Exactly what people are spending on wedding gifts in 2025.

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You know that phase in your life when your weekends are basically hijacked by other people's love stories?

I've been there, done that. But this is possibly you right now.

I was married (too) young at 27… so 15 years ago (yikes!). Back then, I had what feels like the last hurrah of the gift registry era.

The irony? That cutlery, toaster and 'good china' are still going strong… unlike the marriage.

These days, like many people my age, the only weddings I seem to be attending (sparsely) are second weddings. Which is actually quite lovely.

But it got me wondering: how much are people actually spending on wedding gifts in 2025?

Watch: Why you should 'Lemon Law' your next date. Post continues below.

The whole game has changed, hasn't it?

It's not even called a "wishing well" anymore. Now it feels more like a "honeymoon fund" or – let's be honest – an "entry fee" to witness someone's big day.

And surely nobody's wandering around department stores with those little scanner guns anymore? (Their loss – that was peak fun.)

The expert's take.

To get some clarity on modern wedding gift etiquette, I spoke with Gemma Gallagher, a Sydney-based wedding expert, stylist, florist, and creative director of SUB.SUBTLE STUDIO and Party Stems.

"It really depends on how close you are to the couple, but most guests give anywhere between $150 and $300 per person," she said.

"Close friends and family often give more, especially with smaller weddings becoming the norm. People genuinely want to help couples celebrate in a meaningful way rather than just ticking a box with a gift."

Gemma explained the whole attitude around gifting feels more intentional and personal now.

"Around $200 per person is a comfortable average for most weddings. When the guest list is smaller and made up of the couple's inner circle, that amount usually increases."

What real people are spending.

I turned to the Mamamia community to find out what people still in their wedding guest era are actually spending.

The responses revealed a wide range of spending habits, but most aligned with Gemma's expert insights.

"When it comes to weddings with wishing wells, I usually end up spending around $150 per person — so about $300 for my husband and me," said Priya.

*Taylor told me, "I most commonly see wishing wells mentioned on the invites. I give $100 per head, so $200 if my husband and I are attending."

Recent bride *Amara was gifted $500+ from most guests at her wedding, which she noted is more than what she and her husband would typically gift as guests.

Then there's Sam. She recently attended a wedding after only finding out the day beforehand that kids weren't allowed at the reception.

"That meant either paying an extra $200+ for a babysitter, or one of us staying home. We chose the latter, but still felt obliged to give a $300 gift. Oddly, that amount still felt like we were skimping."

The "cover your plate" rule.

Many respondents mentioned the traditional rule of covering the cost of their meal with their gift contribution.

For example, *Marie typically gives $300 per head as a guest for close friends' weddings, and $200 per head for acquaintances.

She added, "With the rising costs of hosting a wedding, my rule of thumb is to cover your place and then a bit extra."

Gemma confirmed the average cost per head has "gone up quite a bit in recent years", which is why "we're seeing gifts closer to $200 per person, rather than $200 per couple."

However, she emphasised an important point:

"A key thing to remember is, it's still a gift... not an entry fee. It really comes down to what you can afford. There shouldn't be pressure around it."

When travel is involved.

Wedding gifts become more complicated when guests need to travel.

Case in point: *Louise was the Maid of Honour for a friend who got married in Tuscany.

"The couple paid for our dresses and accommodation. But including flights, a bachelorette trip where we covered all the bride's expenses, a wishing well gift and other surrounding expenses, I spent around $3,500."

*Tara added, "I think it is crazy to ask people to pay for flights, accomodation and travel, and then also ask for a gift. For my wedding, the majority of guests had to travel from interstate, so I specifically said no gifts — I am more than happy with my decision."

Gemma noted many couples are choosing to explicitly communicate gift expectations via invitations or on wedding invites.

"When guests are travelling interstate or overseas, most couples don't expect a large gift or money because they know travel, accommodation, and time off work already add up."

"Often, just being there is considered a gift."

The death of the gift registry.

What about gift registries? Today, close to 90 per cent of couples are opting for monetary gifts.

Gemma added, "I think traditional gift registries have dropped off because most couples already live together and don't need household items."

"Instead, guests are contributing to honeymoons, first homes, or simply helping ease the financial load of the day."

The no-gift movement.

Some couples are rejecting gifts altogether — or at least giving guests the option not to give a gift.

*Laila told me when she got married recently, they asked guests to not give any money or gifts.

"We kept our wedding low cost, so didn't need to be 'reimbursed'. We're in our early forties and are in a good financial position ourselves."

So, how much money should you give as a wedding gift?

Based on both expert advice and real experiences, the current standard for wedding gifts appears to be:

• Acquaintances and colleagues: $100-150 per person

• Friends: $150-200 per person

• Close friends and family: $200-300+ per person

• Destination weddings: Often, just attendance is considered sufficient

Gemma's final advice for navigating modern wedding gift etiquette?

"Overall, couples are moving away from pressure and focusing on what matters most... celebrating their relationship."

"The most meaningful gifts are the ones given with genuine thought, not expectation."

What do you spend on wedding gifts? Share in the comments below!

Feature Image: Getty.