Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 2
UK Wedding Guests Debate £116 Cash Gifts for Honeymoons and Home Renovations
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 2

UK Wedding Guests Debate £116 Cash Gifts for Honeymoons and Home Renovations

2 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 2

Summary

  • £116 is the average wedding-guest contribution on Prezola as UK couples increasingly swap gift lists for honeymoon, renovation or other cash funds.
  • Requests for money solve the problem of unwanted presents, but they create a new etiquette question over how much to give, with guests weighing closeness, culture and the cost of attending.
  • Real-world giving varies sharply: some guests said they give £30 to £50, others £200 to £400, while destination weddings or tight budgets can reduce gifts to little or nothing.
  • Couples are also using the money flexibly after the wedding — from £3,000 honeymoon spending pots to £2,500 for a loft renovation and even IVF costs instead of travel.
  • The shift suggests cash gifting is becoming standard in the UK, though some guests still see it as impersonal and prefer specific experiences or physical keepsakes.

Insights

With wedding costs soaring, are cash gifts becoming less of a gift and more of a guest fee?
With rising travel costs, should a guest’s presence at a wedding be considered the gift itself?