Most guests give between $50 and $150 in cash for a wedding, and the right amount depends on how close you are to the couple, where the wedding is and what you can afford. The table below has ranges by relationship, and the calculator works out a range for your own situation.
There's no official minimum. Emily Post says there is no rule on how much to spend, and it calls the idea that your gift must cover the cost of your plate a modern myth.
Hang on! We've found some unique alternatives to giving cash presents here.
Just in case you opt out of giving cash for the present!
How Much to Give for a Wedding Gift in Cash
These are per-person amounts in US dollars for a wedding you attend. They come from etiquette guides and surveys that disagree with each other, so each row is a range, not a price. The calculator above uses the same numbers.
| Your relationship to the couple | One guest | A couple attending together |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate family and wedding party | $150 to $250 | $230 to $500 |
| Extended family (cousins, aunts, uncles) | $75 to $150 | $115 to $300 |
| Friends | $75 to $150 | $115 to $300 |
| Coworkers | $50 to $100 | $75 to $200 |
| Neighbors | $50 to $100 | $75 to $200 |
| Acquaintances and plus-ones | $25 to $75 | $40 to $150 |
Zola's guide, as reported by Scripps News, suggests $75 to $100 for a coworker or acquaintance, $100 to $150 for a friend or relative, and $150 to $200 for immediate family or the wedding party. An older survey of newlyweds by The Knot and WeddingChannel, reported by MoneySense, put the same groups at $50 to $75, $75 to $100 and $100 to $150. The ranges above sit between the two.
What guests actually spend is a little lower than the top of those ranges. Reported averages from The Knot's guest surveys run from about $118 to $150 depending on the year, and wedding party members spend more than other guests.
How to Read the Table
- Closeness moves you up or down inside a range. A very close friend sits near the top of the friends range. A friend you see once a year sits near the bottom.
- Couples give less than double. If you and a partner attend together, the third column shows about one and a half to two times the single amount. One envelope per household is normal.
- Wedding party members give at least the immediate family amount. You're also paying for outfits, travel and parties, so nobody expects you to go above it.
- Your budget comes first. Etiquette guides agree that you shouldn't take on debt for a gift.
Wedding Gift Amounts by Country
Norms differ by country. In Ireland, Canada and Australia, guests often think in terms of the per-head cost of the meal, which pushes the figures up. UK figures run lower. All amounts below are per person, in local currency, for a wedding you attend.
| Where | Friends and extended family | Coworkers and neighbors | Acquaintances and plus-ones | Immediate family and wedding party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $75 to $150 | $50 to $100 | $25 to $75 | $150 to $250 |
| United Kingdom | £50 to £100 | £25 to £50 | £20 to £40 | £100 to £200 |
| Ireland | €100 to €200 | €75 to €150 | €50 to €100 | €150 to €300 |
| Canada | C$100 to C$200 | C$75 to C$125 | C$50 to C$100 | C$150 to C$300 |
| Australia | A$75 to A$150 | A$50 to A$100 | A$30 to A$75 | A$125 to A$200 |
United Kingdom
A guide from VoucherCodes, reported by County Wedding, gives £25 to £50 for a distant friend or colleague, £50 to £100 for a close friend, £100 to £200 for immediate family and £150 to £200 for the best man or maid of honor. A 2024 YouGov survey found that 56% of Britons think £50 to £100 is right for a couple you're very close to, and 77% say £50 or less for a couple you're not so close to.
More UK couples now ask for cash or a honeymoon fund, because many already live together and own a home. Guests invited only to the evening reception usually give a little less.
Ireland
In a July 2024 reader poll on TheJournal.ie, 31.6% of voters said they give €100 to €149 per person, 28.5% said €150 to €199, and 27.4% said more than €200. Only 7.3% said €50 to €99. A Letterkenny Live poll found €100 the most common answer for a single guest and €200 for a couple.
The Irish Wedding Blog's 2022 survey of nearly 4,000 people put very close friends and family at €100 to €300, with €200 the usual figure, and guests outside the close circle at €100 to €150. Its 2023 update said guests who aren't in the bridal party were giving €200 to €300. Most people give cash in a card, and some hand it over before the wedding so the couple has money for the day.
Canada
There's no recent national survey, so treat Canadian figures as planner and columnist advice. Planners most often quote $100 to $200 per person, and some say $150 to $250 now that meals cost more. Others say $100 to $150 is fine. The ranges in the table take the middle of that advice.
