Spanish tax authorities have denied claims they are clamping down on the practice of giving money to newlyweds as gifts during wedding ceremonies.

Traditionally guests at Spanish weddings give €100 or €200 to the bride and groom in a small envelope, with the practice of gifting actual presents having almost completely fizzled out.

But the recent news of 350 married couples being cross-examined by Spain’s Agencia Tributaria for a massive fraud investigation in the northern region of Asturias has led many to believe the practice is now under scrutiny.

Spanish tax agency has clarified that all money gifted to newlyweds during their weddings is in fact already considered taxable as a donation, but that “tax inspectors don’t pay too much attention to these amounts”, as Jesús Sanmartín, President of Spain’s General Council of Tax Advisers, told el País.

What they have stressed is that they do intend to stamp out under-the-table payments made to wedding venues and other people involved in the industry.

The ongoing investigation which has seen married couples who tied the knot as far back as 2016 questioned by tax authorities relates to a fraud case involving a renowned wedding venue in the northern Spanish region.

However, newlyweds have been advised to hold on to all their wedding bills and to keep in mind that the money they get as gifts is technically taxable.

Bank transfers over €3,000 and cash handouts of more than €500 can incur fines in Spain.

According to several wedding industry studies, Spanish weddings cost couples and quite often their families between €20,000 and €30,000 on average.

SEE ALSO: The ultimate guide to Spanish wedding etiquette 

Photo: Flavio Lorenzo Sanchez/Flickr