No Wedding Gift Received? Here's How to Handle This Situation

An invitation to a wedding is not a quid pro quo situation: Just because you invited someone does not mean they owe you a gift. Nonetheless, when nothing is received after you've said "I do," you might start to ponder upon the situation and ask the question, "Is it rude not to give a wedding gift?"

Though providing a gift is a customary practice, there are instances when you might not receive anything, especially since there are some exceptions to the rule. And while the vast majority of guests will likely provide a gift (which is great in itself), you're probably curious as to what to do with the other non-gifting group. Following the expert advice of Alexa Blanco, founder and lead planner of Alexa Blanco Weddings, here's exactly how to deal with a guest who didn't send a gift.

One Month After the Wedding

Wedding gifts will continue to trickle in after the wedding, especially within the first month. "Keep calm! Even though most guests should bring their wedding gifts to the wedding, you'll probably be receiving a few late gifts from the typical 'forgetful or extra busy' guests," shares Blanco. "Enjoy your newlywed month and allow yourself to be surprised." After all, tradition has long held that wedding guests have up to a year to give you a gift.

Two to Three Months After the Wedding

Mail a thank you card to the guests who didn't send a gift yet, and thank them for their presence at the wedding. "Some guests just need an extra reminder. Maybe a sweet and short message might do the trick," says Blanco. The planner even recommends sharing a "thank you post on your socials, thanking your guests for being present to celebrate with you and for all the love shown through their gifts."

For those writing thank you cards, if you express your gratitude and leave out any mention of a gift, an astute guest who did, in fact, send you a present will realize you didn't receive one. And, in the event that the guest really didn't give a gift, your thank you note will still be a gracious and polite gesture.

More Than Four Months After the Wedding

Chances are, if you haven't gotten a wedding gift by month four, you're not going to get one. "It's time to move on," says Blanco. "Remind yourself that gifts are not mandatory and be happy and grateful for the fact that some of your guests traveled or had other expenses in order to enjoy that special day with you. At the end of the day, that's truly what matters the most." The bottom line is this: You are not owed a gift, so your only recourse is to let it go.