The civil ceremony is the official moment when the couple becomes legally married at the registry office. Sometimes it takes place a few months before the wedding, sometimes it is the only event, followed by a small party. That is why the question "how much do you give at a civil ceremony" has no single answer — it all depends on the scale of the event.
The general rule: at a civil ceremony you give, on average, about half of what you would give at a wedding, because the event is smaller and the couple’s costs are lower. The amounts below are guidelines for 2026.
How much to give at a civil ceremony — guideline amounts
| Who gives the gift | Guideline amount / person |
|---|---|
| Colleagues and acquaintances | 200 – 350 lei |
| Close friends | 350 – 500 lei |
| Close relatives | 450 – 700 lei |
| Godparents and close family | 1,000 – 2,000 lei |
Amounts per person, for a civil ceremony followed by a small meal. If the event is only at the registry office, with no party, the amounts drop; if a restaurant follows, they rise towards wedding values.
Note: Real amounts can differ from these estimates — every event is different. The estimates are based on data published for the 2026 season, but give what you can comfortably afford; your presence matters more than the sum.
The difference from the wedding gift
At a wedding, the gift covers a full menu and a party of several hours, so the amounts are larger. At a civil ceremony, the event is usually shorter and more intimate, and the couple’s costs are lower — so the gift is traditionally more modest too.
If you are invited to both the civil ceremony and the wedding that follows, it is perfectly acceptable to give a symbolic gift at the ceremony and the main gift at the wedding. No one expects two full amounts.
Civil ceremony with a restaurant vs. registry office only
Context changes everything. If a restaurant meal follows the ceremony, think of the gift as a small wedding: cover the cost of your meal and add a contribution. If it is only the registry-office ceremony with a glass of champagne, a symbolic gift or a present (flowers, an item for the home) is more appropriate than a generous envelope.
When the ceremony and the wedding are on the same day
More and more couples hold the civil ceremony and the wedding on the same day. In that case, you give a single gift, calculated as for a wedding — the civil ceremony being, in effect, part of the event. Use the calculator by selecting the appropriate event type for an accurate estimate.