Cash Gifts · 6 min read
Is a Wedding Gift Taxable? What the IRS Says About Cash Gifts
No. Wedding gifts are generally not income to the couple. Givers can give $19,000 per person in 2026 ($20,000 in 2027) with no gift tax paperwork.
Registry and cash gift advice
Straight answers on what to register for, how to ask for money and what things cost, with numbers you can use.
Want an answer right now? Try the wedding gift calculator or browse all free tools.
Cash Gifts
Cash Gifts · 6 min read
Honeyfund Alternatives: The Best Options for Your Honeymoon Fund, Compared
Honeyfund is free for guests, but cash-out costs 2.2% to 3.5%. Compare alternatives like RegistryBee, Zola, The Knot and Joy.
Cash Gifts · 6 min read
Cash Registry Fees Compared: What $10,000 in Gifts Really Costs on Each Platform
On $10,000 in gifts, cash registry fees run from $0 to about $409. See who pays on Zola, The Knot, Joy, Honeyfund and RegistryBee, and when money arrives.
Cash Gifts · 6 min read
The Best Cash Wedding Registries, Compared on Fees and Payouts
The best cash wedding registry depends on who pays and how you want the money. Compare RegistryBee, Zola, The Knot, Joy and Honeyfund on verified fees.
Cash Gifts · 6 min read
How to Set Up a Honeymoon Fund in 7 Steps (and Which Option to Use)
To set up a honeymoon fund, price your trip, pick a platform, split the trip into gifts and add it to your website. Steps, options and fees compared.
Cash Gifts · 7 min read
Honeymoon Fund Wording: 20 Polite Examples for Every Tone
Honeymoon fund wording to copy for your wedding website: 20 examples in warm, funny, formal and short tones, plus how to word it and where it goes.
Cash Gifts · 6 min read
How Much to Give as a Wedding Gift: Clear Amounts by Relationship
Give $100 to $200 for most weddings and $250 or more for family or a best friend. See amounts by relationship, plus-one and destination adjustments.
Cash Gifts · 6 min read
Cash Registry vs. Traditional Registry: A Simple Way to Decide
Choose a cash registry if your home is set and you have a big goal, a traditional one if you need things. Most couples should mix. Use this decision rule.
Wedding Registry
Wedding Registry · 7 min read
Registry Completion Discounts: What They Are and Whether the Math Works
A registry completion discount lets you buy leftover registry items at 15% to 20% off after your wedding. Here are current terms and when the math works.
Wedding Registry · 7 min read
Wedding Registry Wording: How to Share Your Registry Politely, With Examples
Wedding registry wording you can copy for your website, shower invites and texts, plus where the link goes and how to ask for cash without feeling awkward.
Wedding Registry · 7 min read
Wedding Registry Ideas for Your Real Life, Not a Store's Sample List
Wedding registry ideas for your situation: already living together, renting, on a second marriage or wanting experiences. What to ask for and how.
Wedding Registry · 6 min read
How Many Items Should You Put on a Wedding Registry? The Guest-Count Math
Plan 1.5 to 2 gift options per guest household, plus extra for a shower. Here is the math for your guest count and the right mix of price tiers.
Wedding Registry · 6 min read
Wedding Registry Checklist: What to Add by Room and What to Skip
A wedding registry checklist by room: what to add to the kitchen, bedroom, bath and outdoors, what to skip, and how many items your guest list needs.
Wedding Registry · 6 min read
How to Build an Eco-Friendly Wedding Registry That Actually Reduces Waste
An eco-friendly wedding registry starts with asking for less. How to cut unwanted gifts, avoid greenwashing, and why cash helps, with honest limits.
Wedding Planning
Wedding Planning · 7 min read
How Much to Spend on a Bridal Shower Gift, by Relationship and Compared With the Wedding Gift
Most guests spend $25 to $75 on a bridal shower gift, and up to $100 for someone close. Budget about 40% of your combined shower and wedding gift total.
Wedding Planning · 7 min read
How to Cut Your Wedding Guest List: Rules That Work, Real Decline Rates and A/B Lists
Cut your wedding guest list by setting one rule per group: kids, plus-ones, coworkers and distant family. Expect about 20% to decline, but never rely on it.
