The Spanish Ministry of Finance is intensifying its monitoring of financial transactions and is now targeting wedding gifts. Given the steadily increasing costs of weddings, the financial aspect of these events is coming under greater scrutiny from the authorities. What many bridal couples do not know: All gifts – whether in cash, by bank transfer, or in the form of material assets – are subject to inheritance and gift tax and must be reported to the Tax Office.
Wedding Gifts as Donations: Tax Obligations in Spain
Legally, wedding gifts are classified as donations: a person transfers money or goods without receiving consideration. According to Spanish tax regulations, this has clear tax implications. Couples are required to submit Form 651, which must detail both the value of the gift and the relationship to the donor.
Some autonomous communities in Spain are currently considering bonuses or exemptions that could depend on the family relationship or the couple’s economic regime (community property or separation of property). However, the non-declaration of this income carries a significant risk of sanctions, as reported by ElEconomista.
High Penalties for Non-Compliance with Declaration Obligations
Fines for non-compliance with this obligation can amount to up to 150% of the undeclared amount in serious cases. If the unreported amount is less than 3,000 euros, the minimum penalty is 50%. However, for higher sums or proof of attempted fraud, the financial consequences are significantly harsher.
Digitalization Facilitates Tax Monitoring
The increasing digitalization has considerably simplified the work of tax monitoring. It is becoming more common for bridal couples to open special bank accounts to receive wedding gifts by bank transfer. This allows the Tax Office to directly and efficiently monitor these transactions. Financial institutions are legally obliged to report suspicious financial movements. These include cash deposits of more than 1,000 euros, transfers of more than 3,000 euros, or the use of 500-euro notes.
In cooperation with banks, the Tax Office can easily track these incomes, especially if they occur in large quantities and close to the wedding date. Even if the limits set for activating an alert are not exceeded in many individual cases, the cumulative income can quickly become noticeable.
Not Just Money: Material Assets Also Subject to Declaration
It’s not just about monetary gifts. Material gifts such as appliances, jewelry, furniture, or other physical assets with economic value must also be considered part of the couple’s assets. If these are not declared, penalties also apply if the evasion of the corresponding tax payment is discovered.
Wedding Costs and Their Financing in Focus
These stricter regulations come at a time when getting married in Spain has become a significant financial undertaking. For 2025, the average cost of a wedding in Spain, according to the specialized portal bodas.net, is around 24,600 euros, with an average of 212 euros per guest. The banquet, clothing, decoration, photography, and other services drive budgets up, in many cases even exceeding the down payment for a house.
A notable aspect is that almost half of couples finance their wedding celebration with the money they receive in the form of gifts. Another 26% resort to their savings, and a significant portion even opts for taking out a personal loan.
Tax Debt from Wedding Gifts
What many couples do not consider, however, is that receiving these funds – even if they are used to cover wedding expenses – creates a tax debt. “The deadline for submitting the self-assessment is six months from the date the gift is received,” reminds Esmeralda Gómez López, tax expert and professor at the International University of La Rioja. Couples should therefore inform themselves early about their tax obligations to avoid unpleasant surprises.
