Do you bring gifts directly to a wedding/reception, or do you send them to the couple's home?

Question

When I attended a wedding five years ago, I remember that I was not alone in just carrying it to the ceremony/reception site. Now I read that I was supposed to send it to the home. What should I do with the gift for the wedding I am attending in two weeks?

Answer 1

depends on the culture.

are you referring to white american marriages? (british style)

if so, you send it to their home or after wedding reception.

other cultures are completely different.

Answer 2

bring your gift to the reception with big big wrap!!!

so you will be more welcome!!!!LOL!!!

Answer 3

you know it probably depends on what their preference is--I'm sure guests will do both.  It does seem silly these days to be at the reception when they don't open them there.  I'd check if you know what others are doing who are invited.. if you know  the brides email send her an e mail and just ask-otherwise contact someone else going via e mail or a phone call and aske what they are doing,..  No one is going to be looking at you saying she didn't bring in a gift....you could have a monetary gift already in the money box...how would they know.  If it were me, I'd want it sent to the house.  Good luck, hun,

Answer 4

It is best to send the gift to your friend's bride's home before the wedding. That is to free the couple (or their family, more likely) from having to take all the presents home from the wedding before they depart on their wedding trip. This is the most correct form.

However, many people do not know the correct form, or feel awkward without having a parcel in their hands when they come in the reception door; so many people do bring their presents to the reception. If that is what you prefer to do, you will not be the only person to do so, and the wedding couple will still be grateful, and no-one will be embarrassed or shocked because you did so.

Answer 5

If you have the gift in hand and it is not too big/ heavy/ delicate, I would just bring it with you.

It is easier for the couple to have it sent home, but a gift is a gift and they should be happy with it no matter what.

I would send it to them if you are buying online/ through a catalog because the cost isn't going to be much different, or if it is going to be a big pain for them to get home. If you decided to go tot he store to get it, I don't think its a big deal to avoid the extra postage cost and just bring it as long as it isn't breakable/ huge.

Answer 6

Bring it to the recception

~MLF~

Answer 7

It is easier for the bride and groom if you send it to their home.  That way they don't have to worry about how they are getting it back to their home after the reception, especially if they are leaving right away for their honeymoon!!!

On the other hand, I think it is easier (and cheaper) for the guest to bring it to the reception.

Answer 8

I was always told you only bring cards to the reception.  Gifts are too much a burden on everyone to make sure they are brought safely home.  The happy couple does not want to worry about that, so instead it is left to the family members.  I think its a lot more thoughtful to send it to their house or their parents house.  This way there is nothing for them to worry about its safe at home already.  

Answer 9

It depends.

Is it an out of town wedding?  Then send it to the home.

Are the bride and groom leaving right away for a honeymoon?  Then send it to the home.

Is it a small (size) non-breakable gift?  Then take it with you.

IF it is breakable. Send it to the home.

There is nothing worse than having a gift broken by a well intentioned groomsmen who had a few too many and drops a package in the parking lot trying to load up the car at the end of the night.

I would much rather have a gift shipped directly to the bride and groom.

As for going empty handed, that's not an issue.  No one notices who set packages down and who handed envelopes.

Do what you are most comfortable with.

Answer 10

You bring it to the reception. If you bring it to their home no one will see what a lovely gift you bought for them. You Always bring it to the reception inless they ask you to bring it to their home.

Answer 11

More and more people are sending the gift to the home so the bride and groom won't have to worry about having someone transport them after the reception. However if you have a gift of money, most couples have a wishing well or another way of accepting envelopes.

Answer 12

The polite thing to do has always been to take it or send it to the bride's home before the ceremony.

In that kinder, gentler time that I often refer to with longing, the bride would have set up times and days that she would be "receiving" guests. There would have been a display of all the gifts received up until then, even the checks artfully displayed under glass so the giver's name but not the amount would show. There would probably been refreshments.

For you, call the bride, and ask where she wants the gift. If you can't deliver it to where she wants when whoever is going to be there to receive it, then you will either have to mail it, or take it to the reception.  

Answer 13

Either is appropriate. Because so many people have gift registries now, it is easy to ship a gift directly from the store or from online to the couple's home, saving you and the recipient the trouble of carrying it around. But it is still perfectly fine to bring a gift to the reception and leave it on the table designated for gifts.

Answer 14

Really you should send them to the couple's or parent's home. It is up to others to transport and take care of the gifts, and at the wedding, that is the last thing members of the family are wanting to have to do.

Answer 15

I THINK is better you take it to the reception...

i mean if you dont then you going to go ww\ith empty hands?>....

Answer 16

It's your choice, but consider that the gifts received at the reception are not getting opened there and then have to be transported.  If you are giving a card with money, I think you should bring it to the reception, but if its a physical gift, I'd send it to the home.

Answer 17

If you send it to the home; traditionally the brides parent's home make sure it arrives before the wedding. This is a good idea  if it is large or fragile

When friends of mine got married they had several gifts stolen as they were loading the gifts into cars.

In the "before time" people would call upon the brides parents to view the gifts before the wedding.

Answer 18

I guess they are saying now that its correct etiquette to send the gift to their home to save them the trouble of transporting the gifts.

I think its very thoughtful to send it to their home, but not required. Its a party! Thats what people do; they bring presents. And it is entirely the bride and grooms responsibility to get the gifts back to their home. We had to send gifts from our wedding location to overseas where we live, and we didnt complain. These brides and grooms who expect their guests to do everything for THEIR convenience really irk me!  

Answer 19

Bring it with.

Answer 20

I"ve never heard of sending them to the home. Usually there's a special table at the reception specially for gifts and cards!

Answer 21

No, you don't bring it to the reception. The last thing that the bridal party needs is to have to guard gifts all night, and then wrangle them at the end of the evening. Traditional etiquette calls for you to send them to either the couple's or the bride's parents' home.

Answer 22

You can send it to their home (or where ever they will stay after the wedding). Depends on how close you are to the couple. But in my country, guests normally give their gifts at the reception.  

Answer 23

i've always brought it to the reception

Answer 24

You can do either, but the theory now is that having it sent to the couple's home is more convenient for them, since its would be one less thing they would have to transport after the reception.