Author: Cheryl Seidel

Cheryl is a happily married mom to two adult children and has recently enjoyed being a mother-of-the-bride. Her background in product development and marketing led Cheryl to create RegistryFinder.com, a search engine for gift registries, in 2012. Long considered a gift-giving and gift etiquette expert, her firm belief is that gifting should be fun, easy, and stress-free! Readers regularly write to Cheryl about their etiquette questions and she answers them here on our blog.

Ask Cheryl: Does My Bridal Shower Gift Have to Be From the Registry?

Hi Marcy, To rephrase your question, you are asking if it’s OK to buy a wedding or shower gift for a couple that they didn’t include on their wedding gift registry, and the answer is yes. Gift registries exist for guests’ convenience, and the gift registry is a list of suggestions, not a mandate. As… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Does My Bridal Shower Gift Have to Be From the Registry?

Ask Cheryl: Should I Send a Gift to the Shower if I Can’t Attend?

You’re invited to a baby or bridal shower but can’t go. What are you supposed to do? It’s a common question from our readers and website users wanting to know if they should send a gift to a shower if they cannot be there in person. Dear Cheryl, Can I send my gift directly to… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Should I Send a Gift to the Shower if I Can’t Attend?

Ask Cheryl: Wedding Invitation Not Specific, Can I Bring a Guest?

Today’s question is from a wedding guest who is confused about whether she can bring a “plus-one” to the wedding. Dear Cheryl,I am a single woman who received an invitation to a friend’s wedding. The wedding invitation came addressed only to me. There was no inside envelope which usually states Karen and Guest. In addition… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Wedding Invitation Not Specific, Can I Bring a Guest?

Ask Cheryl: Travel, Hotel, and a Wedding Gift Too?

Wedding guests often wonder if they should give the couple a gift even if they must incur travel expenses to attend the wedding. Dear Cheryl, I am going to my nephew’s wedding celebration out of state. The couple is already married. I have to purchase a flight and a hotel room, so I’m wondering: am I expected… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Travel, Hotel, and a Wedding Gift Too?

Baby Shower Etiquette – Rules to Party By

Baby Shower Etiquette for All Involved I love baby showers. I can’t get enough of those cute baby clothes and practical gadgets – not to mention the champagne and girly foods. But I know some of you may not be as excited when a baby shower invitation arrives in your inbox or mailbox. Whether you… Continue reading Baby Shower Etiquette – Rules to Party By

AskCheryl: 1st Time Bridesmaid Asks, “Who Pays for the Bachelorette Party?”

Photo of cheerful and happy three women 20s wearing bathrobe lying in big bed in posh apartment or hotel room and clinking glasses with sparkling wine during bachelorette party

Hello Cheryl, My best friend is having a destination wedding and asked me to be a bridesmaid. I generally do not like the idea of traveling internationally for a wedding, but I agreed to go and be there for her. This will be the first wedding I have ever attended. It’s the first time I’m… Continue reading AskCheryl: 1st Time Bridesmaid Asks, “Who Pays for the Bachelorette Party?”

AskCheryl: Etiquette for a Second Wedding – Anything Goes?

Bride And Groom With Bridesmaid At Wedding Reception

Today’s letter comes from a bride who has been previously married. She wants to know whether the etiquette for planning a second wedding differs from when planning the first wedding. Read on to find out! Dear Cheryl, What is the best way to handle a wedding when it’s the bride’s second wedding, but the groom’s… Continue reading AskCheryl: Etiquette for a Second Wedding – Anything Goes?

Ask Cheryl: Baby Gifts and the Workplace

Blue gift box decorated with a golden ribbon bow in female hands against the background of the office workplace, gift delivery, coffee break during office hours, corporate greetings and parties. (Blue gift box decorated with a golden ribbon bow in fem

When someone in the office is expecting, is it appropriate to give a baby gift? What if you haven’t been invited to a shower? Dear Cheryl, One of our coworkers is expecting, and invited one member of the staff to her baby shower. My coworker who was invited collected money from the rest of us… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Baby Gifts and the Workplace

Ask Cheryl: What is the Best Way to Give a Cash Wedding Gift?

Gift registries and online shopping have made purchasing wedding gifts easier than ever, but some guests (and couples!) still prefer cash. What’s the best way to send the money? Dear Cheryl, Is it permissible to include money in the wedding card on the day of the ceremony? I’d like to contribute toward the honeymoon fund… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: What is the Best Way to Give a Cash Wedding Gift?

Ask Cheryl: Can My Ex and I Give a Joint Wedding Gift?

Are there any rules for giving a joint wedding gift? Cheryl weighs in on co-gifting, even with an ex-husband, and shares some other wedding gift-giving FAQs. Dear Cheryl, My ex and I had a very amicable divorce. My nephew invited both of us to his wedding. I will be attending the wedding, but my ex… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Can My Ex and I Give a Joint Wedding Gift?

Ask Cheryl: Registry Info on a Wedding Announcement?

Over the past few years, many couples have chosen more intimate weddings, then informed family and friends of their nuptials with a printed wedding announcement. But when newly wedded couples include registry information on that announcement, should those receiving it feel obligated to send a gift? Dear Cheryl, My niece’s son had a small outdoor… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Registry Info on a Wedding Announcement?

AskCheryl: If Paying for the Wedding, Should Parents-of-the-Bride Have a Role in the Planning?

Happy mother holds bride's hand standing with her in the room

Today’s question is from a newly minted Mother-of-the-Bride. She and her husband are paying for their daughter’s wedding and want to know their role in wedding planning. Dear Cheryl,My husband and I are paying for our daughter’s wedding. We are trying to help them find a venue, but they don’t want us to be involved.… Continue reading AskCheryl: If Paying for the Wedding, Should Parents-of-the-Bride Have a Role in the Planning?

AskCheryl: What to do with Unwanted Wedding Gifts?

Happy couple holding hands and smiling at each other at the beach

In this week’s AskCheryl question, our bride and groom have established lives and don’t want wedding gifts, but a disagreement has come up on how to handle any gifts that they do receive. Hi Cheryl, My fiancé and I are getting married in July. We are 45 and 51 years old. This is his first… Continue reading AskCheryl: What to do with Unwanted Wedding Gifts?

Ask Cheryl: Does Wedding Attendance Affect Wedding Gift Value?

bride and groom on wedding ceremony on rustic autumn wedding

Today’s question comes from a reader in New York who wants to know if the amount she spends on a wedding gift should be dependent on whether or not she attends the wedding. Dear Cheryl, Is there a difference in the amount you spend on a wedding gift when you attend a wedding versus what… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Does Wedding Attendance Affect Wedding Gift Value?

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