Question · Cards & etiquette
What is wedding gift etiquette?
Wedding gift etiquette is simpler than it sounds: use the couple's registry or wishlist if they have one, give either a gift or money, and don't worry too much about exact timing.
Wedding gift etiquette in the UK is looser than people expect. If the couple has a gift list or registry, use it — that's what it's for, and it removes the guesswork. If they don't, a thoughtful gift chosen with them in mind, or money toward the honeymoon or the first home, are both perfectly acceptable; neither is seen as the "lesser" option these days.
On timing, gifts can arrive before the wedding, be brought on the day, or sent up to a few weeks after — there's no strict deadline, though sooner is generally kinder to the couple's unpacking. A thank-you card back from the couple is the norm, usually within a few months, but a delay there isn't a slight. For gift ideas by budget and relationship, see unique wedding gift ideas, or for what to actually write, what to write in a wedding card.
Written by Craig Fearn, Printed Weddings.