What is an appropriate cash wedding gift?

One of my good friends is getting married tomorrow, and because they are moving far away they’d like only cash, for obvious reasons. She and I have been friends since high school, but we lost touch after University. I only recently got back into touch with her and received a last minute invite to her wedding. Of course I’m going, but I want to know what is an appropriate amount of cash to give in this situation? Thanks.

Please reconsider the idea of giving money. A wedding gift should be something the bride will cherish as long as the marriage lasts, and be passed along with its story down to the next generation. Money will simply be spent. Even people who are moving far away need household goods of heirloom value, and if they don’t have access to shipping services I am sure you could arrange shipping with UPS or FedEx.

The true value of a gift is the time, imagination and insight that goes into choosing the perfect gift. These things cannot be duplicated, and the monetary value is incidental. A simple card with your good wishes is all that society requires of you, and anything more must come from your own generous impulses. A non-monetary gift that expresses your creativity and your appreciation of the recipient can carry much greater emotional significance than its monetary value alone would indicate and can be either large or small.