The Gift Of Honeymoon Travel

April 24, 2011. Written by Agnes Los

Packing up your life and jetting around the world after you get married? Why not put that on your wedding gift list?

It’s no longer uncommon for couples to ask for cash towards their honeymoon as a wedding gift. We’ve all  been to a few weddings where the couple ask for money for their honeymoon.

The trouble with asking for cash in any capacity is that guests don’t like slipping cash into a wedding card that could get easily lost on the day. That kind of thing just feels really impersonal for many. Many guests actually prefer to buy real gifts for the couple.

But with the cost of honeymoons going up, the economic reality for most couples is that money is the most useful gift they can ask for. In fact, around 35% of brides and grooms said they plan to ask their guests to give them cash or vouchers in a recent survey by First Direct.

As a direct result of demand, there are now a number of companies offering couples the option to set up a honeymoon gift list, which simply allows everyone the chance to donate money direct into a fund that they know will be used for the couple’s honeymoon. And it’s an option that is growing increasingly popular according to our forum community.

Wrapping up the money in a way that allows guest to see it as a tangible gift for your wedding (as is now the case) really solves any problems some guests may have with the idea.

Top reasons to choose a honeymoon gift list:

•    Because you want an awesome honeymoon
•    Because you already have everything you need in your house
•    Because you need the financial help to fulfil your dreams
•    Because it saves asking for cash in your wedding card

How do I set up my honeymoon gift list?

There are plenty of agents who offer this service, along with some dedicated companies. Are they any good? Confetti went to review a handful of the companies offering couples honeymoon gift lists to find out.

Honeyfund.com

Well designed, easy to use and no fee. This company has gone from strength to strength since it set up in 2006. And most users agreed the no fees policy was a winner. Why charge guests for their money after all? You can list the gifts as price points that your guests will be able to afford. There are plenty of gift ideas to help you decide.

Honeymiles.net

This company definitely tries to make online gift giving as easy as possible. A visually interesting site. You can set up your own micro site and make email records. Guests will find it simple to use and be able to contribute to a specific part of the honeymoon. And you can print off who bought you what so when you are on your honeymoon enjoying that activity you know who bought it for you. Brilliant!

Honeymoon Wishes.co.uk

Register for free and create a free wedding page if you wish too! The guests can contribute cash to the account, or to your chosen activities, and they can also send you a personalised gift card by email or print and post. There is a service and handling fee of 8% which can be paid by the guests or the couple.

John Lewis - recommended by Confetti!

A welcome addition to John Lewis’s brilliant gift list, offering great service that’s worth looking into. Your contributions go towards a Kuoni honeymoon when the Gift List closes (usually 2 weeks after the event), and you need to have booked your honeymoon with Kuoni first. Any excess will be refunded as John Lewis gift vouchers.

Moneymoon.net

This site lets you plot a route for your dream honeymoon so the guests can see exactly what it is they are contributing to – a tour of New York, a trek through Italy, or beach and sightseeing Thai extravaganza! Creating an account is easy and free of charge, and the guests can contribute as much as they like. Once all the funds are collected there is a 7.5% withdrawal fee of the total balance, the fee is charged on each withdrawal should the couple choose to draw the money in separate lots. There is also a fee of £3.50 per image for any new images added to account.

Myhoneymoon.co.uk

Offers a personal consultation, travel ideas research, and creation of your honeymoon registry, including a personalised webpage allowing you to display photos, memorable stories. You’ll also have access to a secure statement of funds deposited by friends and family with username and password. You can have account cards. A refundable deposit of £49.99 is required to activate your account, and there is a 7% service fee.

Prezola.com - recommended by Confetti!

The UK’s leading gift list company has now added a honeymoon collection service to their amazing range. Guests can add as little as £10 to the fund all the way up to £250, plus honeymoon dinners, tours, spa treatments and more! The service is completely free from Prezola, and all couples need is a Paypal account to get going (please check with Paypal if any fees will be applicable). The guests only need a credit or debit card to purchase an amount of their choice.

Senduspacking.com

Another popular site. Easy to sign up. Offers a similar package to the others, including setting up your own site, allowing guests to contribute to specific activities and keeping a record to make it easy for you. £59.99 is the flat fee. And the bonus is there is no commission or hidden fees.

Trailfinders.com

If you like Trailfinders then it’s worth checking out. You can set up your Gift List in conjunction with an existing Trailfinders booking or use it as a unique way to accept gifts from friends and family for a trip you are planning. You set up a list and people contribute whatever amount they want, from £10 upwards. You get sent little cards to give to people with the details of your list number and how to contribute to it. And they keep a list of who has given what so you can thank them afterwards. Not as technologically advanced as some of the dedicated honeymoon gift sites, but an added bonus to their service.

See more of Confetti’s great gift list articles!