How to Give a Great Wedding Gift When Your Broke

Weddings are expensive – for the couple getting married, for the parents, and even for those attending. The average wedding is now around $35,000. The average guest spends $888 to attend a wedding — $118 of that going to gifts. YOWZA!!!

The weird thing is, weddings always have a way of popping up when your broke. Never fails!

Even if you have the money, most people don’t WANT to spend close to $200 on a gift. If you find yourself in that position where you really don’t have the funds to purchase an extravagant gift (or don’t want to) use these tips to still give the couple something that shows you care!

Volunteer to help: Months in advance, offer to help out with the wedding. Don’t just offer “to help out,” name something specific! Offer to be the designated wedding Instagrammer/photographer, create the wedding website, or even DJ the event. Using your skills to help make the wedding great is better than a crockpot any day!

A gift from the heart: Don’t want to volunteer? consider writing the bride and groom a heartfelt letter and pairing it with a photo you took of them in a nice frame. Again, this requires some planning ahead (you have to take that photo, after all), but it’s a lovely gesture that any bride and groom would appreciate. Homemade/ heartfelt gifts are always a winner!

Go in on a bigger ticket item: Chances are, you’re not the only person invited to this wedding that doesn’t want to spend a fortune. Set a personal dollar limit (even if it’s just $15 or $20) and ask around to see if friends would be willing to go in on a bigger item with you. That way, you’ll be able to contribute something substantial while keeping costs down.

Grab a modest gift card: Get a smaller gift card to help them get the gifts they wanted but didn’t get. You could even pair it with a card explaining that you’d love to give more, but you’re not in a good financial position to spend, and you sincerely wish them the best and love them. People understand and will appreciate the gesture!

Most importantly: Don’t just ignore the gift-giving part of a wedding. The bride and groom WILL notice and it WILL be awkward.

Hope these tips help you save at the next wedding you are invited too!

Any other tips?