How much should I spend on an engagement gift in Australia?
Short answerFriend or coworker: $40–80. Close friend: $80–150. Family: $100–250+. Engagement gifts are smaller than wedding gifts — the wedding gift is the main event.
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Engagement gifts in Australia are a 'congratulations' gesture, not the main event. The wedding gift is bigger; the engagement gift sits clearly below it. Many guests give nothing at all and that's fine — the engagement party itself is usually present enough.
Friend, coworker, or extended family: $40–80. A bottle of champagne or sparkling, a quality candle, a pair of champagne flutes, or a small homewares item.
Close friend: $80–150. A nice bottle plus a small keepsake, a piece of homewares they've registered for, or a contribution to a couple's experience (cooking class, wine tasting).
Immediate family (parents, siblings): $100–250+. A meaningful keepsake, a piece they'll keep in their home (artwork, serving platter, decanter), or a contribution to wedding costs is genuinely valued.
If the couple has a wedding registry up already, pick the smallest items on it for the engagement and save bigger items for the wedding gift.
Cash is appropriate from family but unusual between friends at the engagement stage — save it for the wedding when wishing wells make it standard. Avoid: anything wedding-themed that pre-empts the wedding day itself.
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