Wedding Planning · 6 min read
Wedding Hashtag Ideas: 10 Formulas, What Makes One Work and How to Use It on the Day
The best wedding hashtags use your names or surname, are easy to spell and aren't already taken. Use these 10 formulas with examples to make your own.
Wedding Planning · 7 min read
Wedding Budget Breakdown: Category Percentages, Three Example Budgets and Where People Overspend
Couples spend about 29% on venue, 24% on catering, 10% on photo and video and 9% on flowers and decor. See the full breakdown and three example budgets.
Wedding Planning · 7 min read
Wedding Thank You Card Etiquette: How Long You Have, Who Gets One and How Late Is Too Late
Send wedding thank you cards within three months of receiving each gift. You do not have a year. Here is the timing, who gets one and what to do if you're late.
Wedding Planning · 7 min read
Wedding Thank You Card Wording: Examples for Cash, Group Gifts, Gifts You Dislike and More
A wedding thank you note needs three things: name the gift, say how you'll use it, and add something personal. Copy examples for cash, group gifts and more.
Wedding Planning · 6 min read
How Much to Tip Wedding Vendors: A Table by Vendor, and When Not to Tip
Tip hair and makeup, catering staff and drivers 15-20% unless gratuity is in the contract. Owners and photographers are usually optional. Full table inside.
Wedding Planning · 7 min read
How Much Alcohol for a Wedding? Bottle Counts for 50, 100 and 150 Guests
For 100 guests and a 4-hour full bar, buy about 40 bottles of wine, 8 bottles of liquor and 4 cases of beer. See the math for 50, 100 and 150 guests.
Wedding Planning · 7 min read
Wedding Day Timeline: Sample Schedules for a 4 PM Ceremony, With and Without a First Look, Plus a Morning Wedding
A 4 PM wedding usually means hair at 8 AM, dinner at 6 PM and a 10 PM finish. Copy hour-by-hour timelines with or without a first look, or for a morning.
Wedding Planning · 7 min read
Who Pays for What in a Wedding? The Traditional Split and What Couples Do Now
Traditionally the bride's family pays for the wedding and reception. Today most couples pay part of it, and most get family help. Here is the full split.
Etiquette
Etiquette · 7 min read
How to Ask for Money for a Wedding Without Feeling Awkward (Copy-Paste Wording)
Ask for money on your wedding website and through family, never on the invitation. Copy-paste wording, what to avoid and where each line belongs.
Etiquette · 7 min read
Wedding Gift Etiquette: The Actual Rules, and the Myths to Ignore
Send your wedding gift before the day or within three months. The real rules on timing, cash, off-registry gifts and what to do if you cannot attend.
Etiquette · 6 min read
Modern Registry Etiquette: What Couples Should Do, Say and Skip
Modern registry etiquette: share it on your website, not the invitation. Offer a range of prices, keep it gracious, and thank everyone. Rules and scripts.
Baby Registry
Baby Registry · 7 min read
How Much to Spend on a Baby Shower Gift, by Relationship
Most people spend about $50 on a baby shower gift: $30 for an acquaintance, $50 for a close friend, $100 for family. Here is how to adjust and pool.
Baby Registry · 7 min read
Diaper Fund: What It Is, How to Set One Up and What to Say
A diaper fund lets baby shower guests chip in for diapers instead of guessing sizes. How to set one up, how much to aim for, and wording to copy.
Baby Registry · 7 min read
How Many Diapers Do I Need? Counts by Age, Size and Month
Expect about 2,500 to 3,000 diapers in the first year: 8 to 12 a day at first, falling to about 7. Here are counts by size, and how many to stock.
Baby Registry · 7 min read
Second Baby Registry: What to Ask For When You Already Have the Gear
A second baby registry should fill gaps, not repeat the first. What to check, replace and ask for, with safety rules for reusing gear from AAP and CPSC.
Baby Registry · 7 min read
Baby Registry Checklist: The Must-Haves You Truly Need at Every Stage
A baby registry checklist by stage: what you need before birth, at 3 and 6 months, what can wait and what to skip, following AAP safety guidance.
