Reports Show Millennials Prefer Cash or Donations to Honeymoon Travel Registry Over Gifts

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The latest trend in gift-giving involves providing experiences rather than things. That holds true with wedding presents as well, particularly among millennials who may not want, or need, traditional gifts such as china or silverware. In fact, a recent article in the New York Times suggests that millennials now prefer cash or donations to a honeymoon travel registry more than store-bought items.
 

Reasons for the Trend
 

Part of this trend is due to the fact that more millennials are waiting longer before tying the knot. In the meantime, either spouse may have already purchased a home in which they plan to reside. After combining households, many couples find they already have enough goods to sustain them, and therefore do not need anything else.
 

Finances also play a big role in millennials opting for travel funds. Many newlyweds are saddled with enormous student loan debt, or are working at low-paying jobs while trying to get their careers established. That doesn’t mean they don’t still want a lavish wedding and honeymoon, as tying the knot is still seen as a major life event that should only happen once. The solution for many couples is to pay for a nice wedding themselves, and then rely on the generosity of their guests to help defray honeymoon expenses.
 

Millennials also tend to do more casual entertaining than their parents and grandparents did. Rather than hosting formal dinners at their home, they may instead choose to have just a few friends over for a cookout or movie night. This means they do not need elaborate place settings or elegant linens – once considered the traditional gifts for wedding presents.
 

Times have Changed
 

Just a few years ago, asking for cash or travel funds would have been unacceptable in many circles. According to Xochitl Gonzalez, a New York wedding planner, that has now changed. According to Gonzalez, there is no need to purchase items a couple will never use, which is why giving people the “honeymoon experience they want” is a better option.
 

Nina Vitale, wedding coordinator at the Mirbeau Inn & Spa in Skaneateles, New York, agrees. She claims that wedding guests these days rarely bring gifts, which is why her facility has moved away from having a gift table at the reception and instead now provides cardholders instead.
 

Wedding planners at the Chattanoogan Hotel echo Vitale’s sentiments, claiming the gift table is nearly always empty. A spokesperson for the hotel, Casey Reese, remarked that the new “social norm” is to give either gift cards or cash in lieu of gifts.
 

Alternatives
 

Even couples who do want traditional gifts are also asking for donations towards their honeymoon trip. It’s not uncommon for couples to set up more than one registry in order to accommodate their different needs. One registry could be for household items such as bakeware or bath towels, while another registry might be for donations to a honeymoon fund.  That way, guests are able to purchase the gift they are most comfortable in giving. In fact, many etiquette gurus advise against asking only for cash, as many older guests might find doing so offensive.
 

While the newlyweds normally determine where their honeymoon will take place, it is often possible for others to give personalized experiences such as a spa visit or romantic dinner during their trip. Many people are more open to this idea, as it makes them feel as though they have given something significant.
 

Either way, coming up with the right honeymoon travel registry is important and that is where Cruise Planners of Kansas City can assist you.  If you’re in the process of planning your wedding, please contact Cruise Planners of Kansas City and let us assist you.