Cash fund or registry? How to decide what's right for you

A traditional registry works best when you're setting up a home for the first time, or want specific items you'll actually use. Guests generally like the certainty of buying something concrete, and it removes any guesswork about what you need.

A cash fund makes more sense if you're already living together, would rather put money toward a honeymoon or house deposit, or simply don't need more kitchenware. Framing matters here: 'Honeymoon Fund' or 'New Home Fund' gives guests a picture of what their contribution goes toward, which tends to get a better response than an unlabelled cash request.

Most couples end up doing both: a short list of a few real items for guests who'd rather buy something tangible, alongside one or two named cash funds for everyone else. You don't have to choose one model exclusively.

Whichever you pick, put it on your wedding website rather than the invitation itself. Registry information printed directly on an invite still reads as presumptuous to a lot of guests, even though everyone expects to find it if they go looking.