Honeymoon Registry - Your Honeymoon as Wedding Gift
March 18, 2008
Many people are familiar with the wedding registry. It’s a tactful way of asking friends and relatives to give you wedding gifts that you need and want. They go to the stores where you and your future spouse have registered and choose from the list of wedding gifts you want to receive. The wedding registry system is so practical, duplicate gifts are avoided and guests are assured the newlyweds will value their gifts.
The concept has long been expanded and now includes honeymoons. Hotel accommodations, local tours and a lot more can be listed on a honeymoon registry. And just like with a wedding registry, the couple merely informs their guests about their registration without obliging anybody to buy.
Yet, honeymoon registries differ from traditional wedding registries in that the former charge upfront fees. The rates vary per honeymoon registry service. Some charge a fixed amount while others add a certain percentage to the purchase of any item listed by the honeymooners.
According to the companies, this covers the cost of making arrangements with hotel chains, airlines, resorts and tour or entertainment operators for good prices. Traveler’s Joy is one of the fastest growing online honeymoon registries in the world.
People can actually give anything as a wedding gift but with a honeymoon registry, the items listed are things a newly wed couple would need or activities they may want to engage in during their honeymoon.
The items listed in the honeymoon registry can be an ordinary travel need like hotel accommodation but the specifics may be a little dazzling such as a 4-night stay in a magnificent hotel in Paris, France. Or, the giver can have the option of paying for a boat ride along the Seine River. Gifts can be for a dinner or pre-dinner cocktails, or for all the couple’s meals taken at the hotel.
Honeymooning couples would love to undertake as many activities they have lined up for their vacation. Hot air balloon rides are a popular choice. It’s something couples often talk about, but at $100-$200 per person often put off. Well-meaning givers can treat them for a romantic ride. In most instances, immediate payment for the total amount is not required. All that’s needed is a deposit with the balance payable only if the couple actually goes for the activity.
At this point, givers are advised to read carefully the “fine print” of the Registry policies regarding individual gifts. These policies differ from one company to another. Some do not attach any expiration to the gifts meaning if the couple doesn’t avail of the purchased gift for them in a year or two for example; the pre-paid activity will still be available for them to enjoy even at a much later time.
There are many companies that prescribe a specific period within which the gifts must be used. If gifts are unused at expiration, the money may be refunded less service fee. Sometimes, companies enforce a “use or forfeit” policy where refunds are not allowed. This is a very common and legally-accepted business practice. Registering couples are just cautioned to study the contract closely and decide according to their best interests.
There are benefits as well as downsides to using a honeymoon registry. Sometimes couples can get better deals by making online reservations directly with a hotel through their official website. On the other hand, a honeymoon registry can make it easier for friends and relatives to chip in for the couple’s enjoyment of a Jeep safari in Africa or a chateau in France.
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