gift guides · weddings
Wedding gift ideas that beat the registry
Why the modern wedding gift is travel credit. With sample amounts, etiquette, and a script for when they don’t have a registry.
Lena Markov··6 분 분량
Registries are dying. Young couples already have blenders. What they don't have: a reason to leave town. Travel gift cards are the modern wedding gift.
Why travel beats the registry
- They already own the household stuff. Giving them more feels off.
- A trip becomes a story. The waffle iron doesn't.
- No dupes. Travel credit stacks; six waffle irons don't.
- Experiences over things. The psychological literature is loud on this.
The right amount
- Extended family / colleagues: $100–$250
- Close family / close friends: $250–$500
- Wedding party / immediate family: $500–$1,500
The note matters
For your first of many trips together. Go somewhere neither of you have been. Tell us the story at the next wedding.
One etiquette tip
If there's a registry, contribute to an honeymoon fund if one exists. If there isn't, a travel gift card (with a note calling it a "honeymoon top-up") is tactful and thoughtful.