Couples dish out a lot of money for their nuptials — the average cost of an American wedding [1] is nearly $30,000! — so you want to make sure your wedding gift doesn't disappoint. To figure out how much you should spend on a gift for the newlyweds, you can think about it in terms of payback. On average, couples spend about $85 on a meal per guest [2], including food, drinks, and service. If you want to cover your meal ticket as a courtesy, your gift can be around the same amount.

However, you should also consider your relationship with the bride or groom. If you're attending the wedding of a distant relative or friend or a co-worker you're not fairly close with, gifting the amount of $50 to $75 is acceptable [3]. And the price increases with the relationship. The region where you live also comes into play, as wedding costs vary by location.