Proper Wedding Gift Etiquette

I went to Bed Bath & Beyond yesterday to get a wedding gift for my friend (he and his fiancee registered there). I had a hard time deciding what to buy for them, since I didn’t know how much my other friends were spending on their gifts.

Assuming my friend and his fiancee keep the gifts they registered for (instead of opting for store credit), I wanted to get them something that would last a long time. Things like cookware or towels can get used and worn pretty quickly, so I decided against things they would use every day.

After a lot of debating, I ended up getting them some nice (and very pretty) champagne glasses. They wanted three sets. I could have just bought one or two sets, but then the champagne glasses that I bought would be mixed in with someone else who bought the remaining set(s). It’s petty, but I want my gift to just be from me.

The problem is that I spent a little more than I had originally planned. It’s within reason, I think, but I’m still not sure what is the appropriate amount to spend on wedding gifts. In the end, I felt that they’re only getting married once (hopefully), so I might as well splurge a little more to congratulate them. 

I chose to ship the gifts directly to them rather than bringing the gifts to the wedding. Since I don’t know how I’m getting to the wedding yet (getting a ride from a friend or driving myself), it’s probably best that I don’t have anything with me. Shipping wedding gifts is more for people who aren’t able to attend the wedding ceremony, but it’s not bad etiquette if I shipped my gifts too, right?

I probably thought a lot harder about this than most of our friends.