Oct 12
The Current Wedding Etiquette: When Wedding Gifts Should Be Returned
We believe that so called ‘current’ opinions vary a lot! We are however quite sure that this is an unfortunate and tricky time for the happy couple and the guest. But this article will help you make the best decision and most importantly, it will help you stop worrying about the gift giving tradition. From a practical perspective, it’s not necessary to return the wedding presents, money or otherwise.
Because you and your spouse lived together for a whole year, you have most likely used the majority of the presents received. As you can figure out by yourself it does not make any sense to return used presents or, after that much time, to go through the trouble and expense to send back unpacked presents, too. The happy couple must consider the presents they got at their wedding (this includes the money too) as part of your household effects and divide them as they would their other valuable things.
The time when presents should be returned is when a ceremony is canceled, bride and groom never lives together or they separate and seeks to end the marriage right after the ceremony – for example, after thirty days). Everything (and that includes money and checks) should be returned – presumably the “happy couple” has not spent it all – with a note of explanation.
One other slightly complicated question is: “What to do with engagement rings?” The ring can be considered a present and part of bride and groom’s assets and treated like one. For example, “You take the bands and I will keep the house.” Many think the band is a present and belongs only to the woman. On the other hand, in the case of an heirloom (paintings, jewelry or household items) in best case scenario it belongs to the family it actually came from.
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