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Can I Ask for Cash Wedding Gifts?

June 20th, 2017
Can I Ask for Cash Wedding Gifts?

Cash wedding gifts can be a tricky subject.

Cash wedding gifts come to be known as the official gifts of “not knowing what you want”. We think this is unfair. Asking for cash shouldn’t be seen as boring or disrespectful, because money is what helps us experience and accomplish the things we’re truly invested in. Money renovates our homes and picks up the check on anniversary dinners. It buys flights to exotic places and pays our dog walkers. To so many people, money is the ultimate gift—because it gives us freedom. 

That’s often too much to explain to your great aunt who is disappointed that you haven’t registered for any cut-glass china. That’s why we’ve come up with some advice as to how to ask for cash as a wedding gift—and actually get it.


Changing Trends

We know that asking for cash wedding gifts can be uncomfortable. For a lot of couples, it feels greedy, and to most of us, it comes off as plain old faux pas. However, that doesn’t make it any less practical for soon-to-be-newlyweds to crave cash over traditional registry gifts.

Now more than ever, couples are asking for money instead of household wares. And it makes sense. Couples are saying “I do” later than ever before—the late twenties being the new norm. This means they’re establishing their own lives and personal spaces, as well as moving in together long before engagement and marriage. Point being they already have dishes and towels. So what most millennials really want to stock up on for their new life together are experiences.

In the past five years, we at Blueprint Registry have watched the wedding registry industry try to catch up to the growing shift towards cash. Here’s why we think our approach to cash gifting works best:

How to Tastefully Ask for Cash Wedding Gifts

When we talk to couples and suggest how to make the ask for cash easier and less awkward, we always tell them to phrase cash as experience.

Blueprint Registry is unique because we artfully arrange our gifts by visual rooms. One of the rooms is the “The Experience Room”, where you can make space in your registry for non-tangible gifts. Hint: People are likely to gift more money when they know exactly what it’s going towards.  

When you register for cash via honeymoon funds, down payment money, cash for an anniversary dinner, and more, you keep the freedom of having it be a cash contribution. No matter what it’s still your money, and your guests feel like they are contributing to a specific cause, project, or activity.

Browse our Cash Registry and see for yourself the number of ways we can help you get cash without the awkward ask. Here are a few of our more popular experiences:

Date Nights 

Gift cards to your favorite restaurant and movie tickets are always welcomed, but setting up a cash fund for date nights means limitless options. Get spontaneous!

Home Improvements

Whether planned or unexpected, extra funds for your home always come in handy. We can’t think of a better return on investment than collecting cash for a renovation. Refinishing your hardwood floors or updating your kitchen will bring in its own cash gift when you go to sell.

Down Payments

Of course, the ultimate home improvement is, well, a new home! If you haven’t heard, down payments are pretty expensive these days. Getting some help from your wedding guests can go a long way.

Honeymooning

A dream honeymoon can seem like little more than a dream for most couples. For those short on cash after shelling out for your nuptials, a honeymoon fund can slash the price of your tropical getaway. Now, you just need to pick a place to go!


Asking for cash can be really hard. So many of us are wired to believe that it can look totally distasteful to request, and many guests would much rather gift you a tangible gift. We hope that with these suggestions, you can have a positive experience requesting cash funds for your event. After all, if it’s what you really want most, it’s worth asking for (and receiving!).

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