Top tips for gift list etiquette

Whether you’re a couple preparing to tie the knot, or a wedding guest wondering what’s expected, the world of wedding gift etiquette can be a bit of a minefield.

How much should you spend on a gift?

When should you send it?

Is it ok to ask for cash instead?

Are gift lists rude? (hint: NO).

As the UK’s most popular wedding gift list, when it comes to wedding present etiquette, you’d best believe we know our stuff. Today, we’re breaking it all down to bring you our ultimate wedding gift etiquette guide.

Whether you’re the happy couple or the wedding gift giver, we’ve got top etiquette tips for you!

Is it rude to have a wedding gift list?

You may be asking yourself if wedding gift lists are rude or tacky. Short answer? Absolutely not!

The vast majority of your guests will WANT to buy you a wedding gift. So, when it comes to wedding gift etiquette, signing up for a Prezola wedding gift list is the very best thing you can do.

A wedding gift list makes things SO much easier for your guests.

They can browse and pick something they know you’ll love, then pay for it all on one easy, online platform. We take care of all the logistics, delivering your wedding gifts direct to your door, at a time that suits you.

What is proper etiquette for a wedding gift list?

Compiling the perfect wedding gift list is so much more than just picking pretty lampshades – there’s real art to it. Lucky for you, we’re the experts.

When it comes to wedding gift etiquette for couples, we’ve got three golden rules:

1. List enough gifts for all your guests
2. Cover a wide variety of price points
3. Keep regular tabs on your list once it’s live

The main thing is to make sure that everybody logging in to look for a gift finds something exciting that fits their budget. The last thing you want is to make someone feel bad because there’s nothing left in their price range.

Is it ok to ask for big price tag items?

Yes! At Prezola, you have the option to enable group gifting on your bigger ticket items – think sofas, fancy coffee machines, fire pits or pizza ovens.

This allows your guests to split the cost between them and contribute an amount of money they feel comfortable with. Easy!

Is it rude to ask for cash or honeymoon contributions instead of wedding gifts?

No, not at all! These days it’s more and more common for couples to ask for cash or honeymoon contributions instead of - or as well as! - wedding gifts.

At Prezola, we make this easy. You can combine regular wedding gifts with cash funds, honeymoon funds and even experiences to create your dream wedding gift list.

Honeymoon funds or cash funds from all your guests’ contributions are kept safe in a secure, ring-fenced account until you’re ready to claim them.

And the best part is, you can personalise your Prezola funds.

So, instead of contributing a random amount to an anonymous account, your guests could gift you breakfast in bed, a scuba diving trip, a hot air balloon ride ora romantic dinner on the beach - whatever your heart desires!

Your guests will have fun picking something exciting, and they’ll appreciate knowing where their hard-earned cash is going.

How do you politely let guests know about your wedding gift list?

When it comes to wedding present etiquette, the most important thing is not to leave your guests guessing. They’ll be expecting to find information about gifting within your wedding stationery, and specifically your wedding invites. So, if you’re having a gift list, make sure that it’s up and running by the time you send your invites. Provide a link to your list with all the information along with a short message, making it clear that gifts are welcome but not expected.

What is the wedding gift etiquette for wedding party gifts?

Does the groom buy the bride a gift or vice versa and everything in between? What about gifts for her bridesmaids? Do parents get gifts? What about the best man?

When it comes to wedding party gifts, there are no hard and fast etiquette rules. It’s all about what feels right for you.

If certain people have helped you out with your wedding, either financially or by sharing their time, energy, or skills then it’s a nice idea to thank them with a little something.

Similarly, if gifts are your love language and you want to take the opportunity to shower your favourite people with love, we say go for it!

As for whether the bride and groom buy gifts for each other, that has to be a personal decision. One thing you can be sure of, a surprise gift is never going to be a bad idea.

Are thank you notes important?

Yes - this is one point where the wedding gift etiquette is crystal clear. If someone has been kind enough to buy you a gift, it’s important to thank them properly with a personalised note or card.

At Prezola, we can help with this too. We keep a detailed record of who bought what from your list. So, there’s no danger of mystery gifts getting separated from their cards.

Once all your gifts have been delivered, simply log into your account and check the thank you manager for all the info you need to get writing.

What is the etiquette for wedding gifts UK?

If you’ve been invited to a wedding in the UK, it’s usually traditional to give the couple a gift to celebrate the start of their married life. But every couple is different, and when it comes to wedding gift etiquette the main thing is to respect their wishes. Some couples might provide a wedding gift list for you to choose from, while others may prefer cash contributions towards their honeymoon or another big purchase. Some might prefer not to receive gifts at all. Essentially, whatever the couple says, goes.

How much should you spend on a wedding gift?

The average spend on a wedding gift in the UK is between £50 and £100. And it’s perfectly normal to adapt the spend depending on how close you are with the couple – a bigger budget for very close friends and family, slightly less for colleagues or distant cousins. Similarly, if you’re only invited to part of the day, you can certainly get away with spending less on a gift – perhaps £20 to £30.

Also, this hopefully goes without saying, but we’ll say it just in case - you should only spend what you can comfortably afford. No bride or groom would want you to break the bank buying gifts!

Do you have to stick to the gift list?

Most wedding gift etiquette experts agree that if a couple have taken the time to put together a gift list, it’s polite to stick to it. It also makes your life way easier. You have a rock-solid guarantee that they’ll love your gift – because they chose it themselves!

Going ‘off list’ puts you at risk of getting the bride and groom something they’ve already got, or worse – something that’s not to their taste.

Is it acceptable to group gift with other guests?

Yes! Spreading the cost with other guests is a great way to gift the couple with a big-ticket item from their gift list. At Prezola, our group gifting function makes this easy.

How much cash do you give for a wedding gift in the UK?

If the couple has asked for cash or honeymoon contributions, it can be tricky to know just how much cash to give as a wedding gift. Well, wedding present etiquette dictates that you should give the amount that you would have spent on a gift.

So, the same basic rules apply – between £50 and £100 is the average. Adjust for how well you know the couple. Only give what you can comfortably afford.

This is where a Prezola honeymoon fund really comes into its own. Instead of handing over an anonymous £50, you could be paying for cocktails by the pool or a day of water sports.

SO much more fun.

Are handmade or DIY gifts acceptable for a wedding?

This is a tricky one. If you are a talented artist or craftsperson and you are 100% sure that your talents align with the couple’s tastes, then something homemade could be a wonderfully meaningful gift.

However, if you aren’t 100% sure, we’d always recommend sticking to the couple’s wedding gift list. It’s the only sure way to get them something you know they’ll love.

When should you send a wedding gift?

According to wedding gift etiquette experts, gifts can be sent anytime from the day you receive the invitation to the big day itself.

One of the best things about a Prezola wedding gift list is that you don’t need to worry about shipping or making sure that the couple will be home to receive the delivery.

You simply pick your gift from the list and pay online, then once the couple are ready, they’ll get their exciting wedding presents directly to their door. Prezola will take care of everything for them.

Once the couple have confirmed and closed their list, they’ll organise a delivery time that suits them and we’ll deliver all their wedding gifts direct to their door.

Is it rude not to give a wedding gift?

Wedding gift etiquette experts all agree that wedding gifts are always appreciated, but never expected. So no, it’s not rude to attend a wedding without giving a gift.

The most important thing to the couple will always be that you’re there to celebrate with them on their special day.

Congratulations - you are now a wedding gift etiquette expert!

Well done for reading this far - we hope you found the answers you were looking for. Now that you know all there is to know about wedding present etiquette, you should be all set to pick the perfect present or, if you’re the happy couple, create your own Prezola gift list today.