Wishing Well Wedding Amount Suggestion

Frantic on 06/04/2024 - 21:28
Last edited 06/04/2024 - 21:30

Hi team,

Have a wedding for a good mate on Monday and he will have a wishing well setup.

Is it normally cash or a gift card?

I've known him for a few years through work but we are close to best friends or at least very close friends.

I was thinking $100-150 is that too low?

I'm currently studying for my PLT in law so am temporarily out of work also.

Wedding is not overly flash and I need to organise my own transport from the church to the reception which annoys me a bit (not sure how common this is)

I gave him a $50 Myer gift card for his house warming, for example.

Thank you!

General Discussion

Comments

  • CodeXD on 06/04/2024 - 21:41
    +2

    I've known him for a few years through work but we are close to best friends or at least very close friends.

    Are you not close enough to ask him cash or gift card? Is there anything written on the invite?

    Wedding is not overly flash and I need to organise my own transport from the church to the reception which annoys me a bit (not sure how common this is)

    Make friends with someone attending the wedding at the church and hitch a ride to reception, you're all going to the same place anyway. Do you know anyone else going? Sounds like you might be on the leftover table, close enough to bride/groom to get invited but not necessary part of a group table?

    • Frantic on 06/04/2024 - 22:30
      +1

      Cheers I did ask and he suggested 'card and cash if you like' phew..

  • chiesel21 on 06/04/2024 - 21:41
    +7

    Wishing well normally cash, I would normally gave my mates a congratulation card with $100-$150 in it, unless you are loaded then its up to you.

    • Adredocto on 06/04/2024 - 21:56
      +2

      This

    • Frantic on 06/04/2024 - 22:34

      Gonna go with this, thank you!

  • Sye on 06/04/2024 - 21:42
    +9

    Is it normally cash or a gift card?

    Neither. Give eneloops.

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 06/04/2024 - 22:06
      +2

      Maybe some of them OG bottom- of the -drawer vintage golden era ozBARGAIN-haven’t been charged in 10 years ones?

  • jv on 06/04/2024 - 22:01
    -2

    Is it normally cash or a gift card?

    e-books

  • MS Paint on 06/04/2024 - 22:05
    +3

    studying for my PLT

    Past Life Therapy?

    need to organise my own transport from the church to the reception

    Are the best man (hint: it doesn't sound like it)?

    • jv on 06/04/2024 - 22:14
      +8

      Pokémon League Trials.

      • MS Paint on 06/04/2024 - 22:14
        +2

        That makes more sense. Cheers

        • Frantic on 06/04/2024 - 22:29

          Both funny and kind of accurate for the course I'm doing haha

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 06/04/2024 - 22:07
    +9

    At least cover cost of the meal is my recommendation

    • jv on 06/04/2024 - 22:14
      -1

      Maccas ?

    • barge-in hunter on 07/04/2024 - 06:44

      Agreed - I’m usually a little on more the generous side.

      “Cost of my seat at the reception” + “a little bit extra”

    • jm7 on 07/04/2024 - 12:46

      Agree. We usually gift $300+ ($150pp) to cover our per head cost.

  • onetwothreefour on 06/04/2024 - 22:08
    +6

    Sign him up for an ozbargain premium membership, that will set him up for life.

  • JimmyF on 06/04/2024 - 22:11
    +2

    Is it normally cash or a gift card?

    Cash

    I was thinking $100-150 is that too low?

    Normally roughly equal to what they would have spent on hosting you. So ~$100/head.

    • Frantic on 06/04/2024 - 22:34
      +1

      Cheers!

  • Downvoter on 06/04/2024 - 22:13

    2 by pineapples at least

  • Frantic on 06/04/2024 - 22:31
    +3

    Cheers guys appreciate the quick helpful responses and funny old school ozbargain references and jokes :-)

    Gonna go with $100-150 with a nice card!

  • Stewardo on 06/04/2024 - 22:46
    +1

    $500-$1000

    • freefall101 on 07/04/2024 - 00:53
      +2

      I gave my brother $500 for his wedding about ~20 years ago and he said "thanks for paying about a week of my mortgage". Bloody Sydney housing prices.

      Also I wish $500 was a week of my mortgage payments these days.

  • Nillionaire on 06/04/2024 - 22:50
    +2

    Patek Philippe watch for the groom and a Birkin for the bride

  • John Kimble on 06/04/2024 - 23:35

    Depends. $150 to $250 I reckon.

  • elgrande on 06/04/2024 - 23:43
    +3

    Its normally 30% of your salary.. or maybe thats an engagent ring.. can never remember.

    Just remember, the more you give him, the more he will need to pay when he divorces.

  • George Washington on 06/04/2024 - 23:44

    enough to deposit for a house

  • Ryanek on 06/04/2024 - 23:50

    At the very minimum the cost of the 'per head' of the reception.

  • joka on 07/04/2024 - 06:07

    Yeh $100 to $150 is sufficient. If he’s a good fiend, maybe a bit more.

