Guest Contributor:
Now legal in 16 states, gay marriage is sweeping across the nation bit by bit. You’ve been living with your partner for years, but now that it’s legal, you can finally get hitched. Best of all, you can finally cash in on all those wedding gifts that you’ve been missing out on! But after years together, however, your home already has everything you need. A traditional wedding registry isn’t what you want or need, so here are a few alternatives.
The Honeymoon Registry
Photo by Natesh Ramasamy via Flickr
Instead of filling up your home with more stuff, think about doing a honeymoon registry. TheHoneyMoon, HoneyLuna and similar sites offer honeymoon registries. Rather than just handing out cash for your honeymoon, your guests can visit one of these sites, where they can choose specific gifts that each have a different price tag.
Your grandma could buy you a limo ride from the airport to the hotel, your aunts could purchase a picnic lunch on a secluded beach, and your second cousin could spend $25 on morning coffee and treats from the bakery for you and your new spouse. Because these websites allow your guests to pick out special parts of your honeymoon, it makes the giving feel more personal.
Cash!
Photo by 401(K) 2013 via Flickr
Whether you want to make a down payment on a new house, repair your existing house, or send a kid to college, cash is always a great gift. Mountain America Credit Union, Community Credit Union, and many others offer a cash registry service called MatriMoney. When your guests give you money through your MatriMoney registry, it is deposited directly into an account. That makes it easier to organize the funds than it would be if you had several checks and bills from cards. You can also receive special promotions with your MatriMoney accounts like a reduced APR on a car loan or waived fees for mortgage applications.
Bling and Flash
Photo of Kate Spade dining via Macy’s
Just because you don’t need a new blender doesn’t mean that you should completely forgo the housewares. Check out a shop like Macy’s, and treat yourself to a bit of bling and flash. The Kate Spade New York collection offers everything you need for your next cocktail party or dinner party as well as a few novel gifts that are just fun to own. Adding more traditional items to your registry makes it easier for more mature guests who may not be comfortable with some less traditional requests.
Charity
Photo by fherdh via Flickr
You are truly blessed to have one another, and instead of amassing gifts, you want to spread the love. Charity Choice has a wedding registry that makes it easy for your guests to donate to the causes that are important to you. First, you create a website with your own photos, theme, and text, and once the site is complete, Charity Choice sends an email to your guests letting them know how to find your site.
Hobbies
Photo by wwarby via Flickr
The cornerstone of a happy marriage is spending time together, and what better way to enjoy each other’s presence than by pursuing hobbies together. Let your registry fill your home with all of the equipment you need for your hobbies. If you’re an avid backpacker, register at REI. If you like playing board games, register at Wal-mart or an independent local gaming store.