Wediquette Wednesday: Does my friend have to buy a gift if she doesn’t attend the wedding?

Each Wednesday, we tackle wedding etiquette. At times, it’s a reader question or one from a colleague, friend or family member and other times we’ll cover a popular issue. (Note: Questions may be edited for clarity and brevity.)

 

Question: A girl from high school invited one person from our friend group to her wedding. We were all surprised about the invitation, given none of us are or were close to her. Honestly, we really didn’t even get along. My friend doesn’t want to go, but I think she should still send a gift and well wishes. Does my friend have to buy a gift if she doesn’t attend the wedding? If so, how much should does she have to spend?

Answer: Technically, if you don’t attend the wedding, there’s no expectation of a gift. That said, if you are close to the invitee, it’s customary to send something along to the couple. If you are not close, a card with well wishes will suffice. A small, inexpensive gift is of course a nice gesture if it’s in your budget.  A set of kitchen towels or something else simple and practical is usually not going to set you back much, but again, unless you are attending the wedding it’s not mandatory.

 

Do you have a solution to share or a wedding etiquette question? Respond in the comments or email Melanie@MyNewOrleans.com.

 

 

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