Customs tariff and VAT

Didn't know where else to post this question so chose here because of the transport aspect.

Since none of my family can be here for our wedding they want to send us our wedding rings as a gift. I read in some of the UK customs regulations that wedding gifts can be sent over duty free up to an individual value of £800. Can anybody clarify that for me or point me to an official site? I need more information before I tell them yes. We don't want them to pay Oklahoma sales tax and then us have to pay VAT. If that's going to be how it works out then I'll just have them put cash in my stateside bank account and we'll buy our own rings over here.

Wedding gifts are free from excise tax.  Make sure to remind your parents to check "gift" on the package when they send it (and also to insure it!). 

Lola, do you know of a website where I can see that information in black and white? I believe what you say but I'm just one of those people that's afraid there will be some small print somewhere that will get me into trouble.

You'll need to go to the HMCE site.  I'll poke around and see if I can find it for you -- I must've looked at it a hundred times while I was planning my wedding!   

Go to www.hmce.gov.uk

type in "wedding gifts" in the search box

click on the first result -- "bringing your belongings. . ."

download the file

go to sections 7.1 and 7.3 (page 15)

viola!   

each gift must be worth no more than £800, but there's no limit on how much you bring in if you actually carry it with you into the UK, rather than having it sent

Hehe, I couldn't have brought anything else over with me. I had 2 of the largest suitcased I could find crammed to the weight limit as it was.

Thanks for the website, very helpful information. I called them to try and get some clarification on how my family should fill out the forms and whether there was anything I would have to do upon receipt. To my surprise (not really) the gentleman I talked to wasn't even aware of this regulation. He kept telling me only gifts up to £36 could be received duty free. I finally convinced him I wasn't crazy and was reading an actual regulation so he got his copy out, read Section 7.3 and thanked me for bringing it to his attention. He couldn't answer my questions but he took all my information, gave me a reference number and said someone should call me back within 24 hours with the answers I need.