what''s the least expensive gift you received for your wedding?...

[Dancing Fire]

a friend of mine gave us (6) plastic cups with the price tag of 98 cents still intact and wasn''t even gift wrap.

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Okay...that''s pretty bad...I was going to say 4-kitchen towels. You''ve got that beat!!

 

[ame]

A used 20 year old electric knife that hadn''t been cleaned in many years.

 

[eks6426]

My first husband''s grandmother gave us the bottom part of a used cookie jar...no lid...and no sentimental value. We were very puzzled....

 

[jellybean]

We got a used ice cream maker. They hadn''t even bothered to clean out the inside completely! Gross!

 

[Dancing Fire]

are you guys serious ?

people actually gave used items as wedding gifts?

 

[MissAva]

My parents got a chopping block which one of my fathers frat brothers made. I dont think the wood cost much but they have been maried for 26 years and still use it nearly daily....it was inexpensive but not cheap.

 

[snowball]

Nothing beats NOTHING! We got absolutely nothing from one of the guest. Not even a card...

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Date: 5/17/2005 9:09:55 PM
Author: snowball
Nothing beats NOTHING! We got absolutely nothing from one of the guest. Not even a card...

Come to think of it, I remember one of DHs friends said they "forgot" to bring our gift to the wedding & would send it to us after we got back from the honeymoon...To this day, we haven''t received it...LOL

jellybean...you definitely get the award for the grossest gift!! Ewwwwww!!!!

 

[Momoftwo]

24 years ago, everything we got was new, but the least expensive was probably a measuring cup and pitcher set. In 1981, probably worth $8-10. We had nothing, and they were "gifts" so it really didnt'' matter. I also got dish towels and 4 cheap wine glasses among the other gifts. Our guests were either family friends (parents'' age with kids of their own to eduate and marry off) and our friends who were broke (we were 21 and 24), so we didnt'' expect anything expensive. I also didn''t register. We needed everything anyway and didnt'' get any duplicates.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Good grief! Some of the gofts you guys have received are just the worst!

I got cheap $25 candlesticks from someone (pricetag still on from Mikasa outlet) and a couple of checks bounced but the people made good on them eventually.

 

[bluedawg]

Date: 5/17/2005 9:31:34 PM
Author: AChiOAlumna


Come to think of it, I remember one of DHs friends said they ''forgot'' to bring our gift to the wedding & would send it to us after we got back from the honeymoon...To this day, we haven''t received it...LOL

Yep. this happened to us, too. But to be fair, we were married while we were in grad school and many of our guests didn''t have any spare cash! I was glad they came anyway.

Still, why do people flub and make promises when they really have no intention of buying stuff? My SIL always does that-- she says "Oh I forgot to bring [fill in child''s name here]''s birthday gift...I''ll bring it by later this week" and years pass and no gift. It''s weird (and annoying) that she lies about having bought something!

 

[kaylagee]

inexpensive place mats

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 5/17/2005 5:45:40 PM
Author: IslandDreams
My first husband's grandmother gave us the bottom part of a used cookie jar...no lid...and no sentimental value. We were very puzzled....

did you get the lid for your 2 nd wedding gift?. ....LOL

 

[shasha]

Date: 5/18/2005 12:38:06 AM
Author: kaylagee
inexpensive place mats

1) horrible looking green vase with ugly gold trimmings

...i would rather have the inexpensive place mats. at least those would come in handy...

2) received nothing from my sister....she informed me her budget and when i told her what i wanted ie. pair of antique earrings (which was waay below the stipulated amount), she didn''t agree with me. Said that it would not be an appropriate family heirloom in the future...

Am still waiting......

 

[abradabra]

This is slightly off-topic but, but is it really that rude to not give a wedding gift to someone?

I''ve not given a gift at two weddings I attended. The first one I didn''t give a gift because it was on a remote Caribbean island during high season and my airfare alone was $1000. The second one was also in a remote location in the states and required very expesive hotel rooms, multiple outfits, etc. I think there reaches a point where you can only spend so much money on a friend''s wedding.

I''ve always looked at it like birthday or Christmas gifts. If I give someone a birthday gift, I don''t automatically expect one in return. I''d much rather our guests attend our wedding (it is not exactly convenient for everyone) than stay home and send a gift!

Am I incredibly rude or is this a normal way of approaching it?

 

[moremoremore]

you make a very good point! However, I think it's still rude not to give one. But I definitely see your point.

As for the worst gift, I think they might have attended J-Fo's wedding...a nasty Mikasa vase that was a clear re-gift from her own wedding months prior.

p.s. funny thing is...at least on Long Island, it's rude to give anything but $$$$

 

[jellybean]

The used ice cream maker is totally true! We got it from someone on my husband''s side who brought their kids when they weren''t invited. I guess that was their way of getting back at us for not inviting their kids!

Oh, we also got nothing from one couple, who we know makes a lot of money! We had gone to their wedding the year prior and gave a really nice gift off their registry.

 

[abradabra]

Date: 5/18/2005 9:05:00 AM
Author: moremoremore
you make a very good point! However, I think it''s still rude not to give one. But I definitely see your point.

Hmmm... Maybe I should I send very belated gifts to these couples. Some little luxury during their first year of marriage...

I don''t know if it''s my parents rubbing off on me or what (they refuse to invite their friends to my wedding, throw a shower or have an engagement party, lest someone feel obligated to buy me a present), but I have always thought that''s it''s rude to expect a gift!

