Registering For Your Honeymoon

Traditionally, couples spend their time registering at places like Bed, Bath, and Beyond for items to set up their household. The reason being is that most new couples do not have the necessary funds to stock their homes. Over the past few years, most couples have started to live together before getting married so they've already acquired most of the things they need for their home. However, there is a new trend quickly developing to wedding registration. Because most couples lack the money for a great honeymoon they're turning to their friends and family to contribute to the fund.

Personally, I think the honeymoon is the single most important part of the wedding process. Because the wedding ceremony and reception can be chaotic, the honeymoon is really the first time you have to sit down and relax as a newlywed couple. That's why I feel it's important to make the most of the situation and do things that you may not ever have the chance to do again.

How does it work, your may ask? It's simple, really. Instead of registering for items for around the house, the couple asks friends and family to pay for the major expenses of airfare and lodging, as well as the individual parts of the honeymoon. These individual parts include activities such as swimming with the dolphins, a round of golf, helicopter tour, scuba diving, or perhaps a romantic sunset cruise.

There are a few different ways to go about registering for a honeymoon. You can do some additional research and improve your chances of finding a quality registry company. Some areas of research include finding out how long the company has been offering the service. Honeymoon registry companies with a long track of success might be a more attractive deal than someone only doing it for a few years. The companies with experience may provide you with things such as an itemized registry list that others may not. For example, I would prefer to get a receipt or list of the things I'm contributing money toward. If I can visualize and know that my money is going toward a scuba diving adventure then I might be more inclined to contribute the money rather than buying a Belgian waffle maker. The company should also make it very easy to access the registry list, as well as convenient for receiving payments. A company that is professional may post the list on a website or send out mailers to the individuals the company specifies.

With that said, here are a few different ways to go about registering for a honeymoon: The first way, the one I highly recommend, is working closely with a travel agent. You'll first plan out your trip, from top to bottom, including activities and bookings. The agent will then provide you with a contact number for a honeymoon registry service to finalize the plans and to authorize the registry.

Be careful with the different types of fees involved. You may want to do some research and compare prices for the registry services. It's always an option to work directly with a company that specializes in the service and cut out the middle man completely. They'll charge an upfront fee, as well as a service fee to those contributing to the fund. This fee covers the maintenance of the registry list, sending out announcement cards, and customizing your interests.

Some companies work differently. For instance, other companies will simply set up a honeymoon and ask the bride and groom to pay down a deposit. Then, friends and family pay toward the general fund. Just before the trip the company will provide you with a list of everyone who contributed so you can write your thank you notes later on. Of course, if the general fund doesn't reach the full cost of your honeymoon trip then someone is responsible for paying the difference. But at least the majority of the cost has been taken by others and you can enjoy your honeymoon without any financial worries. Another great thing is that if the fund reaches an overpayment then the company will write a check to you for the difference.

Your honeymoon is not a time to worry about money. This time should be spent getting closer to the person you married and making incredible memories. Having family and friends ease your financial burden will give you the opportunity to relax, enjoy life, and allow you to spend more money on the Mai Tai's in Hawaii!