How to Ask For Honeymoon Money Instead of Gifts: Tips on Etiquette

Whether you’re off on a road trip around the USA or to an exotic tropical island, planning your honeymoon is always an exciting moment. While you might have big ideas about where to stay and what to do, perhaps you could use a little help with your budget. 

As such, consider asking loved ones to contribute towards a honeymoon fund. If you want to wave goodbye to physical items and say hello to extra funds for your big getaway, here’s how to ask for honeymoon money instead of gifts. 

How to Ask for Honeymoon Money Instead of Gifts: The Do’s and Don’ts

Knowing how to express your preferences isn’t always easy. Here’s your simple guide on how to ask for honeymoon money instead of gifts in a polite way so you can focus on other areas of wedding planning. 

Create a Honeymoon Fund

These days, you don’t have to stick with a traditional wedding registry. You can opt for a honeymoon or cash registry instead. Like traditional registries, these contain information about how your guests can contribute. You can also share details like what you plan to do with the money, alternative ways to contribute, or a message of appreciation. 

There are lots of different honeymoon registry websites out there. Take a look at a few different options to find one that suits you best. Look for a website that not only lets you list your registry information but also helps you create a more personalized, fun experience for your guests. 

Tell People Your Plans

It’s hard for some couples to ask for money, especially if it’s out of the ordinary for you. Instead, reframe it as a request for others to help you achieve a life-changing adventure or by telling people about your plans. 

Focus on how you’d love to use the money for the down payment on an incredible excursion, or to upgrade your flights on your first vacation as newlyweds. Being specific helps your guests imagine the impact their gift will have, and you can get excited about your excursion after you tie the knot. 

Share a Poem

Most of us don’t make a habit of sharing poems every day, but wedding poems are a popular choice. A poem is a wonderful way to express your preference for honeymoon money instead of gifts, and it works well if you’re nervous about saying “cash gifts only please.”

We’ve shared some ideas for honeymoon fund poems below, but you can also have a go at creating your own. Remember, it doesn’t have to be complicated or even rhyme — sometimes the silliest poems are the best if they reflect who you are. 

Keep It Simple

Some couples prefer to be more direct and avoid poems altogether. It’s more than OK to let your guests know you’d love honeymoon contributions as a wedding present in a more minimalist way. 

If you feel like a poem isn’t a good fit for you or the formality of your wedding, choose something more simple. Explore our wording ideas below, or add a simple line to your wedding website that directs people towards your cash gift registry. 

Limit Your Gift Registry

Even if you’d prefer cash gifts instead of physical gifts, there will always be some people who would prefer to send you something from a traditional registry. Make this easy for them by setting up a wedding registry, but limiting the number of items on it. Choose items that you can take with you, or add gift cards that you can spend on things while you’re away. 

Maybe you don’t want toasters, but a pair of sunglasses would make the perfect accessory for your tropical honeymoon. Instead of towels and linen, you could list skiing equipment to take away with you to the Alps. This is a practical and thoughtful way to blend traditional registry etiquette with practical gifts that complement your honeymoon. 

Don’t Ask for Money on Your Wedding Invites

Design: Owl and Toad (photo courtesy of Julia Kinnunen Photography)

Avoid mentioning wedding gifts on your invites — that includes monetary gifts. Use the space on your wedding invitations exclusively for the most relevant details of your special day. 

Your wedding website or details page is the perfect place for your wedding guests to find your gift registry, or how to donate towards your honeymoon fund. This can also be home to other details, such as venue directions, nearby lodging options, and more details about the dress code.

Make It Fun

One bonus of asking for honeymoon money instead of gifts is that you can add fun new ways for your guests to interact with your celebration. Rather than simply dropping off a gift or wedding card at a table, they can feel like they’re part of your honeymoon vacation. 

Set up a cash fund where people can sponsor or contribute to specific parts of your vacation — like your first dinner together, a guided tour, a spa day, or a hotel upgrade. Create options that cover a range of price points so people can choose a gift that matches their budget and interests. 

Keep People Updated

In addition to asking family members and friends to help you enjoy the best honeymoon ever, look for ways to keep people updated on how the planning is going. Share updates on your wedding website as you choose your hotel, decide on excursions, or plan your holiday wardrobe. You could also hold off on sharing too many updates and instead share a few cute honeymoon snaps once you’re back home. 

Honeymoon Money Request Wording Ideas

You’re comfortable with the idea of asking for wedding money and know how you want your registry set up. All that’s left to do now is to find the right words to share with your guests.

Here’s how to ask for honeymoon money instead of gifts, whether you want something casual, formal, or in the form of a poem. 

Casual Requests

You don’t have to use a lot of words to get your message across. Here are some short and sweet ways to ask for money instead of gifts in a casual but polite way:

• Cash gifts welcome — we’ll use them to make our honeymoon memorable!
• No gifts are expected but donations to our honeymoon fund are always welcome
• Our honeymoon fund registry can be found at [website]
• Our homes are full, but we’d love to make memories. Cash donations towards our honeymoon are appreciated! 
• We have all the pots and pans we need, but we’d love your help planning an incredible adventure. You’ll find our honeymoon plans and registry at [website].

Fun Poems

If you love the idea of a quirky poem, consider these wording ideas. Here are a handful of honeymoon fund poems to ask for contributions: 

• We’ve been together forever, so we don’t need anything new. What we’d love is a dream getaway to where the skies are blue. Your presence is enough, no gifts are essential. But if you wish to give, a contribution to our honeymoon fund is preferential. 
• You know us, we don’t do tradition. When it comes to wedding gifts, we have a proposition. There’s nothing we’d love more than to make memories that last forever. We’d love donations to help us plan the best honeymoon vacation ever. 
• Our home is overflowing, we’re running out of space. Instead of towels and kitchen appliances, we’d love your help getting us to our dream honeymoon place! 

Formal Requests

Sometimes an occasion calls for more formal wording. Here’s how to share your message in a more traditional and formal manner: 

• We are overjoyed to have you celebrate with us on our wedding day. As we are blessed with more belongings than we need, we’d be honored if you would consider contributing to a memorable honeymoon. 
• We’re so grateful that you’d like to send us a wedding gift. Any donations towards our honeymoon fund would be greatly appreciated.
• There’s no greater gift than your presence. Thank you for your support and love over the time we’ve known each other. If you wish to send a wedding gift, our cash registry can be found at [website].

Ask for What You Really Want With These Honeymoon Fund Ideas

Asking for money isn’t always easy, but it’s important to honor your preferences and communicate them with your guests. Use this guide to help you figure out what to say, where to share it, and how to get your message across. 

Fortunately, you can create matching wedding stationery with Greenvelope. Our digital invitations come in a variety of gorgeous designs that you can customize with different layouts, colors, and messages. Plus, it’s easy to link to your wedding website so you can send your guests straight to your cash registry details. Here’s to a dream wedding and honeymoon!