Table of Contents
Planning your dream honeymoon after your wedding is one of the most exciting parts of getting married. But instead of traditional gifts, more couples are opting for honeymoon fund registries to help cover the costs of their once-in-a-lifetime trip. With various platforms available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. We’ve broken down the top honeymoon registries tailored specifically for adventure-seeking couples.
Honeyfund
Honeyfund is one of the popular cash fund registries, and it was launched in 2006. It was designed to provide an alternative to traditional registries, focusing on experiences rather than physical gifts. You can dedicate your registry towards your honeymoon or your first home together.
Key Features:
- No fees for cash gifts: Your guests can contribute to your honeymoon directly without charging a transaction fee when the money is transferred offline (via cash or check). Online payments do have a small fee (3.5% plus $0.59).
- Customizable registries: Couples can tailor their registry to specific honeymoon experiences, from flights and accommodations to dinners and excursions.
- Other registry options: Besides honeymoon funds, you can also register for home goods, charity donations, or even a down payment for a house.
- Ideal For: Couples who want flexibility in accepting both online and offline contributions and who may want more than just a honeymoon fund.
Zola
Zola, founded in 2013, is a one-stop shop for wedding planning, offering not just honeymoon funds but also wedding websites, guest lists, and a comprehensive gift registry.
Key Features:
- Fee-free cash gifts: This registry doesn’t charge couples to withdraw their honeymoon fund contributions, but there is a small credit card fee for guests making online payments.
- Integrated wedding tools: Zola offers a variety of planning tools beyond the registry, including a wedding website builder, to keep all your wedding details in one place.
- Flexible redemption options: You can transfer funds to your bank account, or choose to redeem them as Zola store credit for other gifts.
- Ideal For: Couples who want an all-in-one wedding planning solution and may want to integrate traditional gifts with their honeymoon fund.
Traveler’s Joy
Founded in 2004, Traveler’s Joy focuses exclusively on honeymoon funds. It was one of the first honeymoon registries.
Key Features:
- Global destination options: Couples can easily create a detailed itinerary for their honeymoon, breaking down expenses by flights, hotel stays, activities, and dining options.
- Custom URL: They offer a personalized web address for your honeymoon registry, making it easy to share with guests.
- Low service fees: Traveler’s Joy charges a 2.95% service fee on credit card transactions, which is slightly lower than many other platforms.
- Ideal For: Couples who are passionate about travel and want to focus exclusively on their honeymoon without integrating other gift options.
The Knot Cash Funds
The Knot is a well-established wedding planning platform that offers cash registries, including options for honeymoon funds.
Key Features:
- Low transaction fees: Guests pay a 2.5% credit card processing fee, but couples receive 100% of their gift contributions.
- Complete wedding suite: The Knot allows couples to integrate their honeymoon fund with other aspects of wedding planning, including a personalized wedding website, a gift registry, and guest lists.
- Quick withdrawals: You can transfer funds directly to your bank account and begin using them almost immediately.
- Ideal For: Couples who want a low-fee option and the convenience of managing their wedding planning and honeymoon fund all in one place.
Blueprint Registry
Blueprint Registry initially started as a platform for traditional home goods registries but has since expanded to include honeymoon funds and cash gifts.
Key Features:
- Home design inspiration: In addition to honeymoon funds, they offer a visually appealing way to browse and register for home goods, making it a versatile option for couples building their first home together.
- No hidden fees: There are no platform fees, but credit card processing fees (2.5%) apply for cash gifts.
- Milestone funds: Blueprint lets you set up cash funds for multiple life events, not just your honeymoon, such as home renovations or new baby gifts.
- Ideal For: Couples who want a multi-purpose registry that includes both traditional gifts and honeymoon funds.
Joy
Joy is a wedding website platform that includes an integrated honeymoon fund option.
Key Features:
- Completely free: Does not charge couples any platform fees for receiving contributions, and there is only a small processing fee for credit card transactions (2.9%).
- Wedding website integration: Joy allows couples to create a customizable wedding website that includes their honeymoon fund.
- Group gifting: Guests can contribute to a single item or experience as a group, which is great for more expensive honeymoon activities like flights or luxury accommodations.
- Ideal For: Couples who want a seamless, easy-to-use platform for both their wedding website and honeymoon fund without paying high fees.
Hitchd
Hitchd offers a premium honeymoon fund experience, perfect for couples who want a classy and easy-to-use platform.
Key Features:
- Low fees: Charges a 5% fee for gifts, but no extra fees are charged to the couple.
- Customizable design: Create a registry that matches your wedding aesthetic, allowing you to add photos and descriptions of your honeymoon plans.
- Direct bank transfers: Couples can receive funds straight to their bank accounts, making it quick and easy to use the contributions for their trip.
- Ideal For: Couples who want a premium, visually appealing registry that’s focused on funding their dream honeymoon.
Honeymoon Wishes
Honeymoon Wishes has been around since 2003 and is often the go-to choice for couples partnering with hotels and resorts. It’s ideal for those looking for resort and cruise honeymoon options that include a mix of activities.
Key Features:
- Partnership with travel providers: They are partners with hotels, resorts, and cruise lines worldwide, offering couples unique experiences based on their destination.
- Customizable: You can add excursions, dinners, spa days, and more, tailoring your honeymoon to your specific wants.
- Fee structure: They charge a 7% fee on the total contributions, though this fee can be covered by guests.
- Ideal For: Couples planning a resort or cruise honeymoon and want an easy way to tie their honeymoon experiences directly to their registry.
Choosing the right honeymoon fund registry depends on your priorities as a couple. If you’re looking for an adventure-focused registry that understands the needs of eloping couples platforms like Honeyfund, Zola, and The Knot offer comprehensive options if you want flexibility beyond your honeymoon. Evaluate the fees, customization options, and additional features of each platform to make sure your honeymoon fund aligns with your dream adventure!
A honeymoon registry is an alternative to traditional wedding registries, allowing couples to ask for contributions toward their honeymoon rather than household items. Guests can gift specific experiences, activities, or monetary contributions to help the couple enjoy their honeymoon.
Couples create a registry on a dedicated platform and list various experiences or cash funds for their honeymoon. Guests can choose which items or experiences they would like to contribute to, and the funds are transferred to the couple, either before or after the wedding.
Popular honeymoon registry platforms include Honeyfund, Zola, The Knot, Blueprint Registry, and Traveler’s Joy.
Most honeymoon registries charge a small processing fee for credit card transactions, typically ranging from 2.5% to 3.5%. Some platforms allow couples to cover the fees, while others pass the fee onto guests or offer ways to avoid fees by using direct bank transfers.
Couples typically spend their cash fund on a mix of experiences and essentials, such as:
- Flights and accommodation costs
- Romantic dinners
- Tours and excursions
- Spa treatments
- Special experiences like hot air balloon rides or snorkeling trips
- Travel essentials, such as transportation costs
Honeymoon registries offer flexibility and memorable experiences, while traditional registries provide tangible gifts. Many couples use a combination of both, offering guests a choice depending on their preferences.