Wedding Wednesdays Q&A: Alternative Wedding Registry Ideas

It’s a short week this week, so I’m sure you are in higher spirits than normal and this will make you even happier!  It’s time for our Wedding Wednesdays Q&A and today we are discussing the alternative wedding registry:  My fiancé and I have been living together for years now and so we don’t need anything for our home.  So, a wedding registry just seems redundant and unnecessary.  We’re thinking of doing a honeymoon registry instead, but was wondering what other alternative wedding registry options there were.  We want to make gift giving easy for our guests, but we also want to ask for something we actually want/need.  Any suggestions, would be appreciated! Thanks!

The traditional wedding registry really has died a bit because of the very situation you are in.  Most couples live together before they get married, so they don’t need things like towels or dishes.  However, if you want a nice set of china or a revamp for some of your household items or something a little out of ordinary, a more traditional wedding registry is a great way to do that.  If that interests you, there are some newer options besides going directly to a site like Macy’s.  Registries like My Registry allow you to add anything you find online into your wedding registry which gives you many more options.  With that being said, you were asking specifically about alternative wedding registry ideas and we’d be happy to share a few.

1.  Honeymoon Registry – The first is of course the honeymoon registry which you mentioned.  Many couples could use a little help to fund their honeymoon and if you have all the traditional items for your home, then this is a great option.  These registries allow you to ask for items or experiences for your honeymoon or even just a cash gift to help fund the honeymoon.  A couple of examples of honeymoon registries are Honeymoon Wishes and Sandals Resorts (this is a very specific option, but good if you are headed there anyway).

2.  Cash Registry – Another option you can consider is the cash registry.  I’ve worked with many couples who just want the cash so they can put it to whatever they want, whether that is their savings or to purchase something at a later date.  But, this is a hard thing to ask for.  Luckily there are registries out there to help with that like, Deposit a Gift.

3.  House Registry – In relation to the previous option, many couples want the cash so they can put it towards a house.  So, how about a house registry?  Hatch My House gives guests the opportunity to help you with a down payment, renovations or home decor.

4. Charity Registry – If you have everything you need and want to help others instead, perhaps consider doing a charity registry instead.  This is where you ask your guests to donate to a charity of your choice in lieu of gifts.  I DO Foundation is a good example of this type of registry.

5. Everything Registry – Now I don’t want to confuse you, but there are registries who have the functionality to do many of the options above.  So, if you are looking for a combo of items, these might be good options for you.  A couple of examples are Honeyfund (honeymoon and cash gifts) and Blueprint Registry (traditional wedding items and honeymoon).

I hope you find these options helpful as you consider your alternative wedding registry options.  One thing I must mention is that you need to make sure you read the fine print of how the registry works before you officially use it as some have fees associated which you may or may not want.  Happy shopping!

What’s your wedding planning question?  Share it with us in the comment below.