Did you read the article in this weekend’s New York Times Style Section on wedding gifts? Basically readers were informed that a gift to a wedding is not mandatory. I’m sorry, and not to sound greedy, but I know plenty of brides and grooms who didn’t get a gift from one or more guests at their wedding and they were not okay with it. Dave and I are still a little annoyed that several guests didn’t send us a gift at our wedding – six years ago.
I think the point of the article was to discuss affordable wedding gifts in these tough economic times, but even Martha Stewart’s suggestion of going to a consignment store and buying a couple china or silver there surprised me.
The reason couples register for gifts is so that guests don’t have to guess as to what the couple needs/wants. But with people losing their jobs and looking to save money, it’s your job as the bride to make sure that your registry is filled with affordable and moderate priced items. Not just the $500 per setting china and silver. You can always return a bunch of less expensive items and exchange them for more expensive items.
I’m hoping that guests didn’t read this article and think that they’re off the hook for buying you a wedding present – and you cannot go around reminding people to get you something – but it’s a good reminder to keep other people’s budgets in mind when it comes to your wedding. And I’m not just talking about gifts. There are the bridesmaid dresses and tuxes for the groomsmen, travel and accommodations for out-of-town guests as well as all the other wedding-related parties being thrown in your honor.
So think about what’s really important to you when it comes to these other details and make a decision not just based on the idea that it’s “your wedding, your way” but how some of these choices will financially affect your friends and relatives.
