Why cash has become the most desired wedding gift

Cash is now the preferred form of wedding gifting for guests and newlyweds, thanks to the convenience and flexibility it offers as a gift.

I received five rice cookers and three mills at my wedding, reads a Facebook post. Another claimed: A friend received a total of 11 juicers at his wedding. And yet another: my cousin received over 30 sets of glasses at his wedding.

While wondering what to get a school friend for his wedding, I couldn’t find a better alternative to cash. Just to be sure, I asked my friend, and they also confirmed that receiving cash at that time would be best. I bought colorful paper, made an envelope by hand, and along with my heartfelt wishes, I gave cold hard cash as a gift to start their new life.

Cash has become more popular as a wedding gift than anything else at local weddings. Giving money is now considered more convenient than anything else. Brides and grooms and their families also increasingly prefer cash as gifts.

Nowadays, at some weddings, cash even represents up to 100% of the gifts.

Relief from the worry of choosing gifts

It is natural that guests have no idea about the likes and dislikes of those getting married. Additionally, in local weddings, because the guest list is usually quite long, it is quite common to receive the same gifts from multiple people. Ultimately, most of the unnecessary items received at the wedding are of no use to the newlyweds; except to give them away or sell them at a low price.

So the question of what gift to bring to a wedding often becomes a source of anxiety. In such cases, giving money as a gift is a simple solution. Additionally, giving money helps avoid the hassle of selecting gifts and time spent shopping.

“To get to an event, you have to spend hours stuck in traffic jams. Additionally, going to the market to buy a gift for that event takes more time. If you donate money, you save a lot of time. ” said Saif, a Dhaka resident.

Even on invitation cards you often find expressions such as “No gifts” or “Gifts not necessary”. According to Badal, owner of a Nilkhet-based card business, “Unnecessary gifts can also sometimes mean cash only!” »

“I once asked a few customers why they didn’t want gifts. He told me that most of the time, the items received as gifts are not useful. Instead of asking for money directly, if you write it like this, many people will understand. that it is better to give money.”

Newlyweds can spend according to their preferences

Earlier this year, Meer Raihan Masud, an employee of an international organization, got married. He received a considerable amount of money as a wedding gift. He believes the money came in handy at the start of their new journey.

“Receiving money as a wedding gift is a win-win situation for both parties. Those giving gifts don’t have to worry about what they are going to buy and the newlyweds benefit too. With the “The money we received as a gift, we bought furniture for our new house. The rest of the money was spent on the trip,” he said.

Afra Nawmi, who works for a private communications company, got married last May. Nearly 60% of the gifts she received for her wedding were in the form of cash. She used this money, which she received in the form of blessings from relatives, friends, colleagues and well-wishers, to purchase many essential and exciting items for her new home.

“Cash gifts as wedding gifts are more practical than any other type of gift. They are a significant saving for the future of the newlyweds,” said Nawmi.

Sadia Ashrafi, a former Dhaka University student who got married several years ago, agrees. She kept the money received from her relatives as savings in a bank account.

Can cover part of the wedding costs

A wedding means endless expenses. The amount spent on weddings is increasing day by day. Many, even if they cannot afford it, feel societal pressure to organize lavish ceremonies. Some even resort to loans from banks or acquaintances to manage the financial burden. In such situations, receiving money as a wedding gift, even if it is a small amount, can help ease the burden of wedding expenses.

“Last year, my father spent at least 10 lakh taka on my sister’s wedding. This included renting a community center, food, decorations and various other expenses. As a middle-class family, it was a large sum. My sister didn’t spend I even wanted such a grand wedding, but my parents felt obligated to organize it. It put a strain on their savings. Along with all the other gifts, they received nearly two lakh taka in cash as wedding gifts, which helped them meet part of the expenses,” said Hasan from Gazipur.

Dhaka resident Bristy Mahbub Rahman said, “In most middle-class weddings, many purchases from local stores are done on credit. When money is given as a gift at a wedding, it is often used to settle these outstanding payments. as a wedding gift can be very useful for the organizers.”

