Opening wedding gifts at wedding?

I would find it odd to open gifts at the wedding. Then again I don’t really see physical gifts brought to weddings much. Showers are specifically for gifts and weddings are not. Also showers are something that are thrown by someone else and it wouldn’t be appropriate to throw your own.

I think it depends on the people you have there. My family and friends would want us to open them, but some families would rather focus on the food and dancing. I think it's really up to you, but I agree with Kelly, I've never really seen many actual gifts at a wedding.

View Quoted Comment Oh no. Does that mean that nobody would bring any of a bridal shower isn’t thrown? I’m sorry if that’s a stupid question and I know it may sound like I’m conceited but I’ve created registries of things we would need to build a home together and I don’t really have anybody to throw a shower for me or anybody I could ask to throw a shower.

I’ve never seen anyone open presents at a wedding. That’s the norm at showers, but it would be highly unusual to stop your reception so you could open gifts.

View Quoted Comment Usually people give cash or checks in a card at a wedding! This is definitely a know your crowd thing though so I would ask your friend group or family what they’ve experienced.

View Quoted Comment Thank you for your advice!

View Quoted Comment You’re welcome! Wishing you the best!

You may have a shower that is something that is thrown for you.
I would not open gifts at the wedding.

I’ve never seen gifts opened at a wedding and would probably found it rude since weddings aren’t primarily gift giving events. Like Kelly said, monetary gifts are typically given at the wedding and physical gifts are reserved for showers. It would be rude to throw a shower for yourself and they are usually hosted by a close friend or family member.

View Quoted Comment I didn't have a shower but still had a small registry for people who wanted to send us physical gifts.
We had about 15 people send us a gift off the registry, and a handful of gifts brought to the wedding. Most everybody gave cash/check though.

Along with what everyone else has said, your wedding is still over a year away. Showers are held 1-3 months before the wedding and can be thrown by any relative or friend. You don't know who may offer.

It's definitely not traditional to open gifts at a wedding. Among other things, traditionally one didn't bring gifts to a wedding at all, but sent them to the couple's home before or after the wedding. (The thought was that the couple might be leaving directly for the honeymoon, and wouldn't have time to transport a bunch of gifts home.) Also, many people will give cash or checks at a wedding. Do you really want all your guests seeing who gave $25 and who gave $500? But if you open gifts from those who gave physical gifts at the reception, but not from those who sent them to your home or gave cash, it may leave the impression that the rest of your guests didn't give gifts at all.

A shower is different. First off, you don't give your own shower--it is given, if at all, by someone who volunteers to give it. Second, the whole point of a shower is to "shower" you with gifts, so you don't have people giving cash or sending presents to your home rather than bringing them.

As PPs said, I'd skip opening gifts at the wedding

View Quoted Comment Ah that makes sense. I wasn’t sure because I don’t have anyone to throw a bridal shower for me, and I can’t exactly be like “hey can you throw a shower for me” so xD cash is fine.

