Hope this isn't too personal but I have instructions from my fiance to ask this to you all. My FI asked how much is appropriate to spend on wedding gifts for each other. I said I had no idea and that I would ask The Hive. I asked him what he was thinking and he said "Is $500-$1000 too much?" Now, he is NOT Mr. Moneybags by ANY means, so I said that is absolutely too much.
So my question to all of you is, if you bought one, how much did you spend/how much do you plan to spend on a gift for your groom. Also, for those here who are already married, how much (ballpark) did your groom spend on your gift (if he gave you one). Thanks!
I spent around $400 on boudouir pics, but that is what I really wanted to do. He doesn't even know I did them (I said I was shopping). I wouldn't pick a price if I were you. I would just try to think of something that would mean a lot to each other as husband and wife. Something personal and don't tell each other what you're spending-that just takes the romance and excitement away if you're worrying about money. Is there something he's always wanted you to do, or dress in, or that would become a great heirloom?
I spent $485 on boudoir pics and Blurb album, $150 on a hockey jersey for the boudoir pics (to be given with the album), and $225 on a groom's cake. I agree with bree -- it wasn't like I set an amount, but I just wanted to do these things for him. I'd approach it that way.
Oh gosh! Duh! I have been thinking about boudoir pics forever so I can't believe I didn't think of that. And the groom's cake idea is a great one!
I think I'll probably take bree's (that is my future sister-in-law's name!) and rebecca's advice about not worrying about the amount. Thanks so much girls! Oh, and keep the ideas coming
I am spending a bit more than I intended, but I really wanted to get him boudoir pics and a gift certificate to have an experience he really wanted (heli-skiing), which was pretty spendy. However, as others have said, I wanted to get him those gifts and the cost was a secondary consideration (that I really had to budget and save for!). On the wedding day I know it will be worth it. I plan to tuck the gift certificate in the book of photos and hope to see his jaw drop twice:)
we don't have the budget to splurge, so it will probably be $100 or less...I might do boudoir instead of e-pics (from our pkg), bc he won't notice the switch & we have some amateur photog friends who will do e-pics for "cost"
that being said, if you can splurge, go for it...however, if it is going to cause you debt or major stress, then there are many other occassions (anniversaries, etc.) in your future on which you can splurge, so I would make it something "wedding-y" like a family heirloom watch...I know it's cheesy, but I actually get giddy thinking about "I have the rest of our lives to pamper/surprise/etc him"
I'm considering buying him his "dream toy" a 25th anniversary Ms. Pac-Man Tabletop Arcade game... the $3000 price tag is holding me back. What do you ladies think?
We debated as to whether to even do gifts for each other, particularly given that we spent some serious cash on the wedding rings. I mean, how much more of a present do you need? In the end, I got him a really gorgeous tie he had been eyeing at Nordstrom for months ($250) and he got me a Tissot watch - not sure what he spent, but it is a very simple design, stainless with a leather band, not a dress watch but just for me to wear to work every day. We agreed right up front that we weren't going to go crazy on the gifts - just a nice something that we could pay for in cash. After all, if the theory is to start out without a bunch of wedding related debt, I think that includes the gifts.
We've decided that our honeymoon will be our gift to each other--though I might get him some little joke gift as well. I picture us taking turns buying dinner on the honeymoon, even though it all comes from the same bank account
I spent $25 because it was something that was sufficient to get my message across and still tie back to the wedding theme we had. He did the same, but spent $100. We had a vintage travel wedding theme and I gave him cuff links that are reminiscent of the old NSEW things on an old map and he got me a message in a heart bottle thing with his vows in it.
I'd say spend whatever you are comfortable spending. I also had boudoir pictures done the morning of the wedding; I just had my photographer come in a bit earlier. :)
I do not think we are even planning to do these gifts, and if we are they will be token. We have spent a lot on rings and our honeymoon, so we wil probably do something for our 1st anniversary.
I'm debating this too. My FI doesn't know much about weddings, beyond what he's seen in movies, so I don't even know how to bring it up, or if I should. Plus, my birthday is only a month before, so I don't want him spending a bunch of money twice.
As some of the PP said, there's no need to put a price tag on it. My FI and I are paying for a lot of our wedding and are considering our rings to be each others gifts - well, that and the kick a$$ honeymoon we've got planned. However, last week I couldn't help myself, and I bought a pair of $15 custom cuff links from a seller on Etsy. I'll probably surprise him with them when we go to get fitted for his tux (you know, say something along the lines of "Those would look great, what do you think?") so that i don't have to worry about getting it to him on the wedding day and him feeling bad because we decided no gifts.
Hope this isn't too personal but I have instructions from my fiance to ask this to you all. My FI asked how much is appropriate to spend on wedding gifts for each other. I said I had no idea and that I would ask The Hive. I asked him what he was thinking and he said "Is $500-$1000 too much?" Now, he is NOT Mr. Moneybags by ANY means, so I said that is absolutely too much.
