Amanda Christine Miller, Head of Global Credit Communications, PayPal

 

Please see this post on our new PayPal Stories site.

 

As summer approaches, it’s common to open your mailbox and see “save the date” cards or wedding invitations spilling in from family and friends, requesting your presence at their upcoming nuptials. You may even be asked to be in the wedding party.

 

Between bachelor parties, bridesmaid dresses and gifts, being a wedding guest can be a costly endeavor. PayPal has some tips to help you stay financially solvent, while showering the bride and groom.

 

Travel Accommodations – As soon as you’ve mailed in your RSVP card, fire up your laptop and start looking for hotel rooms and flights. You may want to check out the couple’s personal wedding website for hotel recommendations or “room blocks,” which typically means they’ve already reserved a group of rooms for guests. Nothing’s worse (or more expensive) than waiting until the last minute to make travel arrangements. If you do miss the boat on hotel discounts in the area, see what’s available on Expedia or Airbnb.

 

Gifting – Traditionally, most couples will visit a few of their favorite department stores and select gifts they’d like to receive for their wedding from their gift registry – essentially it’s just a wish list of home goods for their new home together. Most stores make the couple’s list available online and keep track of which items have already been purchased so that there are no duplicate orders. To give you an idea of how much to spend, Jamie Miles, assistant managing editor of The Knot.com, says that on average, friends spend around $79 on a wedding gift, while family members spend double that amount. [1]If that’s outside of your budget, consider co-gifting with a friend or date and have them send you money via PayPal.

 

Get the Party Started – When you’re a groomsman or bridesmaid, expect to be invited to the bachelor or bachelorette party. If you’re the best man or maid of honor, it will likely be your job to plan the celebration, so put your party planner hat on. Whether you’re along for the ride or in charge of rallying the troops, be prepared to split costs while covering the bride or groom’s portion. If you’re the best man or maid of honor, you may want to price everything out in advance and ask your friends to pay you on the PayPal mobile app before the wild weekend. That way, debts for dinners and hotels are settled beforehand and you can really enjoy his or her “last hurrah.”

 

Give Them What They Really Want – Sure, the wedding registry is an easy way to find a gift for the special couple, but many couples really want cash – whether to fund a honeymoon or a home purchase. A beautiful handwritten card with a check or a donation to their Honeyfund is a great way to gift an experience that they’ll never forget.

 

We hope these tips are helpful as you kick off wedding season. Cheers!

 

 

[1] How much should I spend on a wedding gift? – The Denver Post (May 2014)

Original author: PayPal-Forward