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New York newlyweds have the highest expectations for wedding gifts

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When it comes to gifting at weddings, New Yorkers take the cake.

Wedding guests on average in New York state shower the bride and groom with $177 each in presents and/or cash, according to a 2025 wedding report put out by The Loupe, the content platform of fine jewelry retailer Shane Co.

What the Mr. and Mrs. expect is a slightly more lucrative story, though. The study notes that newlyweds assume guests will drop $205 in blessings for the couple.

In fact, no other state’s newly married husbands and wives demand more from their guests, the Shane Co. study suggests. Connecticut comes a close second at $202, followed by Nebraska at $195, New Jersey at $172 and New Hampshire at $161 to round out the top five.

In terms of what guests actually spend, Connecticut wedding attendees fork over the most, with each guest giving $191 on average. New York is No. 2, followed by New Jersey at $169, New Hampshire at $156 and California at $141. The average gift amount countrywide is $114.

Shane Co. said it surveyed over 3,000 Americans to uncover how couples are shaping their wedding experiences — from wedding gift expectations and budget choices to beloved traditions and the fine little details deployed to make their wedding unique.

Shane Co.’s 2025 weddings report

Among the study’s other findings:

• 57% of couples countrywide initially budgeted under $10,000 for their wedding celebrations, with the average starting budget being $7,178.

• Men spend more. The study learned that countrywide men are willing to spend an average of $137, while women typically budget $92.

• 60% of couples still share in the cake-cutting tradition, 29% hold true to the tradition of not seeing each other on their big day until the ceremony.

Top photo: Yellow House Images

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