    I know of people who think $20 is more than enough and give that amount. Without bringing race into it, I have noticed they are all a specific nationality and others say the same thing when I bring it up in conversation.

  • nomoneynoproblems on 07/04/2024 - 07:07
    +9

    $150 is the absolute minimum these days. $100 was the standard 10 years ago. Ideally you want to cover your seat, and then some on top. If it’s a cheap wedding (location, menu, no alcohol, etc) then $150. If the menu is decent and quality alcohol i would up it to $250-$300.

    • Ughhh on 07/04/2024 - 13:34
      -1

      Yup.

      A non-immediate family of 6, consisting of established working parents and 4 working teenagers, gave a whopping $150 for the whole family. This was for a sit down reception with choice of meal, free alcohol and desserts. What pissed me off is they had the audacity to jokingly imply I was cheap at some point before the wedding. I definitely don't regret seating them near the toilets.

  • mike6969 on 07/04/2024 - 07:24

    Enough to cover the food and booze I consume at the wedding is my policy

  • SmiTTy on 07/04/2024 - 07:35
    +1

    Usually I try to find out the cost of the meal per person then give no less than this amount. How much more will depend on how good of a friend they are.

    Go to the web page of the wedding reception and see if you can download information about their wedding packages. It's not always available

  • kiwijunglist on 07/04/2024 - 07:48
    +2

    I think $100-250 zone. And probably $150 is about right given you are just one guest, you are a real friend rather than colleague and you are not working currently. Bump it up to $200 if he is a very very good friend. I think anything in this zone is reasonable and wouldn't come off as too little. Having said that i don't drink much alcohol so i am a cheap guest.

  • brad1-8tsi on 07/04/2024 - 07:48
    +2

    I'm organising my wedding at the moment.

    It's only 60-80 people. It's at The Bar at The End of The Wharf in The Rocks. The venue has great sentimental value.

    Friday daytime because it's cheaper. 6 hour hire. Canapes and drinks. No cars, no bridesmaids or best men. Fiance is having a dress from David jones (Camilla). I'm wearing a modern version of a pirate outfit. No band, just a DJ. No honeymoon

    Original budget was $30k, now it's $50k. Per head that's $600-800. Just the food & drink without venue hire and wait staff will be $200-$250/head.

    So if you are a p!sshead like me and tend to drink 8-15 glasses of champagne (@$15/glass) over a 5 hour period and grab a canape every time the waiter walks by you probably need to lift your game.

    • joka on 07/04/2024 - 08:47
      +2

      I was expecting to read “no bride” in there too

    • MS Paint on 07/04/2024 - 09:01
      +1

      This has the wisdom of a second marriage to me. No fluff just quality.

      • brad1-8tsi on 07/04/2024 - 17:30

        This has the wisdom of a second marriage to me. No fluff just quality

        First wedding was a registry office and a reception 12 months later.

        This one is about fun, family and friends. I've had a good year financially so I thought "why not!".

    • kiitos on 12/04/2024 - 11:48

      Wow, that price it's a lot higher than I would have thought for that.

  • Ade99 on 07/04/2024 - 09:43
    +2

    If a relo then $300>$400 if a friend $250….covers the food plus a little something for the honey moon

  • 2esc on 07/04/2024 - 14:06

    $150 i think will be right. Dont give a gift card unless your certain its something bith bride and groom can use. If your a big drinker at these events give a bit more though $200 plus. Or limit your drinking this time around.

    Its normal to arrange your own transport actually never heard of transportation being provided.

  • ChocStrawberries on 07/04/2024 - 17:39
    +3

    I didn't realise that weddings were such a good source of income for the bride and groom! When Mr Strawberries and I were married, we kept the wedding to what we could afford (40 guests, small venue, did decorations ourselves, etc) and without exaggeration, the total value of the gifts we received was probably $300, max. We couldn't care less. Our day was about sharing it with loved ones, not what we could get off them, or having them "pay their way" to attend our damn wedding! Each to their own, but all these comments surprise me - times have changed!!

  • Stuj on 07/04/2024 - 18:22

    Give a card that says a donation has been made on your behalf to the Human Fund

  • bamzero on 08/04/2024 - 02:33

    Well personally I hate gift cards as gifts, don't understand the hesitance to give cash. Spend anywhere and doesn't expire (well that may change ;)

    If it's a good mate, and he knows your out of work I'm sure any amount would be appreciated. I mean, weddings are unnecessarily expensive but the aim isn't to recover the costs from your guests, it's to celebrate the day with them (and appease the bride)

    Also haven't been to any wedding where I've been transported from the church to reception so can't say it's a regular thing.

  • Tightmike on 08/04/2024 - 17:04
    +2

    My wedding the wealthy aunt gave $30, a close mates parents gave $500. The majority were $100-200

    • John Kimble on 08/04/2024 - 17:27
      +1

      Explains why she's wealthy 😂

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