So my question to all of you is, if you bought one, how much did you spend/how much do you plan to spend on a gift for your groom. Also, for those here who are already married, how much (ballpark) did your groom spend on your gift (if he gave you one). Thanks!
posted by EAQ219 31 posts 3 months agoI spent around $400 on boudouir pics, but that is what I really wanted to do. He doesn't even know I did them (I said I was shopping). I wouldn't pick a price if I were you. I would just try to think of something that would mean a lot to each other as husband and wife. Something personal and don't tell each other what you're spending-that just takes the romance and excitement away if you're worrying about money. Is there something he's always wanted you to do, or dress in, or that would become a great heirloom?
posted by bree72 89 posts 3 months agoI spent $485 on boudoir pics and Blurb album, $150 on a hockey jersey for the boudoir pics (to be given with the album), and $225 on a groom's cake. I agree with bree -- it wasn't like I set an amount, but I just wanted to do these things for him. I'd approach it that way.
posted by rebecca 989 posts 3 months agoWe haven't decided what to do yet ... but we're thinking of having the rings be the gifts - so I buy his and he buy mine.
posted by Krista 102 posts 3 months agoOh gosh! Duh! I have been thinking about boudoir pics forever so I can't believe I didn't think of that. And the groom's cake idea is a great one!
I think I'll probably take bree's (that is my future sister-in-law's name!) and rebecca's advice about not worrying about the amount. Thanks so much girls! Oh, and keep the ideas coming
posted by EAQ219 31 posts 3 months agoI spent 350 on a really nice watch he commented a few months back he wanted, he spent 200 on diamond & pearl earrings I'd been dying for.
It just depends on what you guys want :)
posted by babagrlshell 388 posts 3 months agoI'm probably in the minority, but I bought him a watch. A very expensive watch.
posted by KateMW 483 posts 3 months agoI am spending a bit more than I intended, but I really wanted to get him boudoir pics and a gift certificate to have an experience he really wanted (heli-skiing), which was pretty spendy. However, as others have said, I wanted to get him those gifts and the cost was a secondary consideration (that I really had to budget and save for!). On the wedding day I know it will be worth it. I plan to tuck the gift certificate in the book of photos and hope to see his jaw drop twice:)
posted by ErinMarieMack 265 posts 3 months agowe don't have the budget to splurge, so it will probably be $100 or less...I might do boudoir instead of e-pics (from our pkg), bc he won't notice the switch & we have some amateur photog friends who will do e-pics for "cost"
that being said, if you can splurge, go for it...however, if it is going to cause you debt or major stress, then there are many other occassions (anniversaries, etc.) in your future on which you can splurge, so I would make it something "wedding-y" like a family heirloom watch...I know it's cheesy, but I actually get giddy thinking about "I have the rest of our lives to pamper/surprise/etc him"
posted by cannotwait 228 posts 3 months agoI'm considering buying him his "dream toy" a 25th anniversary Ms. Pac-Man Tabletop Arcade game... the $3000 price tag is holding me back.
posted by racheljo 8 posts 2 months agoWhat do you ladies think?
We debated as to whether to even do gifts for each other, particularly given that we spent some serious cash on the wedding rings. I mean, how much more of a present do you need? In the end, I got him a really gorgeous tie he had been eyeing at Nordstrom for months ($250) and he got me a Tissot watch - not sure what he spent, but it is a very simple design, stainless with a leather band, not a dress watch but just for me to wear to work every day. We agreed right up front that we weren't going to go crazy on the gifts - just a nice something that we could pay for in cash. After all, if the theory is to start out without a bunch of wedding related debt, I think that includes the gifts.
posted by suzanno 1,978 posts 2 months agoWe've decided that our honeymoon will be our gift to each other--though I might get him some little joke gift as well. I picture us taking turns buying dinner on the honeymoon, even though it all comes from the same bank account
posted by Smithie71 31 posts 2 months agoI spent $25 because it was something that was sufficient to get my message across and still tie back to the wedding theme we had. He did the same, but spent $100. We had a vintage travel wedding theme and I gave him cuff links that are reminiscent of the old NSEW things on an old map and he got me a message in a heart bottle thing with his vows in it.
I'd say spend whatever you are comfortable spending. I also had boudoir pictures done the morning of the wedding; I just had my photographer come in a bit earlier. :)
posted by JCM9608 470 posts 2 months agoI do not think we are even planning to do these gifts, and if we are they will be token. We have spent a lot on rings and our honeymoon, so we wil probably do something for our 1st anniversary.
posted by chelseamorning 215 posts 2 months agoI'm debating this too. My FI doesn't know much about weddings, beyond what he's seen in movies, so I don't even know how to bring it up, or if I should. Plus, my birthday is only a month before, so I don't want him spending a bunch of money twice.
posted by historykitty 33 posts 2 months agoAs some of the PP said, there's no need to put a price tag on it. My FI and I are paying for a lot of our wedding and are considering our rings to be each others gifts - well, that and the kick a$$ honeymoon we've got planned. However, last week I couldn't help myself, and I bought a pair of $15 custom cuff links from a seller on Etsy. I'll probably surprise him with them when we go to get fitted for his tux (you know, say something along the lines of "Those would look great, what do you think?") so that i don't have to worry about getting it to him on the wedding day and him feeling bad because we decided no gifts.
posted by ktdid23 106 posts 2 months ago