Honeymoon fund

I’m not sure exactly what you’re asking, but I really see no need to register for a honeymoon fund. Anyone who wants to write a check will, and with no percentage taken off the top. The funds are IMO dishonest in that in reality you are registering for money not experiences. Guests are led to believe their money is going toward something tangible when in reality the couple is cut a check they can use for anything.


I would personally not feel right to ask others for money or to pay for my vacation but that’s me.

In the year of 2023 I really wouldn’t pay any mind to people who are wary of honeymoon funds people are cohabitating all over the place, the days of the traditional registry full of items that you probably don’t need are very much numbered. Do your thing! Also Zola doesn’t take a percentage - there’s only a fee for cards which is standard. So ignore that too

View Quoted Comment My point exactly, there is a transaction fee taken taken off the top in all or most of these funds. I don’t see the point. If you don’t need household items then don’t register. If someone asks about a registry you can say you haven’t registered since you’re focused on saving for a honeymoon or house. That’s not asking since a registry is supposedly just a list of things you need. People know they can always write a check.

View Quoted Comment Girlie I think you need to lighten up - it’s not your day so it doesn’t affect you let people do what they please and they’ll do the same it ain’t that hard

View Quoted Comment

Who said it affects me or that people won't do what they are going to do? Most people I know have no idea they are literally giving the couple a check with a service charge deducted. I just think honeymoon funds are unnecessary, and that they should call themselves what they are, a registry for cash.

I’m a huge proponent of honeymoon funds if that’s what’s best for the couple! As PP said, you can always just not have a registry at all and most guests will probably just write a check, but it comes out to the same thing anyway and a lot of guests have fun picking out what specifically they want to contribute toward! And without any registry at all, there’s a bigger risk of people just guessing what you want (and bombarding you with texts and calls asking why there’s no registry), and then you get like five cheeseboards with your initials on them. We already ran into this because we’re not doing a shower, and FH’s grandma got us a cake cutting set right after we got ourselves a beautifully engraved (and expensive) one. So now FH is trying to work out how we can use both of them because “it was so sweet of her to do that”. Ugh. I would much rather get to experience an expensive meal in a remarkable locale than get some crystal bowl I don’t want and can’t even donate because it has our names on it, and I would much rather do the same for my friends whose weddings I attend.


FH and I did our honeymoon registry on The Knot, which allows both full packages sold on The Knot (which to my understanding directly makes the purchase and sends you a voucher) or customized gifts. We preferred customized because you can set the limit as low as $1, so it’s a lot cheaper than the vouchers where you have to pay for the whole package. And it let us pick more expensive tours/meals that we would definitely never go for ourselves because it allows people to go in as a group so then it’s not expensive for anyone. We’ve received several compliments on ours already because our friends have had fun looking through it and deciding which activities they should send us on, and we’re planning on sending thank you photos out to our guests after to share how much we valued the experience. Of course there’s the risk that someone will use the money for something else, but I don’t think people really care? Obviously it’s different, but my friend’s honeymoon got postponed for two years due to covid, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t use a single cent of what they got on the honeymoon because it was TBD for so long. As long as they used it for something they needed/wanted as a couple, I’m happy I was able to help.
And as PP showed, you might have guests who don’t like honeymoon registries, but that’s just weddings. This is not a question of etiquette, just opinion. There will also be guests who don’t like your cake, dress, music selection, food, etc. Hopefully they appreciate that this is your wedding day and bite their tongues.

My partner and I already live together and frankly, have too much stuff already. We thought about a registry but the only thing we really need is a new vacuum lol.

SO we are using Honeyfund instead! There's lots of different ways to have your honeymoon as a registry item, but Honeyfund is different because they don't charge fees to you or your guests. The other cool thing is that, instead of just having one "Honeymoon" item on a larger registry (like on Zola) Honeyfund allows you to create different items your guests can put money towards. We have things like: flight, flight upgrade, hotel, romantic dinner, city tour, surfing lesson. You can make them whatever you want. I think its a more engaging way to go about it: you are still just receiving money at the end of the day but it allows your guests to see tangible things that their gift is going towards.

I think its a great option. And the person above keeps mentioning checks...I don't know about you but I'd say 98% of my friends do NOT have a check book. So are you really going to ask folks to what...Venmo you? Put cash in an envelope which could potentially get lost at the wedding? I say use Honeyfund or a similar service.

View Quoted Comment Yeah they’re also called cash funds interchangeably!

View Quoted Comment

So a money order from any bank or post office, then. Not difficult.

View Quoted Comment

Not usually. Cash funds are a lot more commonly considered inappropriate, which is why honeymoon funds attempt to disguise themselves as something they aren't.

View Quoted Comment

During wedding cocktail hour, your guests will look for a card box or wishing well for cards which may contain money. Identify one person to be in charge of relocating it to the reception room, so nothing gets lost.

Some people don't care what you do with cash gifts, they just want to gift you for more than the cost of a soda stream. Couples don't have to legitimize it by specifying it's for A or B. That would be like bringing them on your honeymoon to me.

Anyways I’m all for it! I think at the very least it plants the idea in peoples minds that you’d prefer a monetary gift, even if they don’t use the fund specifically. Definitely research different services and see what fits best! I’m using Zola because that’s where my wedding website is so it made sense for us

A colleague is using Honeyfund.com as their registry. As far as I know it's been a positive experience for them.

View Quoted Comment Appreciate the response already got honeymoon funds registries.
Thanks yes we live together too and already have a lot too.

View Quoted Comment Yea I just made mine thanks