Cash is king? 80% of engaged couples plan to have cash funds on their registry, according to top wedding website Zola.

As couples increasingly marry after long relationships and years of living as single adults or cohabitating as a pair, the demand for matched china, linens, and toasters has decreased. In their place, modern couples turn to the cash registry.

These carefully designed registries aren't the same as a check from a distant relative: they're a chance for even the couple's closest friends and family to contribute to important milestones like the newlywed's honeymoon or first home.

According to Zola, 87% of couples have lived together before marriage. Cohabitating couples often have everything they need to run their household and are less likely to ask for kitchen essentials, linens, and other registry staples.

Registry sites like Zola have tapped into the shift in the wedding gift market. Traditional gift registries consisted of home goods selected from the stock of a particular retailer. However, Zola and its competitors offer engaged couples a place to register for traditional wedding gifts and cash funds.

Abbie Clark, the writer behind Ride Rambler, appreciated the chance to register for gifts and cash while using Zola. “We had the option to register for gifts and make a honeymoon fund. It was convenient to have everything in one place,” she explains.

Other couples don't want anything at all for themselves when getting married, but they know that guests may want to give something anyway. For these couples, registry sites offer the opportunity to register for charitable donations.

Mikkel Woodruff, editor of Sometimes Home, found this option to be the perfect fit for her and her now-husband.

“We got married later in life after already being together for a few years,” she explains. “We were already established with a home and already had all the tangible items — like pots, pans, and plates — that we needed.

“We selected charities for the registry that were important to us, like the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research or the American Heart Association, all ailments that have affected our family members. We also added one for animal rescue and rehabilitation because we love animals.”

Some wedding guests have always chosen to give cash to the new couple, but the rise in cash registries has made it easier and more personal for guests to contribute to specific experiences for the newlyweds.

Zola reports that a honeymoon is the most popular use of a cash registry fund, with 84% of couples choosing this option. The Knot reported the same findings.

While gifting cash may be viewed as impersonal, that's not the case with today's honeymoon registries. Registry sites like The Knot Honeymoon Fund and Honeyfund allow couples to break out the cost of their post-marital trip into specific experiences. Guests can opt to contribute toward experience gifts like a couple's massage, flight costs, or a special dinner, allowing them to feel more connected to the gift-giving.

After honeymoon funds, the most popular cash registry is “home funds,” whether for the purchase of a new home or to upgrade the couple's current home. Zillow reports that the number of couples opting to ask wedding guests for home funds has increased by 55%.

It's no surprise that newlyweds are eager to save funds toward the purchase or improvement of their homes. In a Zola survey, 27% of engaged couples reported that buying a house will be their biggest priority after getting married, making it the most popular response and coming in ahead of other options like starting a family, paying off debt, or saving for travel.

Bella Bucchiotti, the food blogger behind xoxoBella, went this route for her August 2023 wedding. “My partner and I decided to forego the traditional gift registry when we tied the knot,” she says. “We're not big on material possessions and already have everything we need. Instead, we kindly asked our guests to contribute toward our home renovations.”

Contributions from friends and family have become more critical than ever for an increasing number of young couples shopping for their first home. According to Zillow, 43% of homebuyers in 2023 reported that gift funds from friends or family formed at least part of their down payment, up from 30% in 2022.

In a world where traditional wedding registries no longer align with the evolved needs of modern couples, the growing popularity of cash funds serves as a testament to the changing tides of matrimony and gift-giving.

This preference for cash registries reflects a shift toward experiences over objects and the desire to invest in future dreams and milestones. It's a sign of the times that harmonizes guests’ generosity with the authentic aspirations of today's newlyweds.