Advice: How much do I give for a wedding present? (and how can I maximize my points)

I never knew what to give for a wedding. I still do not know. I have tried to google it and personally I think its a little outrageous how much wedding calculators advise to give. I'm not rolling in dough.

In case you're curious:

• http://www.theweddingenvelope.com/calculator.php
• http://www.ihateweddings.com/?itemid=36 (a little hilarious)

So, when I'm thinking about gifting I first consider:

• How well do I know the couple?
• Am I part of the wedding party? (If so, how much did I dish out already?)
• How far did I travel?
• What kind of event is this (how much do I think they spent per head)?
• Did they give me a plus one?
• What's on the couple's registry?

I'll tell you a secret - my go to amount is $100. (Which is probably low compared to other people standards and can't cover the cost per head). I am likely to increase the amount if I'm closer to the couple. But I think its also an unrealistic expectation for you to think they people will gift you enough to cover your reception. That's just bad financial planning.

What it comes down to is how much are you comfortable giving & can you afford it. The couple invited you for being their friend/family, I would like to think they prefer your preference over a big check. (Though some couples would beg to differ). 

So next is how do I earn my points on my gifts. First advice - never give cash or check since you can't earn points off that. If you want the couple to be able to spend on what they want, give a Visa GC (available at Office Supple stores - using Ink Bold (5x). Note that there is a $6.95 fee for the $100 GC). You can also purchase these online therefore earning more points through the Chase UR Mall. Another option which I've been doing is giving an Amazon GC, this is fee-less, and everybody uses Amazon. Again, I would purchase this at an Office Supply store using my Ink Bold. And there's also a plethora of other gift cards you could purchase such as Macy's and Nordstrom to name a few. Lastly if you're going to purchase off the registry, check the UR Mall to see if you can get additional points, and if you have Chase Freedom (and the registry is at Macy's for insistence. Use your card!) And ALWAYS do a search for coupon codes!