As wedding season gains momentum nationwide in Canada, guests are facing a common dilemma amidst rising expenses: how much to budget for a wedding present? With costs mounting for travel, accommodations, and attire, attending a wedding can quickly add up. Moreover, an increasing number of couples are opting for cash gifts or contributions towards their honeymoon instead of traditional registry items, leaving invitees uncertain about gift expectations.
Sydney MacDonald, speaking to CBC in Calgary’s Beltline, expressed the challenge of determining a set gift amount due to varied circumstances. She typically leans towards the $100 to $200 range for wedding gifts, while Meghan McKay suggests $250, and Patrick Griffin from St. John’s opts for $100. Faye Bian prefers giving a gift and limits her budget to $50 to $100. These deliberations reflect the evolving norms as Canadians navigate wedding etiquette against the backdrop of a higher cost of living.
Lauren Dubie, planning her own wedding in 2028, factors in her current financial constraints and proximity to the couple when deciding on gift amounts. She prefers cash gifts over traditional registries, which she deems outdated.
The evolving landscape of wedding costs is intertwined with the broader trend of rising expenses. Statistics from WeddingWire Canada and The Knot’s 2025 Global Report indicate that the average Canadian wedding ranges between $30,000 and $42,000. Escalating prices across various sectors, including a nearly 20% increase in inflation since 2021 per Statistics Canada, contribute to the overall hike in wedding expenses. Amanda Figueredo, owner of Day of Diva Planning & Coordination, notes significant rises in food and beverage costs, such as signature drinks now priced around $17 compared to $10 in the past.
Figueredo advises against correlating gifts directly with wedding expenses, emphasizing other cost factors involved. She suggests a starting point of around $100 for wedding gifts based on guests’ capacity. Wedding industry experts stress that there is no fixed rule for gift-giving and guests should give from the heart within their means.
Furthermore, changing lifestyles are reshaping traditional gift-giving practices, as many couples already cohabit before marriage, diminishing the need for household items typically found on registries. Jennifer Bruce, who married in Calgary in 2025, exemplifies this shift by requesting contributions to a honeymoon fund instead of physical gifts, given their established household.
Cultural traditions also influence gift-giving practices, with monetary gifts being customary in certain communities like the South Asian population. Sarika Verma and Lisa Lee-Truong highlight the significance of money as a symbol of prosperity and success in these cultures, with monetary gifts being the norm at weddings. Monetary gifts have seen an upward trend, with guests commonly giving between $150 to $200 per person in recent years, reflecting a shift towards higher gift amounts.
In conclusion, the evolving landscape of wedding costs and changing gift-giving traditions underscore the importance of thoughtful and meaningful gifts tailored to individual circumstances and relationships.