Australia
A 2021 Canstar survey of 1,049 Australians found that most people think $51 to $125 per person is right, and $76 to $100 was the most common answer at 29%. The 2025 Australian Wedding Industry Report put the average gift at $288 for close friends and relatives and $159 for other guests, and those are averages per gift, so they include couples. One planner says $100 a head is now the minimum, and $250 to $300 per couple for someone close.
Cash Gift Amounts by Relationship
Coworkers
$50 to $100 is the usual range, and a coworker you barely know sits at the bottom of it. If the office is giving a group gift, put in your share and skip a second gift.
Friends
$75 to $150 covers most friendships. Go higher for a close friend you've known for years, and lower for someone you only see at parties. Friends in the wedding party give at least the immediate family amount.
Relatives
$75 to $150 works for aunts, uncles and cousins. Siblings usually give more, and $200 to $300 is a common range for a brother or sister.
Grandparents and Parents
There's no standard figure for grandparents or parents, and the sources I checked gave none. Many help pay for the wedding itself, and some give a larger amount instead of a gift. If you're a parent deciding what to give a child, our guide to what to give a son has the details.
Neighbors
$50 to $100 is plenty for a neighbor, and a card with a kind note counts too. We cover it in more detail in how much to give for a neighbor's wedding.
Acquaintances and Plus-Ones
$25 to $75 is fine if you want to give something. If you're someone's plus-one, the guest who invited you normally gives for both of you, so a gift from you is optional.
What Changes the Amount
The Cost of Your Plate
You'll hear that your gift should cover what the couple spends on you. Emily Post calls that a modern myth. The idea still has a following in Ireland, Canada and Australia, where planners and guests often use the meal cost as a rough floor. A commentary released with Bank of Ireland's 2015 wedding guest survey gave the same rule of thumb: cover your meal and a little extra.
Use it as a clue to what a typical gift looks like in your area, not as a bill. Couples choose their venue and menu on their own budget. If the meal cost is more than you can give, give what you can.
Destination Weddings
Getting there is already a gift. Emily Post says a small, heartfelt token is still appropriate, and a cheap or handmade present is fine if travel was costly. Some couples say outright that your presence is their present, and you can take them at their word. An Australian planner told the Canberra Times that the expectation of a large gift at a destination wedding is much lower.
Not everyone cuts back. In the Irish Wedding Blog's survey, 63% would give the same amount for a wedding abroad as for one at home. The calculator trims the amount by up to half for a flight, so adjust it if you disagree.
If You Can't Attend
Emily Post says an invitation to the ceremony makes a gift appropriate whether you go or not. In the Irish survey, 63% of guests would still give if they couldn't come. A common approach is about half to three quarters of what you'd give in person, and one Irish guide puts it at €50 to €100 against €100 to €150. If you're declining, our RSVP wording guide has polite ways to say so.
Couples and Families
Couples and households generally send one gift. The Letterkenny Live poll's most common answer doubled from €100 for one guest to €200 for two, and the calculator uses one and a half to two times for a pair. Children usually don't change the amount much, so a family of four gives a little more than a couple. Pooling money with other guests for a bigger gift is fine too.
Showers, Engagements and Bachelor Parties
A shower or engagement gift is separate from the wedding gift. If you've paid for one, or you're helping fund a bachelor or bachelorette party, lean toward the lower end of your range. The calculator takes about 10% off for each.
When the Couple Asks for Cash
Emily Post says couples can let parents, attendants and close family know that cash is preferred, but guests still decide what to give. If there's a honeymoon fund, check for fees. One UK registry, Prezola, says its cash funds carry a 2% administration charge taken before the couple is paid. A card with cash or a bank transfer avoids it.
When Money Is Tight
Give what you can, and don't go into debt for a gift. A smaller amount in a card with a kind note is better than a large one that strains your budget. You can also pool with friends, make something personal such as a photo album, or send a gift after the wedding when your budget allows, within three months if you can.
Cash, Check, Gift Card or Online Transfer
- Cash. The couple can spend it right away, and in the UK and Ireland it's very common. The risk is loss, so only give it in a sealed card and put it in the card box or hand it to someone the couple trusts.
- Check. It's traceable and safer to mail. The Knot advises writing it to both people using their premarried names. One etiquette trainer suggests "Jane Doe or John Smith" so either person can cash it.
- Gift cards and vouchers. Fine when the couple asks for them or you don't want to give cash. Irish couples often like experience vouchers and department store cards.
- Online transfer or registry fund. Easiest for overseas weddings, because you don't carry cash across a border. Check the fee before you send.
Never mail loose cash. If you can't attend, send a check or use a transfer.
