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What to Know About Honeymoon-Fund Wedding Registries


7 months ago 335

Key Takeaways

  • Personalize your honeymoon fund by sharing your travel plans and experiences to help guests feel connected to their gift.
  • Break your honeymoon fund into specific activities, like a sunset cruise or snorkeling, to make gifting more meaningful.
  • Share your honeymoon fund details on your wedding website, not your invitations, and include a few traditional gift options.

Instead of dreaming of dinner parties and holiday gatherings at your home, you and your partner may spend much of your time discussing your future travels. Maybe you envisioning lying on the beach in the Caribbean or envision yourselves completing a treacherous (but ultimately satisfying!) climb through the Swiss Alps. Your honeymoon gives you the opportunity to do just that: Taking off an extended period of time from work to celebrate your new marital status and connect with one another in an interesting location. However, such a trip can also be costly, and you may find yourself wishing your loved ones could contribute to this type of vacation. A honeymoon fund allows you such an opportunity—and has become a common occurrence for many couples.

Yet whether it's due to comments from extended family members or your own hesitations, you may wonder: Is a honeymoon fund considered acceptable? In short, yes. "In my opinion, honeymoon funds are absolutely acceptable," says etiquette expert Elaine Swann. "It used to be unacceptable to ask for money in this particular instance, but based on how etiquette has shifted and what makes sense to folks getting married today, there's nothing wrong with having a honeymoon fund."

Meet the Expert

  • Sarah Margulis is the CEO of Honeyfund, a honeymoon registry website.
  • Elaine Swann is an etiquette expert and the founder of The Swann School of Protocol.

If you're worried about the etiquette around honeymoon registries, such as how to ask guests for this type of money, we're here to help, along with insights from Swann and Sarah Margulis, the CEO of Honeyfund, a honeymoon registry website. From what to put on your registry to how to spread the news about this gifting option, here are six key tips to help you create, share, and use your honeymoon fund. Read on for more.

Share Your Travel Plans

Most registry websites have a space for the couple to write about their story and their upcoming travels. Outline your itinerary so that your loved ones understand what they're contributing to, Swann says. "Your guests want to know where you're going, whether that's to Maui, Brazil, or the South of France," she says. "Be specific! This will put people at ease as they'll know they're giving towards something very specific." Paint a picture for everyone of what your ideal honeymoon looks like, including the spots you want to see, the experiences you'd like to try out, and where you plan on dining out. "Include as many details as you can all about your trip," says Margulis. "You can write a note including where you're going, why you chose that destination, and what you're looking forward to doing there most. Tell guests why taking your dream honeymoon means so much to you." By personalizing this section, your family and friends will be that much more excited to contribute to it.

Break It Down Into Specific Items

One of the great things about a honeymoon fund (aside from getting extra cash for your upcoming vacation!) is that you can break it down into specific items and experiences to make your guests' gifting experience a little more personal. "Bring the day-to-day experiences to life on the wishlist itself," says Margulis. "Tours, snorkeling, romantic meals, room service—whatever you plan to do let them get involved in making it happen for you! Wedding guests love to choose something exciting to contribute to. It's much more personal (and fun) to give you a sunset cruise than a piece of cutlery."

Make It Easy for Guests to Navigate

It's important to make sure that your honeymoon fund is as easy for guests to understand and use as it can be. Swann suggests choosing the platform with the most user-friendly interface and providing clear, concise instructions for anyone who might need a little extra help. "Select one that won't be a challenge for your guests," she says.

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Provide Other Gifting Options

There are a number of reasons why you might want to forgo a traditional wedding registry—maybe you're an established couple with all the houseware you need, or perhaps you two live in a tiny apartment and don't have space to store tons of linens and cookware. Yet even if that's the case, Swann says it's still important to register for at least a few gifts. Remember that some of your guests—especially those who aren't as technologically savvy as others—may not know how to navigate the platform or program. Others may still prefer to give you a tangible gift. If you truly cannot think of anything you want, Swann suggests adding a few items that will complement your honeymoon. "You may not need anything for home, but maybe you want some really cool luggage or something that has to do with your travel," she says.

Don't Put the Registry Information on Your Wedding Invitation

When it comes to sharing your honeymoon registry with your guests, avoid putting your request on you wedding invitations. Instead, Margulis recommends creating a printed insert card that you can include as part of the invitation suite, just like you would for a standard gift registry. Swann agrees, adding that it's always best to direct guests to your wedding website (not the honeymoon fund itself) for more registry details. From there, explain why you've chosen a honeymoon fund over a traditional gift registry and what your overall plans for that post-nuptial vacation are.

Feel Free to Be Flexible

While you should use any money contributed via a honeymoon registry for your honeymoon, there's no rule stipulating that you must use funds for their intended activity. For example, if your aunt purchased surfing lessons for you, but the waves look a little too big for you once you arrive, it's perfectly okay to use that money for a spa day.

Don't Delay the Trip

Though it's become standard practice to take your post-nuptial trip a year or so after your wedding, Swann says that shouldn't be the case if guests are contributing to a honeymoon fund. "If you ask people for money to go on your honeymoon, you need to go on the honeymoon and not wait," she says. "Waiting a great deal of time would not be appropriate in this instance."

Include a Memory in Your Thank-You Card

Unlike standard gifts, honeymoon registries make for unique thank-you card opportunities. For example, if your cousin gifted you a zip-lining adventure, include a picture of your and your partner flying through a canopy of trees in your card. Including a photo is the perfect way to not only show your loved ones the impact of their gift—but also give them a glimpse into your once-in-a-lifetime trip. As with all thank-you cards, make sure you send them out within three months of receiving their contributions.

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