In Bangladesh, most marriages are organized by parents. Therefore, the money received as a gift is often either entirely given to the bride and groom or partially retained by the parents.

For example, Jasmine Jui from Dhaka believes that those who are financially well off can save cash gifts for their children’s future as it can be a significant contribution to their new life. However, not everyone has this luxury. She said: “What I received in cash at my daughter’s wedding; once the expenses were covered, I gave him the rest. »

Another relative, Jinat Rehana, has worked at the U.S. Embassy for nearly two decades. She married her eldest daughter a few years after her husband’s death. Although they did not take a loan from the bank, they had to break part of their fixed deposits to cover the wedding expenses. Therefore, out of the money collected by the bride and groom during the wedding, both families allocated fifty thousand taka for the honeymoon and took the rest.

Inflation is also responsible

The practice of giving money as a wedding gift has increased in recent years compared to weddings that took place about 20 years ago, said recently married newlyweds and couples who married there. many years ago.

Nitu Rahman, a resident of Dhaka, said, “During my wedding in 2017, I received a significantly larger amount of cash as a gift than other gifts. However, my older sisters, who got married at least 10-15 years ago, did not receive. money as a wedding gift for any of their weddings. Distant relatives and acquaintances mainly offered glassware and other similar items. Close relatives who had a more substantial budget offered gold jewelry, household appliances, refrigerators and televisions.

Over time, the trend of giving cash as a wedding gift has accelerated, and one of the main reasons for this shift is inflation, as pointed out by Shaiful Hossain, CEO of Financial International leadership and economic analyst.

According to him, “a few decades ago, you could get a nice gift for two to five thousand takas. The price of gold was also much lower. But now if you want to buy a decent gold jewelry, you can have to spend 20-30 thousand taka. Many people simply cannot afford to spend so much on wedding gifts.

“The prices of other items have also increased significantly over the years. Therefore, giving money as a gift has become a practical option for many, allowing them to choose gifts according to their budget.”

Things to Keep in Mind When Giving Gifts

Many people are hesitant to give money directly at the wedding, even if it suits both parties. There may be dilemmas including how much to donate, what the organizers might think, whether to donate money directly in person or not if you donate money; will there be nothing to remember you by? and more.

If you keep a few things in mind before giving gifts, you can get rid of these dilemmas. Such as:

• If a loved one is getting married, you can ask them directly what gift they would prefer.
• You can also judge by the recipient’s financial situation to determine whether the money will be useful to them.
• In the case of a cash donation, you can put it in a pretty envelope instead of handing it over directly. Ornate envelopes are available for purchase at various stores, or you can make envelopes yourself by watching videos online and using colored paper.
• Besides money, you can also give a handwritten note. Even if the money is gone, the message with your best wishes can remain an unforgettable memory.
• The amount of money to give depends on your relationship with the people getting married as well as your financial situation.
• You can also give the gift by bank transfer or check if the amount is large.
• Alternatively, you can give a deposit. If necessary, they can cash the deposit from the bank. Or your gift can win the newlyweds a huge amount of money in the lottery; who knows?

A global practice

Apart from Bangladesh, the practice of giving money as a gift is very popular in most countries on the Asian continent. Money is considered an appropriate wedding gift in countries like India, Pakistan, China, Japan and South Korea. Besides Asia, the practice of giving money at weddings is becoming popular in various parts of the world, including the United States. Different countries have established different rules for giving money as a gift.

In Japan, money was once given as a gift only in red-white envelopes. Currently, envelopes of different colors have become acceptable. In China, wedding gift envelopes are generally red in color. In South Korea, new shiny banknotes in white envelopes are given as gifts.

Varying from country to country, the amount of cash is determined after careful consideration of various aspects. At Indian weddings, any amount of money can be given with an extra 1 rupee as a sign of good luck.

In South Korea, the number four is considered a symbol of death, so special care is taken to ensure that the cash amount does not contain the number four. Japanese weddings do not give gifts of a number divisible by two because it can be easily divided!

In China, the number ending in eight is considered a symbol of abundance and prosperity. So the cash amount should end in eight.