What did you do with the cash gifts from your wedding?

[james.hendrickson]

We'd lived together 5 years before marriage. We did have everything. but we didn't have anything good. We had crap. I bought calphalon pots and pans to the tune of $500. I also bought dishes and silverware from crate and barrel. All of this stuff I use daily 14 years later and haven't replaced. If not for the wedding money I probably would never have shelled out that sort of dough for high quality stuff and kept on using the crap. But the good quality stuff was well worth it.

Now if only I had bought knives. Years later I still have modest knives instead of a really high quality set. I'm still eyeing my set.

Great point. I bought some cheap Chinese made knives from Kroger. They totally didn't cut well at all, and fell apart after a few rounds in the dishwasher. Sometimes buying quality results in lower costs over the lifetime of the good.

[james.hendrickson]

We'd lived together 5 years before marriage. We did have everything. but we didn't have anything good. We had crap. I bought calphalon pots and pans to the tune of $500. I also bought dishes and silverware from crate and barrel. All of this stuff I use daily 14 years later and haven't replaced. If not for the wedding money I probably would never have shelled out that sort of dough for high quality stuff and kept on using the crap. But the good quality stuff was well worth it.

Now if only I had bought knives. Years later I still have modest knives instead of a really high quality set. I'm still eyeing my set.

Great point. A couple of years ago I bought some cheap Chinese made knives from Kroger. They totally didn't cut well at all, and fell apart after a few rounds in the dishwasher. Sometimes buying quality results in lower costs over the lifetime of the good.

[kork13]

Great point. A couple of years ago I bought some cheap Chinese made knives from Kroger. They totally didn't cut well at all, and fell apart after a few rounds in the dishwasher. Sometimes buying quality results in lower costs over the lifetime of the good.

Totally agreed. I graduated college in 2008, and my first purchases were a quality bedroom set (~$2k from the factory) and quality knives, pots, and pans (~$600 total). All of them are still in outstanding condition after 11 years of daily use. I need to get the knives properly sharpened, but otherwise they've been fantastic. Best money I could have spent.

Minor note, but dishwashers are extremely rough on cookware. I've almost never put the pots/pans/knives into the dishwasher. They'll last way better if you just handwash them.

[creditcardfree]

We used ours to establish our emergency fund. I don't remember the full amount, but I know my parents gave us $1000. We had already bought furniture for our apartment and seemed to not need anything after all the nice gifts to set up house, so we saved it. Technically, we could probably say we still have that money...as we have never need to completely drain our EF.

[amastewa93]

Now if only I had bought knives. Years later I still have modest knives instead of a really high quality set. I'm still eyeing my set.

Taking notes... haha. I have always wanted a nice set of knives but have some $20 set off Amazon. Maybe we might spend a little on those!

[amastewa93]

They'll last way better if you just handwash them.

I always cringe when I see the lady on commercials putting pots and pans in her dishwasher for this very reason haha.

[rob62521]

29 years ago we received some money and we used it to buy household items. Most of our friends didn't have a lot to give so we didn't do the registry with the fancy dishes, flatware, or pots and pans. We did receive a couple hundred dollars in gifts that were $10 and $20 here and there.

[amastewa93]

29 years ago we received some money and we used it to buy household items. Most of our friends didn't have a lot to give so we didn't do the registry with the fancy dishes, flatware, or pots and pans. We did receive a couple hundred dollars in gifts that were $10 and $20 here and there.

We used most of ours for moving costs (we relocated shortly after getting married). We also purchased some household items (curtains mostly and some towels, bedding, etc).



I've been wondering - my mom told me to keep our registry up for at least a year. How long did everyone here keep theirs active/available for people to purchase things from?

[disneysteve]

I've been wondering - my mom told me to keep our registry up for at least a year. How long did everyone here keep theirs active/available for people to purchase things from?

I don't know that we ever actually did anything to formally close the registry. I suppose the store just inactivates it at some point.

[amastewa93]

I don't know that we ever actually did anything to formally close the registry. I suppose the store just inactivates it at some point.

Hmmm... we have ours on Amazon and it gives you a date to formally close it - and you can extend it. I imagine with a lot of shopping happening online these days, it may be the same with traditional stores as well.

[disneysteve]

Hmmm... we have ours on Amazon and it gives you a date to formally close it - and you can extend it. I imagine with a lot of shopping happening online these days, it may be the same with traditional stores as well.

I’m talking about pre-internet days.

[scfr]

We used most of ours for moving costs (we relocated shortly after getting married). We also purchased some household items (curtains mostly and some towels, bedding, etc).



I've been wondering - my mom told me to keep our registry up for at least a year. How long did everyone here keep theirs active/available for people to purchase things from?

I don't remember formally closing mine either (pre-internet days) …

As far as how long to keep yours open, I don't know the formal etiquette, but what about keeping it open at least through the holidays, in case someone wants to give you a holiday gift of something you want but haven't already received?

[GordFelcon]

We bought furniture in our new house.

[Like2Plan]

Zombie thread! I wonder how the OP is doing now (this thread was from March 2019).

[myrdale]

How much did you get?
If it is a small amount, then maybe just use it for some household items that you may need?
If we are talking about a larger amount, then pay off debt or invest?

I think this question is a big part of your answer.

Assuming your wedding was paid for in cash, then putting it towards the honeymoon or pots and pans sounds great.

Considering the average wedding is $30,000, if you have any debt from that I think I'd put it towards that.

As a manner of perspective though for others, I recently found out my sister's wedding cost was <$1,000. They had it at their church, the dress was on a clearance rack, and most of the cost was in the catering. Personally I think $30k is an absurd amount to spend on a single day for something that has a 50% chance of failure, especially if they are in their early 20's and are taking the debt on themselves.