The purpose of wedding registries is two-fold. For one, they provide some helpful guidance for wedding guests who wish to buy a present for the newlyweds. Secondly, they make it easy for couples to let their loved ones know what they need to set up their first home together.
However, if you’re like many people, you already have plenty of “stuff.” Maybe you and your significant other have lived together for several months or years before tying the knot and you already have everything you could possibly want and need (and then some). Or maybe you’ve lived separately and you have two sets of practically everything and you’ll be looking for ways to get rid of some of your duplicate belongings. In either case, a registry may feel superfluous at best. So, do you really have to have one?
Well, of course, you don’t have to have a registry, but foregoing it all together is a little risky. Fortunately, there’s a happy medium between creating a registry of items that you don’t really want or need and skipping the registry altogether, leaving your wedding gifts to fate and your relatives’ questionable judgment. Here are a few alternative wedding registry ideas for couples who already have everything.
Honeymoon Registries
The honeymoon registry, which is one of the most common “uncommon” registries, is perfect for when you don’t want stuff but would love some help affording the honeymoon of your dreams. The best part is that your loved ones don’t have to feel like they’re just forking over cash that’ll go towards who knows what. There are several websites, like Honeyfund and Zola, that allow wedding guests to choose what part of your honeymoon they’d like to pay for, letting them contribute towards specific things like airfare or tickets to an event or activity.
Crowdfunding Registries
Have a cause you really care about? There are several crowdfunding registries that let you set up a crowd gifting campaign, making it easy to have your wedding guests contribute toward a cause in lieu of gifts. Whether you want to prompt your guests to help fund your favorite charity or community outreach program or even a loved one’s medical bills, a crowdfunding registry is a simple way to bring attention to your favorite cause.
Charity Registries
Want to give back on your big day? Instead of gifts, your guests can make contributions in your name to the charities of your choice. If you go this route, consider offering several charities from which to choose, letting your guests choose one that also jives with their own values.
Gift Card Registries
Asking for gift cards instead of presents is becoming increasingly popular. For the gift-giver, it provides a convenient way to give a gift that they know will be enjoyed but feels more personal than simply writing a check. For the couple, receiving gift cards for specific stores, such as a home improvement store, allows them to pool together the gift cards they get to buy big-ticket items that they may not otherwise be able to afford. Create a gift card registry at a site like Card Avenue, or simply let guests know that you’d like gift cards for specific vendors.
You may choose to skip the traditional registry, but you don’t have to leave your wedding guests entirely to their own devices. Alternative registries are a great way to avoid cluttering up your home while supporting causes that you care about or funding purchases and experiences that you would otherwise miss.
