21st July 2023
How to: find affordable wedding gifts
Not sure how much to spend on a wedding gift? Follow this guide for the perfect present ideas that don’t break the bank
You’ve attended the hen party, spent a fortune on your dress and you’ve even treated yourself to a hotel stay for the evening. Now it’s time to splash out yet more money on that perfect wedding gift.
Weddings are an expensive business and while you love your friends dearly, finding the right present for their big day can mean added pressure to your already precarious finances.
So how do you find a gift that says ‘I wish you a lifetime of happiness’ without breaking the bank? With these tips and tricks, we’ve got you covered.
How much should you spend on a wedding gift?
There is an art to buying a great wedding gift. And often the first question you ask yourself is, what’s the budget? You don’t want to look cheap, but you do want to keep your gift in the realm of affordability.
Etiquette suggests that you should consider how much it will cost to host you at the reception. However, you might need to take a more flexible approach depending on how much you’re already spending to attend and how close your relationship is to the happy couple.
According to the online wedding platform Zola, the average person spends about £40 and £80 on wedding gifts. And if you are a close friend or family member, then your spending might rise to about £120.
But if you want to splash out on a special wedding gift, or the bride and groom have provided a list of expensive items on their registry, you can always opt for a group gift. Get in touch with your common friends and decide which gift to choose, and each one can give their part. It means you can gift something special without clearing out your savings.
Wedding gift cards
You can always opt for a practical solution by purchasing wedding gift cards. This is especially useful if there isn’t a gift list available or if you’re attending the wedding of someone you’re not that close to.
You’ll find a great variety of wedding gift card options to explore at some of the UK’s top retailers.
We recommend taking a look at John Lewis & Partners where you can choose from a collection of colourful gift cards and e-gift cards. They last for 24 months, longer than the standard year offered by many other retailers, which means the couple has plenty of time to decide what they want to buy.
Consider experience gift cards from John Lewis, too, with the chance to invite someone to enjoy a fabulous in-store experience, from a personal styling session to lavish beauty treatments.
Another great option packed, with a huge variety of categories and products, is Next. Take your pick from the variety of different designs, from elegant to fun, and the bride and groom can enjoy browsing the range of wedding-themed gifts, personalised trinkets to remember their big day, as well as jewellery and homeware.
Argos also offers gift cards for a whole range of different brands as well as an Argos gift card. Treat the newlyweds to a Habitat or Apple gift card, or go for an All Access Gift Card, which covers a whole range of brands from restaurants to top holiday companies.
Or simply give them the gift of choice with the Argos gift card. They can use it to spend on homeware, tech, accessories, and more.
Opting for a carefully chosen wedding gift card can show someone you know them well while also giving them the gift of choice.
Opt for cashback stores
Another useful idea for looking for the perfect wedding gift is to search at stores that provide cashback. You might be surprised at how many well-known retailers and famous high-street brands offer cashback on your purchases, sometimes at very generous rates. It means you have a chance to save up for a gift, just by spending on your regular purchases.
To help you find out where does cashback, several platforms have helpfully collected all of this information in a single place, making it easy for you to look for the right stores. You can access links via these platforms to directly unlock your cashback benefits and earn money while you shop.
Re-gifting
If you’re really concerned that you can’t afford a wedding gift, consider the option of re-gifting. This is basically giving someone a gift that has already been given to you.
Although frowned upon for a long time, re-gifting is starting to gain acceptability as more people commit to sustainability and the joys of finding second-hand hidden gems, especially in fashion.
If you decide to re-gift for a wedding present, remember the golden rules. You should only re-gift something that you would have purchased for the recipient, as it shows thought and care. It’s best to re-gift items that are still in the original packaging or in pristine condition, although this rule can be waived if we’re talking about special items with sentimental value.
Possibly, the most important thing to remember is to re-gift amongst separate social circles to avoid embarrassment! It’s far less of a headache to re-gift if the recipient has no connection to the person who originally gave you the gift.
Cheap homeware stores
If you’re still struggling with ideas, you can’t go wrong with buying a gift for the home. Buying a useful item that the bride and groom will actually use is a genuinely practical thing to do. Even better, buying something that addresses a need in the home will show your care and attention to the recipient.
There are some great homeware stores that offer practical products that are special enough to be gifted to newlyweds. Home Essentials and Dunelm stock fantastic items for all areas of the home and garden.
Consider practical gifts that would be an upgrade on the items they already have, such as a set of nifty non-stick pans if they love to cook, or a beautiful dinner set if they like entertaining.
Big day bargains
There are plenty of creative ways to buy great wedding gifts that don’t empty your pockets. If you’re low on wedding gift ideas, go practical with homeware or imaginative with a gift card.
Consider cashback options, and don’t be afraid of a thoughtful re-gift that says something special about your relationship with the happy couple.
Now you have plenty of ideas to work with, it’s time to get back to the fun stuff - planning your wedding outfit and checking if the best man is single…
Let us help you get ready for the big day!
We consider ourselves to be wedding experts, so we know that much of the way you look at the wedding is in the prep. Why not check out our wallet-friendly skincare article to ensure you're glowing in the run-up to the event? Plus, we've got an article outlining everything you need to know about creating a perfect make-up routine on a budget so you'll look flawless all day long.
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