Honeymoon registries began in the 1990s as an additional service provided by travel agents and agencies. Some are still set up in this manner and require the wedding couple to use their travel agency to book their honeymoon. More recent honeymoon registries are not involved with the planning and booking of the honeymoon. Instead, they provide the couple with a customizable web page to share their honeymoon plans with others and accept gifts toward the honeymoon. As "non-traditional" registry options such as a honeymoon registry become more popular, large registry services have added this option to complement their "traditional" fare.
The typical honeymoon registry service
Most honeymoon registries allow a couple to create and customize a registry web page with photos and details of their upcoming wedding and honeymoon. Wedding guests are invited to visit the registry site so they may contribute a monetary gift to cover a portion of the honeymoon or a specific activity as detailed by the couple. For example, a couple may list dinner at an elegant restaurant, scuba diving lessons, or portions of hotel and airfare. These activities are displayed in an organized and user-friendly inventory format on their customized registry page. As wedding guests browse the registry page, they can make a gift, typically using a credit card, of any of the listed activities or give a general monetary gift of any amount towards the honeymoon. Other common features of honeymoon registries:
Messaging systems that allow wedding couples to email preformatted notices of their registry to wedding guests as well as print out invitation inserts. Some services mail invitation inserts to the wedding couple, but usually charge a fee to do so.
Full tracking of gifts to assist couples in creating “Thank You” cards.
Gift redemption is typically via mailed check, but some services provide wire services as an option.
Etiquette
As noted by The Wall Street Journal in a May, 2008 review of popular honeymoon registry services:
Factors in registering a honeymoon and related activities
Positive factors
Wedding couples can register for gifts they may desire more than physical objects.
Increased funds available for a honeymoon can open up activities that the couple may have otherwise been unable to afford.
Gift giving process is simplified for wedding guests.
Guests may feel their gift will help provide a lifelong memory. This may be more appealing to them than a typical houseware gift.
The "Thank You" card process may be simplified for wedding couple.
Honeymoon registries are particularly valuable to those who value experiences over possessions.
Negative factors
Some wedding guests see a honeymoon registry as asking for money. This may be considered rude by some people. Many couples use a honeymoon registry in combination with more "traditional" offerings that list tangible items.
Many, but not all honeymoon registry services place some sort of service charge on collected funds. Fees vary by service provider, though some sites may lower or eliminate fees if a certain amount of travel is booked through an associated agency. There are two services that eliminate service charges by allowing couples to accept cash, check or PayPal payments directly from guests — one is funded through advertising, the other by a setup fee.
