As weddings have become more frequent in one's 20s and 30s, the pressure to give gifts has placed a financial burden on many, especially Millennials and Gen Z. The author expresses a shift away from traditional wedding gift-giving due to the rising costs of living and student debt, realizing that many of their friends are already financially established prior to marriage. Instead of feeling obligated to conform to social norms, the author has chosen to prioritize their own financial goals without regret for not participating in gift-giving.
In the past few years, I've attended at least nine weddings without giving a single gift.
Weddings are treated as a grand rite of passage into adulthood, and buying a gift felt like a way to show I was on the same page.
I opted out: no more wedding gifts. In the last six years, I've attended at least nine weddings without giving a single gift - and I have no regrets.
Wedding gifts were originally intended to help newlyweds establish their first adult household, but times have changed.
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