The new weddings have made us rethink the formula of ‘cover the price of the roof’ that became fashionable in the 90s
Among the different things that can make us ‘look bad’ in a wedding , one of the most often concern the guests is to fall short with the amount of the gift of the couple, whether it is a gift chosen from a wedding list or a bank transfer. A formula that is often used, for the bulk of guests who do not have a very close relationship with the couple, is to cover the value of the cover to help reduce the total expenses of the wedding and more specifically the treat that usually takes the biggest pinch of the budget.
Now, how do we calculate the value of the cover? Spain is one of the most generous countries when it comes to giving a couple who marries (according to a study by American Express, in the United States the average is usually around € 80, the same number as other European countries such as Holland according to a 2012 ssweddingphotography report ), although, unless you possess extraordinary detective skills, this calculation is usually more of an approximation than an exact figure; the price of the menu varies ostensibly from one ceremony to another even within the same space of celebration, and the way to calculate it without asking indiscreet questions usually begins by knowing where the courses of the celebration will go with the invitation, which usually marks the style, label and even dress code of the wedding.
In spite of everything, the total cost of the banquet is variable: it influences the number of guests but also if the price of alcohol and free bar are included, as well as the cocktail and the recipe, the valet, the decoration and the quality of the food. In Spain, the economic comeback of weddings has grown exponentially in the last three years: according to the Millennial Brides report prepared by the IESE Business School for Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week, in 2014 Spanish couples went back to spending the same as in 2010 at their weddings, surpassing the € 16,500 total expense, 31% more than the previous year, although still far from the more than 20,000 we spent at the beginning of the 00s. Of that average amount, approximately half would be the cost total of the banquet: the individual price of the cover is usually between 100 and 150 €.
This amount should be analyzed with certain reservations, since not all the guests spend the same, nor are they expected to do so. Pulling up, those who usually exceed that number are close relatives, especially parents (often the most generous with their gifts), and also uncles and brothers, or close friends of the couple. In these cases, the value of the gift can exceed € 200 or, depending on the region, the 300. On the low side would be, for example, relatives with children(four guests, at € 150 the covered, raise the total gift to the not inconsiderable amount of € 600 for the whole family), the younger guests and guests who come from a different city, adding the cost of the trip and the accommodation of the party dress and the gift of the bride and groom; In all these cases, the value of each guest’s gift may be a little lower, although it is advisable not to fall below the minimum price of the cover. That is, € 100.
And what about alternative weddings? This is one of the main problems of following the tradition of making a gift equivalent to the price of the cutlery: today there are many ways to get married, and this applies to all aspects of the wedding, including the way in which it is celebrated. . From intimate weddings with few guests, to express weddings, weddings that are practically held in the living room of our house(ours or someone else’s), or destination weddings that take us to the other end of the world: in many of these cases, the rule of ‘cover price’ is not applicable and what comes into play is the relationship with the couple and the personal situation. In general, the closer, more disbursed: think of the four basic types of wedding guests (1. coworkers, 2. friends, 3. close friends, and 4. family), and adjust your budget depending on what place on the scale you are
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