How Much Cash Should You Give For A Wedding Gift?

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and there’s something in the air aside from just pollen. That’s right: It’s wedding season. Before you know it, you’ll have a save-the-date or two (or seven) pinned up on your fridge, and as much as weddings can bring on the warm and fuzzy feelings, your wallet might not share the same sentiment. Not only can attending a wedding be expensive, the etiquette of spending can also be confusing. While you might be provided with a dress code, you likely won’t receive an FAQ on how much to spend on wedding gifts.

When it comes to gift-giving, there are many avenues to take. Typically, you can go the normal registry route, the honeymoon registry route, or the good ole cash in an envelope route. The latter is increasingly popular, but is there an agreed upon right amount to give — generous enough so that you're not cheaping out, but reasonable enough so you can still pay off your credit card at the end of the month? 

It certainly varies person to person. Online wedding registry and retailer Zola estimates that the average wedding gift amount ranges from $50 to $100, whereas recent data from The Knot indicates that the average guest spends $160 on a wedding gift. The common thread for both, however, is that the amount increases if someone in the couple is a close friend or family member. When we asked our readers, most of them shared this belief, too.

And then there are other factors to consider: What if you're in the wedding party? What if the bride gave you less for your wedding last year? In the end, there is no correct answer — sorry. The only steadfast rule is that you should only spend what fits in your budget. Any good friend or family member won’t measure your celebration of them in monetary value. Still, it can be helpful to know how others dealt with this situation.

Ahead, read what 21 women had to say when we asked: What's the appropriate amount of cash to give for a wedding gift?