Weddings are very expensive events. You have to buy the rings, rent the venue, pay for food, the dress, tuxedos…I can go on and on. Not only do the families involved spend a lot of money, you can’t forget that others also pay a good amount to come to your wedding – especially if you decide to have a destination wedding.
In many cases, the groomsmen and bridesmaids invest a solid chunk of change to be a part of your special event. Unless you’re a nudist and have your big day at a nudist colony (it happens), the people in your wedding must either purchase or rent outfits so they can look presentable when they’re standing next to you. Don’t forget about your bachelor/bachelorette party, which I’m sure they enjoyed immensely To say thanks, it’s customary for the bride and groom to get them a gift to show some token of appreciation. So, how much should you spend and what are some good ideas?
These are two things I wondered recently, as I got married since my last post. Many of you were wondering where I was for the last few weeks and that’s the reason for my absence. Now that the wedding and honeymoon is behind me (unfortunately – I was really enjoying all I could eat and drink on the beach), it’s time once again to toss some financial education your way.
As far as the amount to spend on gifts – this isn’t written in stone, but I think the gift should be relative to the amount they have spent because you decided to get married and include them in this joyous event. Did they attend your out-of-town, all-inclusive bachelor/bachelorette party? Was this party followed by a destination wedding in southern Italy? Did they get you that s$500 set of pots and pans listed on your registry? If so, you’re looking at a pretty fancy gift. If your wedding is local and all they have to do is rent a tux or buy a dress, the gift doesn’t have to be too lavish.
Based on my experience, gifts range from 10 – 25% of the amount spent by the person who’s receiving the gift. The more spent, the smaller the percentage. Taking a look at some actual numbers, the percentage seems to hold true.
$200 spent by groomsmen/bridesmaids = $50 spent on a gift
$2000 spent = $200 gift
You may be thinking.. $200 on a gift? If you make somebody spend $2000 to take part in all of your events surrounding your wedding, then absolutely. This may seem rare, but factor in things like weekend parties in Vegas and an out-of-town wedding, the amount quickly gets up there.
Now that you have an idea on what amount to spend, it’s time to figure out what you’re going to buy them. To me, this is much more difficult than placing a monetary amount on your gift. I don’t know how, but some people are great at buying gifts for others. I am not one of them. As I scoured the internet in search of the perfect gift, I drew up a list of ideas that are going to work as gifts for your groomsmen:
- Binoculars
- Cufflinks
- Collar Stays
- Titanium sunglasses
- Theme clothing
- Pocket knife
- Military style weekend travel bags
Who doesn’t need binoculars, cufflinks, or a military style weekend travel bag? If you are the bride and you need some good gift ideas for your bridesmaids, I don’t have any good suggestions for you unfortunately.
Can any readers comment on where one might find some great gifts for the ladies? How about any other great groomsmen gifts? I like to get more creative than the basic engraved flask or embroidered wallet. What was the best gift you ever received and how much did it cost?
