“Wedding After Party” Gifts

[WaltzingWaters]

My partner and I are going to a wedding party in May. The couple got officially married overseas a few months back but are having a UK party to celebrate. I’m assuming food will be provided though not sure. The invite says nothing about gifts.

Whats the gift norm for a party that’s for a wedding but not an actual wedding? Do we give £50 in a card. Get a little gift like photo frame? Just give a card and buy them both a drink? No idea if the gift etiquette is the same as an actual wedding or if it’ll just look odd giving them £50 (or whatever amount).

Most after-parties I have been to after weddings have a little postbox, like 4ft high, where you can pop your envelope in with your £50. It's not weird. Most people do it.

I’d treat it same as a normal wedding. Although I tend to give more as a full guest than a night time. I’d treat this as if I was a night guest and give them £20

£50 John Lewis gift card can’t go wrong

I would treat it as a normal wedding. The point of giving a gift at a wedding is to wish the couple well in their new married life together. It's not an exchange for food/drinks consumed. If I was going to a birthday celebration for someone, I'd bring in them a card/gift, not eye up how much they are spending on the buffet to decide what to give them. Cash in a card is a simple easy and thoughtful gift. Give what you think seems appropriate and within your budget. We're a family of 4 and financially comfortable enough, we tend to give £100. If it's just you going, £20-50 is perfectly fine.

Hi I did this a couple of years ago, but we specified on the invitations that we did not expect/want gifts. Could you not ask them what they would like you to do?

£50-£100 is about right if you’re fed. If there’s no food £50. You can always put it in the card when you get there. The rule of thumb is to at least cover your food costs which is usually about £20-£30 per head if it’s a buffet. Unless you’re Indian and it’s family then you give hundreds.

I’d give £20 in this scenario; same as I would for an evening invite for a wedding

I did this and I'm got mostly cards with cash ins

We "eloped" and then had a party the weekend we got back and intentionally left gifts of the invited

Most people gave between &50 and &20 per couple. We also had about 6 bottles of champagne which was equally nice. And few other type gifts including a gorgeous hurricane lamp and my friend made us some cute Xmas tree decos

We got one really weird present which was one of those wooden figures that you buy from H Samuel. Nothing wrong with that but it was clearly second hand as no box and smelled horrendously of damp!

I'm not a fan of the after party thing (we got married abroad and didn't do one), but I would just give whatever I would give for any other wedding.

The gift is to wish them well in their marriage, the amount shouldn't hinge on their choice of celebration IMO.

Not everyone likes to shop for household stuff online. We no longer have a John Lewis.

Totally depends on the event! Bring spare cash and make a game day decision.

It’s the same as a normal wedding and it’s £100 not £50!. £50 is what you spend on your sister/bestie for a birthday - not a once in a lifetime wedding occasion.

Great, unless you dont live near a place you can spend it, and dont have enough to top up to something worthwhile online

I'd not be impressed with a JL voucher (what I mean is maybe find out which shop would be best, or leave a cheque for the amount)

Depends on where you live. Many places are nowhere near a John Lewis.

Surely that depends on your relationship to the B&G? Close friends or more acquaintances?