Weddings are a costly affair, with the average guest spending around £272 to attend. But when it comes to the gift itself, Brits have clear expectations: if you're close to the bride and groom, you should be spending £76 to £100 on the present alone.
According to YouGov's Big Survey on Weddings, 30% of Brits believe you should actually drop more than that, with 9% thinking it should exceed £200. Unsurprisingly, those with household incomes over £70,000 are more likely to spend £100 or more, while just 22% of those earning under £25,000 feel the same.
Evening guests can spend less
If you're not close to the couple, you're off the hook. The median 'right' spend for evening guests is between £26 and £50, with 32% believing this is generous and 24% wanting to cap it at £25.
The traditional homeware gift is fading, as more than nine in 10 couples who married in 2021 or 2022 were cohabitating before tying the knot. Instead, honeymoon funds have surged in popularity post-pandemic, with Lauren Enever of Prezola telling the i Paper that couples want to 'make-up for lost time'.
Cash gifts and open bars
About 20% of Prezola gift lists are money-only, while half are a mix of cash and registry gifts. Of the cash gifts, 60% are specifically honeymoon-fund contributions. Just over two thirds of Brits feel comfortable asking for cash instead of a physical present, with less than a quarter finding it tacky.
When it comes to the bar, 74% of guests think it's acceptable for the bride and groom to expect you to pay for your own alcohol. However, 12% say it's somewhat or completely unacceptable for hosts not to provide free drinks.
Wedding costs and honeymoon spending
The average UK wedding now costs £21,990, according to Hitched, but Brits think couples should spend no more than £6,000 on the big day, excluding stag and hen dos and the honeymoon. In reality, only a quarter of couples spend £10,000 or less.
Venue hire and catering take up the largest chunk of the budget, with Brits saying the median spend for each should be £1,000. However, 20% think £2,001 to £5,000 is appropriate for both, and the average couple spends £7,408 on catering and £6,040 on a venue, according to Bridebook.
Guests are most open to spending on the honeymoon, with the median spend at £2,000 and 34% thinking it's acceptable to pay £2,001 to £5,000. About 7% feel the amount should be up to £10,000.
