choose gifts that have a low environmental cost
less stuff, more wildlife
In 2023 78% of American couples lived together prior to getting married. That means there are more engaged couples who don’t need a traditional gift registry since they already have what they need for their homes. If you’re one of these couples or you’re about to merge two homes, think about whether you really need more stuff or if you’d rather get creative with your registry.
Whether you set up a fund for honeymoon travel, a down payment for a home, charity donations, or gift cards for romantic dates, there are tons of registry ideas that allow people to gift you a memorable experience. If you do end up requesting physical gifts, make sure they’re things you’ll get good use from or opt for secondhand to give items new life and avoid waste.
Here are some options for a more wildlife-friendly registry:
- SoKind is a registry and wish list service that encourages the giving of homemade gifts, charitable donations, secondhand goods, experiences, time, day-of-event help and more.
- HoneyFund allows you to register for honeymoon necessities like meals, activities, even something as basic as a car rental.
- The Good Beginning registry is an online registry for donating to charitable causes throughout the world.
- The Knot Gifts Back donates up to 3% to the charity of your choice for each qualified gift purchased off your registry on The Knot at no extra cost to you or your guests.
donate for love
Instead of creating a registry for your wedding, encourage guests to donate directly to the causes you care about most in lieu of gifts. Provide a “gift area” to collect physical items for a children’s, women’s or animal shelter that you both love or set up various online fundraisers to collect funds for several organizations you care about. Some organizations even have online wish lists already set up for people to purchase items to be delivered with ease. Be sure to check with the organizations first on most needed items so that you can provide a list to your guests. The organization may even be able to help facilitate online gifts by setting up a dedicated landing page for your occasion.