Their presence is the present, sweetie.
Showing up to𓆉 a wedding empty-handed is no longer a déclassé “don’t” thanks to ungenerous Gen Z’s who’ve shamelessly abandoned gift-giving.
And their re𒁏fusal to break the bank is breaking one bride’🀅s heart.
“[I] recently had a wedding and had probably 70% of guests not give a gift/▨a card,” moaned an anonymous newlywed on Reddit, titling the trending tell-all, “Is it okay for me to be up🐟set?.”
“I’m not expecting to be showered in gifts or money or anything,” continued the crestfallen belle. “But shocked that people we are close to couldn’t even take the time of day to get us a $.50 card or a home made card or anything to congratulate us knowing how expensive weddings are in general.”
And although the snubbed bride may be justified in her dismay — especially since hosting guests on their big day can cost couples an average $26,665 — it seems bestowing a small (or large) tribute to two in love🌠 has become jus🃏t too much to ask of twenty-somethings across the US.
In fact, a staggering 72% of Zoomers are comfortable eating, drinking and being merry at nuptials sans a gift for the new husband and wife, per an Augu🔴st 2024 survey .
While the younger demographic leads the charge when in comes to stiffing sweethearts, 61% of millennials, 58% of Gen Xers and 44% of ♚baby boomers, too, fee🌊l it’s cool to skip out on giving good-luck goodies.
But researchers claim the swing awa✅y from traditional wedding guest etiquette — which dictates that the price of an invitee’s present shouౠldon their reception — isn’t rooted in outright rudeness.
Instead, exp🅠erts say it’s a budgeting issue.
“Our survey found that 31% don’t feel couples have enough affordable options on their wedding registries,” noted the analysts, adding, “30% feel like they’ve been invited to a wꦯedding j🌠ust to provide a gift.”
But the stiffing doesn’t stop at 💮sw꧟eet offerings for recently-weds.
Cash-strapped Gen Zers are also refusing to participate as bridesmaids and gro꧟omsmen, owing to tꦺhe stratospheric cost o🌠f per-matrimonial events.
Afrakomah Darko, 27, a TikTok content creator, recently revealed that b൲eing in several bridal parties this year cost her a whopping $12,000.
“Moving forw﷽ard,” she , “I decline all bridesmaid invitations.”
And perhaps folks who can’t afford to leave a thoughtful trinket for the happy couple should consider regretfully declining wedding inℱvitation — so🐻 argues the Reddit commenters who sympathize with the bride who came up short after her “I Do’s.”
“This seems really strange,” wrote one supporter. “Wouldn’t people at least bring the equivalent of a hostess gift, eg: a bottle of wine, a picture frame?”
“You spent so much money to provide an amazing experience for everyone in attendance,” another chimed. “You fed them, provided drinks and so much more. I’d be upset, too. I’m sorry.”
“I was taught a wedding gi𒆙ft should amount to the cost of your ‘plate,’” a separate onlooker insisted. “I never go anywhere empty handed.”
“I personally just think it’s tacky.”
