Wedding Gift Ideas Offered on Early Show of CBS Network

The CBS Network Early Show recently hosted Kiplinger's Personal Finance spokesperson, Vera Gibbons, where she offered insider tips and advice on saving money on choosing wedding gifts. Ms. Gibbons stated, "Ultimately it depends on your relationship with the bride, groom or both. But it's not required to go to everything, particularly if you're just a casual acquaintance and it involves travel. One thing you do want to do, though, is RSVP. That's just good manners."

Referring to the 'The Wedding Channel', Gibbons reminded viewers that the average wedding engagement gift amount is about $35, and a wedding shower gift has an average of $25. Regarding wedding gift ideas, Gibbons stated the wedding gift is most commonly based on the giver's relationship with the bride and the groom, in combination with the giver's budget. "If you're a college grad and you spend just $50, that's perfectly acceptable. They wouldn't want you to break the bank. They want to you go to their wedding," continued Gibbons.

Additional ways to save include choosing personalized wedding gifts. Gibbons said, "If you can't afford the expensive china that they registered for, for example, give them a nice place setting and enclose a copy of an old family recipe. Put together a scrapbook or photo album or some of your more memorable moments. This is the kind of thing that can really go a long way." Another possibility is offering your talent. She added, "If you can sing, play the guitar, or have some other special talent, show it off. This is something they'll remember for forever and it won't matter that you only spent $50 or less on the actual gift."