We are in the midst of Wedding Season and with that comes the search for the perfect wedding gift. Of course the most important question when determining this is how much should I spend on a wedding gift?.

There are many different pieces of advice out there, but after much research, the best way to determine the amount to spend should be based on your relationship to the bride and groom. Here is a basic guide for wedding gift spending:

• * Wedding for Co-Worker or Acquaintance: $50
• * Wedding for Family or Friend: $75 - $100
• * Wedding for close Family or Friend: $125 +

Of course this is just basic guide, but things can change depending on various factors like budget and trave. The most important thing to consider is your budget.

• What can you afford? If you have a tight financial budget it is understandable to pay less. Consider talking to a friend attending the wedding about going in on a gift together.
• Another thing to consider is travel. If it is a destination wedding you can pay less for the gift. The bride and groom understand that out of town guests have many expenses to pay for like airfare and hotel.
• If you bring a date to the wedding consider increasing the amounts listed above to about double or a little less.

Things you do not need to consider when determining the amount to spend on a gift is the location, formality or amount spent on the wedding. While we may admire the bride and groom for a posh wedding, what they spend in no way needs to determine or reflect the amount you should spend on your gift.

Once you have determined the amount to spend the best gifts to get are off the registry or cash. Think about the couple for whom you are buying for and what would benefit them most. If they are trying to save up for a house or vacation then give a check or a cash. If not then definitely give off the registry. If you can not find items that fit your budget from the registry then think about a personal gift that reflects your relationship with them. If they love wine think about buying a decanter and writing a note to them saying you know how much they love wine.

In the end what matters most is the thought of your gift and celebrating the big day with the bride and groom.