Shawn and Lydia Ramer Hunter wanted their wedding guests' presence — not necessarily their presents.
Lancaster newlyweds Lawrence Lu and Heather Reist relied on a registry to make their Jamaican honeymoo
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Instead of gifts, the Lancaster couple asked guests at their 2007 nuptials to give donations to charities, including Oxfam and the Mennonite Central Committee.
"(We) think giving is important," Shawn says.
"It was important for friends and family to be able to give something meaningful."
The Ramer Hunters are among a growing number of engaged couples turning to nontraditional wedding registries for everything from charitable contributions to honeymoons.
Christa Vagnozzi, senior editor of WeddingChannel.com, a popular wedding-planning Web site, says the age of today's couples — and their lack of desire for more stuff — is a key factor fueling the trend.
"Brides and grooms are getting married older than ever before: 29 for grooms and 27 for brides," she says.
"They may be living together and already have a lot of stuff they need for their home."
Most couples, Vagnozzi says, choose nontraditional registries in addition to conventional ones at retailers like Target or Linens 'n Things.
The nontraditional trend appeals most to computer-savvy younger guests.
"Grandparents, and maybe even parents, aren't so keen on the idea yet," Vagnozzi says.
Charity over china
Vagnozzi estimates that 15 percent of couples set up a charity registry — a number that is steadily growing.
"Brides and grooms are just more aware of what's going on in the world these days and want to give back," she says.
One of the largest wedding charity registries, the I Do Foundation, has raised $2 million since its 2002 launch.
At idofoundation.org, couples can ask for donations to 40 groups, from the Sierra Club to Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
Couples can also contribute to charity through more traditional registries at affiliated retailers, like Amazon.com and JC Penney. With this type of registry, a percentage of purchases goes to a charity of the couple's choice.
The Ramer Hunters, who registered at justgive.org, also circulated a small "wish list" of household items they needed, like pots and pans.
About 10 percent of their guests contributed to the charitable registry, says Shawn, who works for MCC.
"I think it's a good option to have," he says. "Even if they don't choose it ... it gets them thinking about it.
"I think it's a good seed to plant."
Going places
Honeymoon registries help often cash-strapped newlyweds see the world.
Josh and Sara Margulis, a California couple who used a homemade registry to raise $8,000 for a honeymoon in Fiji, founded one popular — and free — site, Honeyfund.com.
Sandals and Starwood resorts also offer honeymoon registries.
Some registries allow guests to contribute money toward the overall cost of the vacation.
Through others, guests "buy" specific parts of a trip, like a massage, dinner on the beach or a snorkeling excursion.
Lisa Gonzalez, manager at Liberty Travel, Park City Center, says about half of the agency's engaged clients sign up for the honeymoon registry.
Guests' gifts — most of $25 to $100 — help couples chip away at the costs of a trip to Europe, the Caribbean or even Williamsburg, Va.
"It's a great gift," Gonzalez says. "It all adds up."
The honeymoon registry appeals to couples of all ages, in first or second marriages, she says.
For Lancaster newlyweds Heather Reist and Lawrence Lu, Liberty's registry was a convenient way to make their April honeymoon in Jamaica more affordable.
"We both had ... houses full of stuff," Reist says.
"We had to consolidate, and we didn't want extra stuff on top of that."
Home sweet home
Forget feathering the newlyweds' nest.
How about buying the home itself?
Registries like the SunTrust Bridal Registry Account let wedding guests contribute money toward the down payment on a couple's first home.
The gift that keeps on giving — every time you open the front door.
NEW REGISTRY IDEAS
What do you give a bride and groom who truly have everything?
• Registries at Lowe's and Home Depot offer essentials for the do-it-yourselfer, from paint to faucets.
• Active, outdoorsy types can find camping gear or skis at REI.com.
• At mixedgreens.com, couples can register for work by 22 emerging artists, straight from a New York City gallery.
• For the practical bride and groom, giftsofstock.com lets guests purchase stock in companies from Pier 1 to Pfizer Inc., starting at $10 a share.
• Always wanted to drive a Nascar or go tandem skydiving? Cloud9living.com lets guests give the gift of a "memorable experience."
• Gogift.com promises to help couples ask for cash in a "tasteful, socially correct fashion."
CONTACT THE NEW ERA: mschweigert@LNPnews.com or 291-8757