View Quoted Comment There are 2 gift occasions when you marry. Wedding gifts are the main ones, a major gift from people very close to you. Since people traditionally go to a church, or some kind of hall, in, other space besides home, the custom is to NOT bring a gift to the wedding if at all possible. The gift is either delivered by a store or delivery service, or dropped off, either at one of the couple's homes, or a parent's home. Usually in the 3 months before the wedding, though it can be earlier. Or for the six weeks after the return from the honeymoon, delivered to the home they will be using after the wedding. Even couples who live together before the wedding often time it just before they move away from parents area, or where they went to school, got early jobs, or served in the military. In those cases, most everyone sends the gift directly to the new home, after the wedding, when they will be home to receive e it. Saves everyone the hassle of everything being moved twice. When most women like Ed with family til marriage, gifts went to bride's home. A safe place. If 100-400 people all brought gifts to the wedding ceremony, then on to the reception, imagine what a problem. 50-300 boxes small and large. That is why they are not usually brought to a wedding. . . . Only a few specific cultures have always had a custom of bringing a money gift, or sending a check, as a wedding gift. Most European groups, and general America, wedding gifts have traditionally been stuff. No one except older relatives was ever supposed to give you money. Always things. Older relatives with lots of money might give money and a boxed gift. It was looked down on to give money, from friends, bosses, coworkers, neighbors. In the last 20 years, more and more people in some areas and some social groups, will give a check instead of a boxed gift. So on WW, you will read posts which say, everyone gives boxed gifts at a shower, money at a wedding. That is only true in some areas and social groups. The retail industry, which now tracks by computer, estimates 7-12 percent of wedding gifts are money now , and 88-93 percent are still boxed gifts, or things handmade, or services ( Gift cards equal money ). . . . The second type of gift, the shower gift, comes from the old traditions where the bride's family and her family's closest female friends collected or bought small household items, kitchen, bath, and bedding items and items for entertaining, and gave her a storage box, hope chest or trunk of things for her new home, and groom bought it rented the home. And these women also took bride to a seamstress, or themselves made a trousseau, a small wardrobe for everyday and special occasions for the first year or two at least. And the honeymoon. For at least 60 or more years, outside of deep rural areas, this has become the wedding shower. Items for the home, or for the bride personally to wear, or for some hobbies. And the friends and closest family usually women give these second gifts, in addition to the planned wedding gift. And groomside women who want to welcome bride, may attend and give gifts too. These have always been actual presents, or dedicated money. That is, if 5 relatives pool their money to buy you a wood table, it new washer and dryer you want, they do not bring that. They deal with the store, who delivers . But at a shower bride may open an envelope or box with a picture of the actual item purchased from them, to be delivered later. Not money they can go spend on anything. But the sort of thing where people ask, are there any big items you are saving for? And one or usually more people come up with the money to buy that thing . . . . Showers have always been for things, ony from a smaller group of people who want to come up with 2 gifts. And the bride never gives a party to get gifts for herself. That is seen as rude and greedy . People volunteer. Any very close female ale friend or relative may givea shower party alone, it with a small group of hostesses. Because brides choose their bridal party from close friend and family, often some or all of the bridesmaids and MOH do it. But sometimes only a couple, or none of the bridesmaids have the time or money. It is not their job. They usually let that be known, and other friends and family will then volunteer.
Because it is hugely cheaper to have 2-3 small showers in a free small space, with home cooked or catered food, than to have the same number of guests in an outside venue, and because people do not want to drive far for any small 2-3 hour party, there are often 2-3 small showers, with different hostesses and guests, in different places. And the bride travels. Like one in hometown, one an hour away where couple's current friends are, and one hundreds of miles away near groom's family. All if these showers are for second gifts, and only include people invited to the wedding. . . There is another common type if shower. When no one in the family and no one invited to the wedding is involved. This is when a subset of the bride's friends, maybe co-workers, their aerobics group, choir, book club, sports team, and limited group not close enough to go to the wedding, but wanting to celebrate, give a completely separate shower. Very small gifts from individuals, or people may all give $5-10 each to buy food, and one or two gifts. These are done after invitations go out, so people know they are not invited. And are not mixed with family and wedding guests, as their gifts are so much smaller, mire a nice gesture. . . . There are so many local and cultural traditions around showers. But these are the common ones related to when and from whom you get gifts for the shower for the bride, it the wedding gifts to the couple . Both of which are still primarily gifts of things, some money, but in some areas, a fairly large number of gifts for the wedding may be money . . The gift is always the choice if the one giving it. Registries are only suggestions if the giver wants suggestions. So what you get depends very much on the feelings about gifts your older family and your friends have. Not what you would choose for yourself.

I have never seen gifts opened at a wedding, I think it's super weird and would be uncomfortable if this happened. I rarely see gifts brought to a wedding, they are typically sent to the bride & groom's house listed on the registry.