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How to Be a Good Wedding Guest without Going Broke
Yes, times are tough but let us not forget that love carries on. Case in point, that growing stack of wedding invitations you have thumb tacked to the calendar. If it seems as though everyone you know is suddenly getting married this summer, that may very well be the case. Wedding season is officially in full swing and just because you’re counting every penny, don’t discount the fact that you’re still required to send a gift for every invitation that comes your way.
While Brides.com suggests that the average amount of money to spend on a wedding gift is $100, the rules of etiquette may be broken on account of a bad economy. If you don’t have quite as much cash to give this year, you can still say “I do” when it comes to being a good wedding guest.
Give your friends a gift that doesn’t have an obvious monetary value. In other words, resist the urge to write them a check in the amount of $94.25 even if it shows that you’re down to your last dollar. Instead, seek out registry items that pack a good punch. A miniature crystal vase doesn’t carry as much weight as say, an oversized overnight bag. Luggage is a great gift for guests on a budget and if you can find it on sale, even better. Read: Wedding Gift Alternatives
Shower your friends with compliments and you can save even more money. For example, have a sentimental photo of the two of them blown up and slipped into a sterling silver frame. Your pals will be so smitten with the idea of themselves enlarged, they’ll forget your gift is extra small.
Re-gifting can get tricky when it comes to weddings. Unless your friends are named Thomas and Anne-Marie too, you probably shouldn’t re-gift that monogrammed set of hand towels collecting dust in the linen cabinet. On the other hand, if they’re hard core environmentalists, they may be cool with a recycled Crock-Pot®…
Want to read the rest of this article? Visit YourTango.com.
–Written by Anne-Marie Scali for YourTango.com
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That’s bad advice on the photo frame, since even a smallish (5×7) sterling silver frame will cost well over $100 — and if you’re blowing up the picture to 8×10? A sterling frame of that size is a very expensive gift.
For people looking to save money, you’d have to go with silverplate, which still isn’t cheap, but you can find some silverplate frames for under $75.
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Hopefully, your friends understand the new limits of giving. If not, team up with friends to chip in and buy something really nice on the registry. They still get what they want–it’s just from a group!
We asked people to make a donation to our favorite non-profit organization instead of gifts.
They can give just a little without pressure to spend a bunch of money. After all, it’s the thought and friendship that counts.
Your information help me a lot with my wedding.Thanks!