If you would rather have money as a wedding gift instead of traditional wedding gifts, you’ll need to be creative with asking for money.
Even though more and more couples are asking for cash gifts and honeymoon contributions, some older generations may not be totally on board with the idea. While many wedding guests give cash in their cards on the wedding day, they may still prefer to give physical gifts at a wedding shower.
But this is your wedding and you are free to skip the traditional wedding registry gifts and kindly let your guests know that you prefer cash to start your life together.
There are creative and cute ways to ask for money as a wedding gift without making your guests feel offended. You’ll also want to ensure you give your guests a place where they can contribute easily and safely.
At Hitchd, you can create a beautiful wedding website that speaks from the heart and tells your story about why you decided to set up a cash registry instead of a traditional wedding registry for gifts.
Reasons to ask for money instead of gifts
Couples decide to ask for money instead of gifts for many reasons. Let’s face it, about 75% of couples today already live together before getting married. This means there’s no longer a strong need to register for traditional gifts like towels, dishes and sheets.
Below are some main reasons couples ask for money as a wedding gift from friends and family.
Honeymoon fund
While your guests may not be able to fund your entire honeymoon (which, these days, can cost upwards of $5000-$10,000), they can give you a nice head start.
A cash registry can serve as a place for your guests to contribute towards a trip of a lifetime that will bring you more joy than any grill set ever would.
If you create a registry on Hitchd, you can register for every piece of your honeymoon separately so that gift-givers can choose the experience or item that resonates with them. For guests who still want to give a physical gift, you can create custom gift options to contribute towards luggage or new hiking gear.
Cash fund for larger items
Maybe you have all of the small household items that you need, but you could really use a new couch, mattress or bed.
Some cash registries, like Hitchd, allow you to create customized items on your website for guests to contribute towards.
Cash for a downpayment on a house
If you’re like most couples in their 20s, 30s and 40s, you’re likely still paying off college loans and trying to keep up with the high cost of basically everything these days.
What prohibits most young people from buying a home is the amount of cash needed for a downpayment.
Now, if you are planning on buying a million-dollar home, a registry for a down payment likely won’t make a dent. But, for most starter homes, a few thousand dollars can really help. If you really need a nice place to build your life together, it’s okay to ask for money for that.
Money to give toward charitable causes
If you’re the couple that has it all, or doesn’t need much, setting up a wedding registry for guests to donate to a cause that’s important to you is a great idea!
What a wonderful gift to be able to pay it forward to an organization that really needs it.
Cute ways to ask for money as a wedding gift
Okay, so there are many reasons to ask for money as a wedding gift, but how do you actually do it without sounding rude?
Remember that your guests want to give you a wedding gift that you’ll actually use. There’s nothing worse than browsing someone’s wedding registry and determining if they really need the pizza stone or the knife set.
Think of your cash registry as helping your guests by taking the guesswork out of their wedding gift.
Below are some ideas that resonate with guests and don’t come across as tacky or rude. We’ve also compiled a few lists on our blog if you want more ideas.
Be sincere
The number one thing to remember as you word your request for cash on your wedding website is to be sincere and speak from the heart. Your family members and friends know you personally, so remember why they love you and your partner and be gracious for them to consider a cash gift for your big day.
An example could look like this:
We have all we need in terms of material goods, but if you feel compelled to give us a wedding gift, we would be grateful if you could help us kick off our new life together by contributing to our honeymoon.
A honeymoon would allow us to make memories that will last a lifetime and get to spend our time together doing things we love and enjoy.
We promise to keep you updated on our journey and are so thankful that you are a part of our lives during this special time.
Keep it short and simple
You know better than anyone what the personality of your guest list looks like. If short and sweet works for most of them, go with it but keep it personal and warm. Sometimes, less is more when asking for cash as a wedding gift.
A short and simple example could be:
We have all that we need to start our life together. If you wish to provide a gift, we have set up a wedding website to help us with honeymoon contributions. Thank you!
Use humor
A little laugh can go a long way when asking for cash as a wedding gift. If you and your partner are known for humor, use it to your advantage!
Of course, keep it tasteful and remember that there will still be guests who are not totally bought into the idea of giving money as a wedding gift online.
Maybe you or your partner aren’t great at cooking — here’s an example of how to use humor to ask for an experience instead:
Everyone knows that no amount of fancy knives or cookware will help John and I be better cooks.
But, our honeymoon to Italy might inspire us to spend more time in the kitchen as a married couple!
If you feel compelled to help us take the trip of a lifetime, we have set up a honeymoon registry in lieu of gifts. Grazie!
Write a poem
If you have a bit of Shakespeare in your blood, poems are cute, creative ways to ask for money for your wedding with a bit of sophistication.
You can quickly search on Pinterest to find tons of cute poem ideas.
Here is an example of a poem that Hitchd offers for guests to use:
If choosing a gift is not your cup of tea, you might like to try our honeymoon registry. Please feel no obligation to use this list, as we do not mind if you decide to give it a miss.
Cash gift registry etiquette
When it comes to asking for money for your wedding, there are some crucial guidelines to keep in mind so that you don’t offend your guests. We get it, there are already so many rules about wedding etiquette to follow as you are wedding planning, but you really don’t want to get this wrong.
Every culture has its etiquette around weddings, so while this list isn’t exhaustive, it covers the bases so that you can create a cash registry that comes across as classy, not tacky.
Don’t ask for cash on your wedding invitation
Do not, we repeat, do not ask for cash on your wedding invitations. A wedding invitation should serve as a welcome message to your guests, giving them all the details they need to celebrate and party on your big day.
Most couples choose to include a link to their wedding website, where your cute message to your guests will live.
With Hitchd, you receive a custom URL to send to your guests so they can visit your website and view your various cash gift options.
Be specific about how you’ll spend the money
Setting up a cash registry with zero explanation will not only result in some severed relationships but will negatively impact the amount of money you receive.
This is why using a site like Hitchd is key. You can register for specific items that guests can fund together. For each item or experience, you can be extremely detailed and add specific wording and photos to illustrate what guests are gifting.
Send a personalized thank-you note as soon as possible
The traditional thank you note etiquette for weddings was that you have a year from the wedding to get your thank you to your guest.
This still feels a bit too long for most people, but when it comes to a cash registry, it’s definitely too long.
When you receive cash, it’s best to send a personalized thank you note as soon as possible, even before your wedding, if you can. This lets your guests know you appreciate their gift and are grateful that they honored your wish for an online cash registry.
Hitchd makes it easy to send personalized thank-you notes. You’ll receive a notification every time your guests contribute. If you choose to wait until after your wedding, you can include photos from the party or your honeymoon, letting your guests know their money was well spent.
Hitchd —The classy cash fund site
With Hitchd’s fully customizable platform, you can ask for cash for your wedding in a classy, convenient way for your guests. It’s easy to access your funds and your guests will appreciate all the payment options available. Get started today.
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