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It'll come as little surprise to anyone that most modern couples choose to accept money as a wedding gift, preferring to put those funds towards items and experiences that are genuinely wanted or needed.
While traditional wedding registries still exist (e.g. "registering" for selected items - mostly homewares - from a particular department store), in recent years a cohort of forward-thinking couples have opted to elegantly receive gift-funds by communicating what they'll be putting them toward.
Whether it's an IVF fund, a petrol kitty for a roadtrip or a new couch, the wonderful thing about choosing a wedding gift registry like Gravy is that you can fund anything.
And to get some inspo rolling, we gathered the top 10 most asked-for wedding gifts in 2022.
Many of these gifts make a lot of sense (#1 is wonderfully predictable). But what is new, however, is the ability to ask for gifts of your guest's time, skills and good will in the form of 'pledge'-style gifts (something unique to Gravy).
Gifts 1-5 are the most popular gifts that require funding, and gifts 6-10 are the most popular pledge-gifts that tap into your friend's and family's willingness to help you in more hands-on, personal ways.
1. Honeymoon fund
Consider this the negroni of wedding gifts: it's a classic. And whether you're getting away for just a relaxing weekend or going whole-hog and spending several weeks (or longer) overseas, funds are always gratefully received to put toward the travel and experiences.
👇 Here's a gift blurb:
For anyone who has been living under a rock, Airbnb is an online platform that connects travellers (that’s us) with all kinds of accommodation options around the world - from sheep wagons to tree houses, trains, windmills and everything in between. This gift will provide a unique and comfortable stay wherever we land.
2. Artwork
Asking for gift-funds for a new piece of art is brilliant as it leaves you with a solid, tangible reminder of all your most special people everytime you look at it.
👇 Here's a gift blurb:
We could decorate every wall with iPhone photos of ourselves, but we want to seem less narcissistic and more grown up, and nothing says #adulting than a lovely piece of art. It will make the abode look lovely, too.
3. Fancy dinner
What feels amazing? Going out on a date after you're married and being able to talk about anything and everything other than the wedding. It's little wonder that many couples had this gift on their wedding registry for contributions.
👇 Here's a gift blurb:
We’re not opposed to home cooking or a good pub feed, but a fancy dinner isn’t an everyday experience and we’d love to celebrate life with some five-star food. At some point in the evening, we might even draw a breath and have a good chat.
4. Hotel accommodation
Whether as part of the honeymoon, a minimoon or just spending a night in town after that fancy dinner, a hotel stay was high on couple's lists of highly appreciated gifts.
👇 Here's a gift blurb:
Gone are the days where a hostel stay, with shared bathrooms and that guy Phil who burps in his sleep, sound rather exciting. This gift will ensure our holiday includes our own flushing toilet, clean sheets and a bed that doesn’t creak. If we book somewhere really fancy, we might even get a hairdryer, Netflix or a mini bar. Oo-lala.
5. Day spa couple treatment
There's a bit of a theme going here - enjoying some "us" time and some of the finer things in life. A pamper session fits right in to this box nicely, and plenty of couples thought the very same thing with this gift coming in at the number five most-popular spot.
👇 Here's a gift blurb:
We're stumped trying to think of a better down-time experience than lying side by side and having someone rub our feet, stroke our backs and exfoliate away the stress of the world. If we're really lucky, we’ll even get to wear a white towel robe and slippers, too. Total bliss.
For the remaining 6-10 gifts, we'll share the most popular 'pledges' requested as a wedding gift.
6. Donate blood
Of all the pledge gifts given via Gravy, asking guests to give blood was the numero uno, with hundreds of couples adding this admirable request to their gift registries.
👇 Here's a gift blurb:
Did you know one blood donation can save up to three lives? That’s wild. And in our opinion, a good enough reason to do it. It helps treat cancer and blood diseases, severe burns, road incidents and trauma, pregnant women, young children and more. If you’re eligible, we’d love for you to donate now.
7. Cook us dinner
A wonderfully wholesome gift: allowing your friends or family to cook you guys a special meal, either in the comfort of your home or over at their place. Sharing good food and conversation truly is one of the greatest gifts out there, and plenty of couples recognised this too.
👇 Here's a gift blurb:
Yes, I/we/they love your company so much that in lieu of a ‘traditional’ gift, I'd/we’d/they'd rather have dinner with you instead – your shout, obvs. I/We/They don’t eat meat, fish, dairy, vegetables, fruit, grains or nuts but otherwise I'm/we’re/they're easy. Joking! As long as there is wine, everything tastes good.
8. Puppysit
You know what's surprisingly expensive? Kennelling Boof or Floof. Whether you've got a dog, cat, guinea pig or something more exotic, asking your guests if they wouldn't mind pet-sitting for you on your next trip has immense value: financially and also in the peace of mind knowing your critter is in loving care.
👇 Here's a gift blurb:
What better way to spend an evening (or weekend) than with an adorably cute puppy? We can guarantee you’ll receive plenty of cuddles, licks and attention. Sure, the toilet training and never-ending chewing of things is somewhat inconvenient, but you’d also be doing me/us/them a massive favour. So… you in?
9. Design us a date night
It's one of our personal faves: the gift of a unique date night. Because we all know that a bit of romantic or adventurous inspo never goes astray. Asking your guests to gift you a date night is guaranteed to create memories and cement itself as one of the most meaningful, fun gifts you'll ever receive.
👇 Here's a gift blurb:
Sometimes the hardest part about putting date night in the diary is planning what to do. Something fun, romantic, different? A plan that eats dinner and a movie for breakfast. That's where you come. Design away!
10. Register to become an organ donor
It's a gift that your guests can give you that takes less than two minutes: Googling and registering themselves as an organ donor. And so many couples felt this was an incredibly worthy gift to themselves that we're happy to report this came in as the fifth most-popular pledge gift.
👇 Here's a gift blurb:
Organ donation – let’s discuss. While considering your own mortality isn’t the nice thing to think about, it’s important that we all do. Especially given that one donor can save or greatly improve the lives of 10 or more people. That’s a pretty mind-blowing stat. To become an organ donor, it’s an easy step-by-step process to register.
Ready to create a wedding registry? It's absolutely free to use Gravy - no hidden fees, no catches. Get started here.
Want to create a gift collection for yourself or someone else for a birthday, baby shower, thank you, farewell, anniversary or *just because*? Create the most meaningful gift collection here.