Are you planning to attend a wedding soon?  If so, you may be a bit confused about the proper etiquette when it comes to giving wedding gifts, including determining what you should give as well as when you should give it. 

There are no clear cut rules when it comes to gift giving, as an appropriate gift can range from a gift certificate to a set of fine china, from gardening tools to camping equipment, and everything in between.  When a couple registers for gifts, choosing the perfect gift can be much easier.  Keep in mind, however, that the registry is meant to be a guide. Therefore, you are free to purchase items that are not on the registry as well.  It is against proper etiquette, however, to include the registry information in a wedding invitation, which means you will have to find out through word of mouth if the couple is registered and where the couple is registered.

Etiquette also dictates that you should send a gift to the couple, even if you are not attending the wedding, unless you have been out of touch with the couple for many years.  There is no magical formula for determining how much you should spend on the gift, however, as you should simple consider how much you care for the couple, your relation to the couple and how much you can afford to spend. 

If you will not be attending the wedding and will be sending a gift, etiquette dictates sending the gift to the bride’s home or to the home of her parents prior to the wedding.  If the couple is living together before the wedding, gifts should be sent to the bride’s parents’ house if her parents are hosting the wedding.  If you send the gift after the wedding, on the other hand, send it to the couple’s home instead.