The New, Non-Awkward Way to Ask for Cash Wedding Gifts

A slew of new sites let couples register for cash wedding gifts without the awkwardness. Photo: Getty Images.

It’s a classic dilemma: Often, what a bride or groom really wants for a wedding gift is cash — but asking well-wishers to send money can feel a little, well, crass. Luckily, modern technology is taking the awkwardness out of the equation, and letting couples register for cash wedding gifts without looking greedy.

A 2014 survey by The Knot showed that 5% of couples registered for cash, up from 2% in 2013. In the same time period, almost a dozen companies have started offering cash fund services in addition to traditional wedding registry products, or as an exclusive cash registry tool.

“Since launching cash and honeymoon funds as part of our offerings nearly two years ago, we’re seeing that one out of every three registries created includes a cash component,” Amanda Allen, founder and CEO of NewlyWish, an online wedding registry gift resource, tells Yahoo Style.

With couples living together long before the wedding day, the need for a set of dishes or linens is no longer there. For Lauren and her new husband Nick, who have been together for ten years, registering for more things didn’t make sense. “We already had so much stuff,” she explains, “we didn’t need the essentials that a lot of young couples do.” So, the pair decided to register for an all-cash registry with start-up Tendr to help offset the costs of a home renovation.

Lauren and Nick’s Tendr registry asked friends and family contribute cash gifts toward their home renovation. Photo: Courtesy of Tendr.

Not to be confused with the dating site Tinder, Tendr is an online registry program which allows couples to ask for cash in an “elegant and simple” way. “We launched Tendr to celebrate the long tradition of giving cash while elevating everything that used to be a drag about the experience,” Tendr founder Jeff Beil tells Yahoo Style. “We have renowned artists designing new ways for guests to give on Tendr, and we also offer security, convenience, and a way to keep track of all your gifts.” The program also allows couples to send a digital thank-you card after receiving each gift.

According to a recent Tendr study, the average guest gifts $120 to the newlyweds, though it can be as high as $200 in some states. Couples are spending the money on a wide range of products and services, including the cost of the honeymoon, buying or renovating a home, and paying off various debts, from school loans to the wedding itself. “We really like the idea of cash as a wedding gift because it’s the most practical and flexible gift,” says recent bride Karlene, who registered with Tendr. “The money we received helped subsidize the cost of the wedding, so we could have the wedding we really wanted and be debt-free when it was over.”

Sites like NewlyWish let couples register for a combination of cash and traditional wedding gifts. Photo: Courtesy of NewlyWish.

Couples concerned about offending older relatives can combine a cash registry with a more traditional wish list. Sites such as MyRegistry.com, NewlyWish, and Zola let couples include cash gifts as part of the registry mix, allowing guests to decide what they feel more comfortable spending their money on.

If you’re concerned guests may be uncomfortable “buying” cash gifts, these websites allow you to customize your registry pages with photos of the two of you and a list of what you’re using the cash for. Ellie and Drew, who were married in 2014, created a list of items their guests could gift them via their cash fund on NewlyWish. It included care for their cats, concert tickets, date nights, public transportation, and travel. “Our guests could participate in building our dreams,” Ellie said. “People really enjoyed looking over our registry and they were able to give money towards something specific. It was a great way to allow people into our world and plans for the future.”

Before signing up with any cash fund, couples should do their research to determine which program is best for them and their guests. You want to choose a site that’s secure, so guests will feel comfortable giving their credit card information. Select a program that allows for personalization and makes the page more inviting by including photos of the bride and groom and a description or list of what you want to use the money for. That way, your guests can be 100% sure they’re gifting money to the right couple, and know what their cash gift is going towards.

As with giving cash for any occasion, there are usually some strings attached. Most sites will charge a credit card finance fee, which can range from 2.5% to 10% of the gift price. Sometimes the fee is charged to the gift giver and sometimes it’s deducted from the couple’s final balance. Another charge to be aware of are transaction fees that can range from a few cents to a few dollars.

Regardless of where you register, make it a seamless experience for both you and your guests. As Amanda Allen of NewlyWish told us, “[Guests] want to feel like they’ve contributed to your future, and this is a great way to do it.”

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