it was always a real challenge as to how to get those gifts to their home. Now it is customary to send the gifts a couple of weeks before the wedding and even after, up to a year later! The gifts were never opened at the reception because of the dinner, dancing, and festivities, so that is one wedding tradition that isn’t sorely missed.
4. What If I Can’t Afford the Registry Gifts?
Registry gifts can be quite expensive because the stores listed on registries are usually high-end shops. In fact, there is nothing that says you must present a gift at all. It’s nice if you can but if you cannot afford a gift, then there is no reason to avoid the wedding just because you have no gift.
Sadly, some people will avoid attending a wedding if they aren’t in a financial position to buy a gift. You were invited because the couple values your attendance on this special first day of the rest of their lives together. Join in wishing them well and that, in itself, is often gift enough.