Gifts for destination weddings
I know this topic is quite controversial and I have very strong opinions on it myself but I would like to know what other people think.
We have been invited to a desination wedding. The wedding couple has arranged for a block of rooms at a reduced rate for guests. For us it will require a long drive and a weekend at the hotel. Some guests are coming from much further.
We have known the groom for many years but we have never met the bride. This is the second wedding for each of them. They do not have children and often take expensive vacations around the world. Unfortunately that is not the case for many of the guests.
I am of the opinion that if you truly want people to attend your wedding then you should welcome them by covering their expenses. I have a real problem with people using their guests to create the environment they want for their wedding.
Then there is the topic of the gift. If I was simply attending the ceremony and reception locally I would have no problem giving a gift but since we are incurring extra expenses I don't understand why people expect a gift in addition to the extra effort they are asking their guests to incur.