Wedding Registry Trend Report: The Rise of the Cash Gift

Ever since Chicago’s historic Marshall Field’s department store invented the wedding registry back in 1924, the rules and trends dictating how couples use this helpful gift-finding tool have fluctuated greatly. The latest trend on the Wedding Registry front is registering for cash gifts. The appropriateness of giving a cash gift has long remained in the wedding etiquette gray area of ‘is it’ or ‘isn’t it’ until recent years. In these tough economic times, many couples have a strong preference for cash, and the challenge is simply finding a way to express this politely.

Thanks to the all-encompassing power of the Internet, couples have finally been given a tasteful way in which to register for cash. MyRegistry.com, the leader in online gift registry technology, provides couples with an etiquette-friendly way to request cash gifts right on their online registry. When activating a Cash Gift Fund, registrants can label the fund anything they wish, whether it be a Home Renovations Fund, Honeymoon Fund, Wedding Fund, or even several different funds designated for various purposes. The Cash Gift Fund appears on the couple’s registry alongside more traditional items such as an espresso machine or flatware, so it becomes the guest’s choice whether to give a cash gift, a more traditional gift from the registry, or even a gift not listed on the registry at all.

Couples can share their online gift registry with wedding or shower guests by utilizing a number of etiquette approved methods. Registry Announcement Cards, a long-time favorite of department stores, can be included with the engagement party or bridal shower invitations. Online gift registry sites such as MyRegistry.com often offer printable versions of these cards available for download as well. Couples who would rather not include registry information with invitations can notify guests by email, or with the free customizable eCards available to MyRegistry.com members. A great way to share registry information politely is to have the host of the bridal shower be the one to spread the news. And thanks to advancements in gift registry technology, like MyRegistry.com’s facebook app, sharing registry information in an Internet-centric world is easier than ever.

The cash gift trend has helped newlyweds afford the sometimes costly expense of getting hitched these days, while providing wedding guests with an easy alternative to finding gifts from the registry that fall within their budgets. While some wedding registry trends may come and go (picking out a china pattern is no longer the registry must it once was), it’s unlikely that there will ever come a time when newlyweds couldn’t use a little cold, hard cash!