Wedding season: What to buy the newlyweds

CALGARY (NEWS 1130) – You may not have made the guest list for today’s Royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, but with wedding season here, you may find yourself in a predicament when it comes to what to give as a gift to newlyweds.

Many Canadians have told a recent survey that they struggle when it comes to wedding gift shopping.

“We asked around gift giving of all different types, including weddings,” says Belinda Baughniet with Ebates.com. “Wedding gifts were ranked among the most difficult to shop for.”

Most couples will have a registry, but if there’s nothing on that list calling your name–or if there’s no list at all–Baughniet says it might not be a bad idea to break away from tradition.

“[Consider] buying the couple experience,” she says. “If they loves food, sign them up for a cooking class. Think of something that’s thoughtful but also meaningful for the couple.”

And while gift cards may have been a no-no in years past, these days 65 per cent of couples getting married saying they would appreciate a gift card or certificate (or as always, cash) as a wedding gift.

The average cost for a wedding gift has also jumped a little. Last year people were shelling out around $120 for a wedding gift, this year the average is closer to the $145 according to Baughniet. She says that is adding to the stress a lot of Canadians feel after they receive that ornate ‘save the date’.

“Almost 30 per cent of us [say] that the most stressful part of attending a wedding is the expense.”

The dress, the tux, a babysitter even, all adding to costs to spend one night celebrating a couple’s nuptials–and that’s if the wedding is near you. If you have to travel, the cost increases further. She says the best way to ease all the stress is by is planning ahead.

She recommends you check to see if the couple booked a block of hotel rooms, which could save you money. If not you should check out sites that have offers and deals and coupons.