How to Give Cash as a Wedding Gift
- Pick your amount. Use the table or calculator, then adjust for your own budget.
- Seal it in a card. Write both names on the envelope and your own name inside.
- Add a short note. One or two sentences are enough. Don't write the amount.
- Hand it over safely. Put it in the card box at the reception, or give it to a parent or the couple's designated person.
- Or send it. Mail a check or make a transfer, and include a card.
- Give it on time. Soon after the invitation arrives is ideal, and within three months of the wedding is the limit.
What to Write in the Card
Keep it warm and short. A few that work:
- "Congratulations on your wedding. We're so happy for you both."
- "Wishing you a lifetime of happiness together. Love from us."
- "So glad to be sharing this day with you. Use this for something you'll enjoy."
- "We couldn't be there, but we're thinking of you. Congratulations."
- "May every year be better than the last. With love and best wishes."
Cash Gift Customs in Different Cultures
Many cultures have their own rules about cash, and some matter more than the amount. If you're not sure, ask a relative or the couple's parents. It takes a minute.
- Chinese and Vietnamese weddings. Cash goes in a red envelope. Amounts with an 8 are lucky, and amounts with a 4 are avoided because the word sounds like the word for death in Chinese. Ask a relative whether the family also prefers even numbers.
- Indian weddings. Many families avoid a round figure and add one, so $101 or $251 instead of $100 or $250. Envelopes are often handed to a close relative or a parent.
- Jewish weddings. Many guests give in multiples of 18, because the Hebrew letters for "chai," meaning life, add up to 18. Some couples prefer registry gifts to cash, so check first.
What Not to Do
- Don't go into debt to match a number you read online.
- Don't treat the cost of your plate as a bill you owe.
- Don't write the amount on the card or the outside of the envelope.
- Don't leave cash in an unsealed envelope or mail it loose.
- Don't skip the card. It tells the couple who gave what.
- Don't compare your gift with other guests' gifts, or ask the couple what others gave.
- Don't wait past three months. Late is better than never, but the one year rule is a myth.
- Don't forget cultural customs. They matter more than the dollar figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much cash should I give as a wedding gift?
Most guests give $50 to $150 per person, depending on how close they are to the couple. Coworkers usually give $50 to $100, friends and extended family $75 to $150, and immediate family or the wedding party $150 to $250. Give what you can afford, because the couple cares more about your support than the number.
Do I need to cover the cost of my plate?
No. Emily Post calls that idea a modern myth. In Ireland, Canada and Australia some guests use the meal cost as a rough floor, but couples choose their venue and menu on their own budget. Give an amount you're comfortable with.
How much should I give if I can't attend the wedding?
About half to three quarters of what you'd give in person is a common approach. Emily Post says an invitation to the ceremony makes a gift appropriate whether you go or not. Send it before the wedding or within three months after.
How much should a couple give as a wedding gift?
Couples and households generally send one gift. Expect about one and a half to two times the single-guest amount, so a couple of friends might give $115 to $300 in total. Children usually don't change the amount much.
How much should I give for a destination wedding?
Less than for a local wedding if you've paid to travel. Emily Post says a small, heartfelt token is appropriate, and some couples say your presence is their present. In one Irish survey, 63% would still give the same amount as for a wedding at home, so there's no single rule.
Is it okay to give a check instead of cash?
Yes. A check is traceable and safer to mail. The Knot advises writing it to both people using their premarried names, and one etiquette trainer suggests writing "Jane Doe or John Smith" so either person can cash it.
How much should I give if money is tight?
Give what you can without going into debt. A smaller amount in a card with a kind note is better than a large one that strains your budget. You can also pool money with friends, make something personal, or send a gift after the wedding.
How long do I have to send a wedding gift?
Send it soon after the invitation arrives, or within three months of the wedding at the latest, according to Emily Post. The idea that you have a year is a myth. Late is still better than never.
How much should I give at a wedding in Ireland or the UK?
In Ireland, most guests give €100 to €200 per person, and more for close family or the bridal party. In the UK the usual range is £50 to £100 for a friend and £25 to £50 for a coworker, with £100 to £200 for immediate family. Most give cash in a card.
Final Thoughts
For most guests, $75 to $150 in cash is a gift the couple will be glad to get, and a thoughtful card matters as much as the figure. Use the calculator for your situation, then trust your own budget.
If you're still weighing it up, the neighbor wedding gift guide goes into more detail for that case.
Quick Reminder! We've found some unique alternatives to giving cash presents here.