Most soon-to-be newlyweds register for wedding gifts at retail stores. This involves creating a list of all products that you want or need, at which point guests can pick and choose one. But if you’re looking to step away from the norm, perhaps one of the following alternatives is a better solution.
Honeymoon
Going on a honeymoon isn’t cheap. According to some reports, the average cost of a 6-day/7-night honeymoon is roughly $5,000. But not couple wants to start their marriage off in debt, which is why many brides and grooms are now choosing honeymoon gift registries. As the name suggests, this is a registry designed specifically for honeymoons. TheHoneyFund is one such registry, allowing couples to create their dream honeymoon for which friends and family can help pay.
Down Payment Towards a Home
Of course, another popular alternative to traditional wedding gift registries is a down payment towards a new home. Assuming you and your fiancé don’t already own a home, you may have plans to buy one shortly after getting married. TheHoneyFund also offers registries for down payments.
Cash
What newlywed couple doesn’t need a little extra cash in their bank account? Some people assume it’s poor etiquette to ask for monetary wedding gifts, but this isn’t necessarily true. As explained in this article by TheKnot, it’s perfectly fine for couples to ask for cash instead of gifts. You shouldn’t directly ask for cash in your invitations or stationary, though. The proper way to ask for monetary wedding gifts is to spread the message through word of mouth. Let your parents and close relatives know, and ask them to spread the word when other guests ask what to buy you.
Student Loan
If you and/or your soon-to-be-spouse plan on attending college after getting married, perhaps you should ask for credit towards a student loan. You can create a registry on Zola, asking friends and family to make gifts in the form of student loan credit. Let’s face it, a student loan is probably more useful that multiple waffle or pesto sandwich makers that you’ll rarely use.
With all things considered, cash is probably the best alternative to a traditional wedding gift registry. Couples can use the cash for whatever the please, whether it’s fixing up their home, buying a new home, paying for college courses, or practically anything else.
Photo credit: Clare K