Maybe you haven’t been invited to a friend’s or family member’s wedding this summer, but you’re probably not off the hook yet; what about coworkers and employees that are about to tie the knot?
For you ladies out there: you may be invited to an at-work or outside-of-work bridal shower for the bride, or even score an invite to the nuptials themselves. Gents: you may not be invited to the same events, but will no doubt be expected to sign a card and contribute to a gift for the new couple.
Navigating weddings and gifts for coworkers, and especially for subordinate that report to you, doesn’t have to be tricky. Follow our savvy suggestions for stress-free gifting.
At-work Bridal Showers: Just because coworkers have organized a bridal shower during work hours (or over lunch), does not mean that you’re obligated to attend. Not everyone can afford to – or wants to – spend time partying at work. If you can’t or don’t want to attend, politely decline and be sure to apologize to the guest of honor post-celebration.
If you’re the boss of the bride, consider contributing to the cost of food or the cake as your gift – which will be appreciated by everyone – and then make a quick appearance at the event. This will allow subordinates to enjoy themselves without feeling like they have to be on their best behavior.
To Give or Not To Give: This is tricky because once you give a gift, you’re expected to give a gift every time someone gets married – which can get expensive if you work at a big company. If you don’t give a gift on subsequent occasions, you risk showing favoritism or hurting someone’s feelings.
To navigate these waters, give yourself the ‘lunch test’. Whether coworker or subordinate, if you are close enough to the bride or groom that you have had a non work-related lunch with them in the past year, share in their happiness with a gift. If you’ve never had lunch with the soon to be newlywed – and don’t even know their fiance’s name – skip the gift and give them a heartfelt congratulations when they return from the honeymoon.
Group vs. Individual Gift: No one will judge you for throwing your cash towards a group gift and letting someone else deal with shopping, wrapping, and card-hunting. Just be sure that the designated cash collector is trustworthy before forking over your hard-earned money. If you choose to go it alone and buy a wedding gift yourself, make it easy on yourself by getting something early so you aren’t racing around the day before the wedding.
How Much to Give: This one is easy because, no matter the occasion, the answer is always the same: Give what you are comfortable – and can afford – giving. Don’t splurge in order to keep up appearances. And don’t apologize for how much you did or didn’t spend; it is ALWAYS the thought that counts.