How Much are Iowans Spending on Wedding Gifts?

Apparently I have NOT been giving enough when it comes to wedding gifts.

Wedding season is in full swing, but I'm actually done for the year! I was invited to one wedding last year and two this year, with the last one happening just a couple of weekends ago. I absolutely love going to weddings, but it can get very expensive very fast, especially when you have to travel.

According to the Tendr Wedding Season Report, the national average cash gift amount for a wedding is $160. If you break it down by month, the ones where the average is highest are February and August. When it comes to seasons, not surprisingly, summer had the highest average gift of $174.

In the state of Iowa, our average isn't as high as the national average, but it's pretty darn close. Iowans are giving an average of $148 in cash per wedding. In my home state of Michigan, the average is way less at $108.

Now, this survey made me feel pretty bad. My typical wedding gift is always cash, but I've never given anybody that much. But, I think it's worth noting that none of the recent weddings I've gone to have been for family or a close friend. A few weekends ago I drove 8 hours back to Michigan to attend a wedding for somebody that I would consider a friend, but not one that I know very well at all. I gave her $50. The weddings I went to earlier this year and late last year were for old coworkers who I'm slightly closer with, so I gave them $60-$75 each. I think it's worth noting that I didn't bring a date to any of these weddings, but my personal rule is that you double the amount when you bring a date. The most I've ever spent on a wedding was for my best friend's big day, for which I was a bridesmaid. I got her some personalized gifts that I spent a lot of time thinking about, and those cost me around $200.

What are your rules for giving cash as a wedding gift? Do you do a standard amount, or is it different for each person? Share your thoughts in the comments!

[Via Tendr]