Wedding Etiquette Advice

What to do when the wedding is called off

wedding cake toppers
(Image credit: Ben Goldstein/Studio D)

No Cake, No Gift?I sent my gift ahead of time and the wedding was called off: No cake= no gift. How long before I can ask for it back?

"If they cancel the wedding, it's up to them to return the gifts. If it's something they've been using, like sheets, they should give you an equivalent gift card since they know what everything costs off of the registry. But there's no proper way to do it, so don't ask. You just have to hope that they're decent enough."

I'm broke. Can I re-gift?

"Re-gifting is a form of recycling, and we're all for that. Just make sure there's no personalization. People re-gift all the time without realizing it's monogrammed. Have a friend double-check it."

This year I have six weddings. Can I give everyone the same thing and spin it as my signature gift?

"If you find something really great, it makes it much easier on you. Try to personalize it with a little secondary gift, though. The add-on tailors it and will save you from any criticism."

[Ed Note: a second, more personal gift? D'oh!]

- Sharon Naylor, Wedding expert