Date: 5/18/2005 9:05:00 AM
Author: moremoremore
p.s. funny thing is...at least on Long Island, it''s rude to give anything but $$$$

Did you ever watch that show on MTV True Life: I''m Getting Married? It had a couple from Staten Island and the groom was talking about that. How each couple had to give at least $300 for them to "break even." The thought of trying to make a profit on a wedding vs. throwing a great celebration for all your friends, family, etc. out of, well, the goodness of your own hear, horrified me. But, if everyone in your group of friends is doing it--it''s only fair for you to as well.

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Date: 5/18/2005 9:05:00 AM

Author: moremoremore

p.s. funny thing is...at least on Long Island, it's rude to give anything but $$$$

Did you ever watch that show on MTV True Life: I'm Getting Married? It had a couple from Staten Island and the groom was talking about that. How each couple had to give at least $300 for them to 'break even.' The thought of trying to make a profit on a wedding vs. throwing a great celebration for all your friends, family, etc. out of, well, the goodness of your own hear, horrified me. But, if everyone in your group of friends is doing it--it's only fair for you to as well.

This is so true!! I remember my parents telling me that on the Northern-East Coast (NY, NJ, etc.) that money is given at weddings...not gifts! And the couple usually has enough money for a downpayment on a house by the end of the evening!! Crazy!!

 

[youngster]

Ah, yes, this does bring back memories. 20+ years ago we received a hand-made pie plate from someone who was taking a pottery class! I never knew if it was food safe and finally gave it away a few years ago. (It was not terribly attractive.) The person who made the item was really broke so we just appreciated the thought.

However, my husband''s siblings, who were not broke, gave us nothing from our registry, nothing really useful or nice. That''s always kind of bugged me, particularly in the past few years as I''ve dropped an average of $250 on beautiful china or crystal from their gift registries for each of their children as they have begun marrying.

 

[sjz]

Got a set of twin-sized bed sheets from one of my crazy "old maid" great aunties.

 

[moremoremore]

Abradabra- SO funny b/c I actually do feel the same way about the engagement party and to an extent, the shower. I didn''t have an engagement party b/c it''s basically saying "come give me gift".... (unless you say no gifts) and the shower is all about gifts...but I had one anyway b/c HECK, I had to buy everyone else a gift when they got married ! LOL

 

[jaysonsmom]

Date: 5/17/2005 9:31:34 PM
Author: AChiOAlumna


Come to think of it, I remember one of DHs friends said they ''forgot'' to bring our gift to the wedding & would send it to us after we got back from the honeymoon...To this day, we haven''t received it...LOL

This must be fairly common because our BEST MAN did the same thing. Granted, he was going through marital problems, and was in the process of seperating with his wife.......I guess his speech was his gift to us.

We had some funny/cheap gifts as well.....a lot were re-gifts apparently, things that were randomly stuffed into one gift bag. for example, in one bag we found 3 non-matching plateware (serving platter, 1 fruit bowl, 1 candy dish)

One of our guests bought stuff off our registry, but the total value probably came out to be less than $10....he bought a OXO can opener, and an OXO veggie peeler. He brought a date to the wedding too!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 5/18/2005 9:05:00 AM
Author: moremoremore
you make a very good point! However, I think it's still rude not to give one. But I definitely see your point.

As for the worst gift, I think they might have attended J-Fo's wedding...a nasty Mikasa vase that was a clear re-gift from her own wedding months prior.

p.s. funny thing is...at least on Long Island, it's rude to give anything but $$$$

giving $$$ is the most common gift for a chinese wedding.

 

[jaysonsmom]

Date: 5/18/2005 12:27:53 PM
Author: Dancing Fire
giving $$$ is the most common gift for a chinese wedding.

Yeah, we made out like bandits, and our wedding was hosted here in So Cal. Not only did our cash gifts cover the cost of our wedding, we had enough spending money for our honeymoon.

We even had relatives and friends send money from abroad, they didn''t even attend! Makes up for those who brought the cheap gifts

 

[Dancing Fire]

speaking of gift registry list...
a couple that i know, have the nerve to put down $1500-$2000 gifts on their list.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 5/18/2005 9:44:40 AM
Author: abradabra

The thought of trying to make a profit on a wedding vs. throwing a great celebration for all your friends, family, etc. out of, well, the goodness of your own hear, horrified me. But, if everyone in your group of friends is doing it--it''s only fair for you to as well.

Local habits are so different from one spot to the next...

One of my cousins got married last September and the cash gifts collected from their 200 or so guests made up downpayment for their new house and then some. This is expected to happen, altough not always does.

 

[DiaDiva]

In Singapore, it''s customary to get money and sometimes, money + gift. The money collected is usually sufficient to cover most if not all the costs of the wedding. The lucky ones get enough to even cover their honeymoon, and then some.

 

[Munchkin]

Date: 5/18/2005 11:18:32 PM
Author: Dancing Fire
speaking of gift registry list...
a couple that i know, have the nerve to put down $1500-$2000 gifts on their list.

That isn''t that uncommon up here in the Northeast. Groups of friends "go in" together on expensive wedding gifts all the time. But, the primary reason that people I know have placed bigger-ticket items on their registry is to take advantage of "registry completion" programs.

Most stores offer the bride and groom 10-15% off all unpurchased registry items following the wedding. So, couples may place an item on a registry thinking "Hey, why not? If no one buys it, we can still save money on an item we really want." On items priced at $1500-$2000, a couple could save some decent money.

Munchkin