is your next team-building experience. You are designing the home in which you will start your life together. How exciting is that? You’ll learn a lot about your fiancé that you might not have known. I’m not exactly sure why picking out home items changes people. You look over at your fiancé and all of a sudden they are so excited to choose silverware. Maybe you realize they have horrible taste when it comes to interior design. Whichever way, it gives you an opportunity to learn about each other and grow closer together.
You and your fiancé may find that you have everything you need. If that’s the case, consider a cash or honeymoon fund. Those can be easily created online and again linked on your wedding website or shared with your guests on a registry card in your invitation. If you choose to go this route, please know that many guests like to purchase tangible items. Most of your guests will likely do what you ask but some will want to get you a physical gift.
Cash Fund. A cash fund is where you ask your guests to give you cash rather than a conventual wedding gift. Several online services can help you set this up. You’ll link your cash registry to your financial institution and the company you pick will send the money your guests give you straight to your bank account. They will take a percentage of the gift to cover the fees associated with the transaction. So, for example, if your guests give you $100, you may receive only $97.00. You can also apply the cash funds towards a larger item such as a new refrigerator or washer and dryer. Your guests will see how much has been contributed to that item and can add to that fund as they like.Designating items that you would like the money to go to will help those guests who don’t want to just give you cash on your wedding day. They may feel it’s too impersonal or they don’t have a lot of cash to contribute to your fund and don’t want their name on a website saying they gave you $25 when they really want to be able to give you $100. Picking out items that they can contribute to will help them feel like their gift is of value and is going towards a specific item.
Honeymoon Fund. A honeymoon fund is a way to ask your guests to contribute towards your honeymoon. There are several online resources that can help you set this up. Again, you’ll link your honeymoon fund to your wedding website or send it with your invitations on a registry card. Your guests can pay toward your flights or hotel rooms for your honeymoon.A downside to this is that you’ll typically plan your honeymoon before the guests receive your registry. Having a honeymoon fund can cause stress late in the process because you must wait to book your travel. You may also be limited on the nights you can travel based on how much has been contributed.
The only time not to register for gifts is if you are planning a destination wedding hosted at an all-inclusive resort or overseas. A destination wedding is where all your guests travel to a location other than their home for your wedding. They all pay for their travel, hotel, and food. They are spending a lot of money to be a part of your day; this is their gift to you. Don’t worry; some people will still bring a gift or give you cash. Just as for traditional guests, send a thank-you note to those who traveled to be a part of your big day. Even if they didn’t send you a tangible gift, they deserve to be thanked for taking time off work and covering their travel expenses.
Bachelorette bash
The bachelorette party is all about celebrating the bride with her bridesmaids and possibly close friends and family. I’m certain you have heard it’s the bride’s “last weekend of freedom.” Although some do still see it this way, the bachelorette party is a special weekend spent with your closest friends to celebrate your upcoming marriage.
The party or weekend is typically planned by your maid/matron of honor or bridesmaids. However, if they are not available to help in the planning, plan your own! Figure out something that you love to do. This party is all about you and what you love. If you love the spa, plan a spa getaway. If you love to hike, go to the mountains and trails.
The season may determine when you plan your bachelorette party, but it’s best to plan the event one to two months prior to your wedding day. If bridesmaids are traveling to your wedding, space the timing a little further out to give financial space between the cost of the bachelorette party and the wedding.
Speaking of cost, who pays for the bachelorette party? Traditionally, each bridesmaid will pay for their own expenses. Then you’ll find a price per person and the bridesmaids will split your cost. If the price per person is $200.00 and you have five bridesmaids, each bridesmaid will pay an additional $40.00 over their own cost to cover your costs. This is very generous but by no means expected.
Bachelorette trips are always packed full of custom items such as T-shirts, mugs, robes, and tumblers. This is the perfect time to embrace all the bride-to-be swag. A weekend away can be filled with fun activities touring the location. Make sure to book those excursions before your trip since you’ll typically have a higher number of people.
When you are planning the perfect get-a-way location, consider the financial expense that your bridal party will endure to be able to attend your weekend away. Remember that they will be taking on most of the financial responsibility. Make sure they are financially comfortable with taking on that expense when you consider the perfect trip.
Bachelor party
The bachelor party is all about celebrating the groom with his groomsmen and possibly close friends and family. Again, this is often referred to as the last “free” weekend prior to getting married. I am personally grateful that in recent years bachelor trips have evolved into more of a male bonding trip than the groom’s last chance to go crazy
