Awhile ago we shared our thoughts on what a honeymoon registry is, and why we think having one is a great idea. We quickly realized there are TONS of honeymoon registry services out there. Since then we’ve tried out five of the most popular online honeymoon registries testing out their features and analyzing their costs. After gathering tons of non-biased information we’ve prepared a honeymoon registry comparison to help you decide which honeymoon registry is best for you.
November 2018
*Honeymoon Registry Review Update*
A great deal has changed since we wrote our first honeymoon registry comparison, especially since honeymoon registry sites are continuously adding new features or changing prices to stay competitive. We know our couples have enough to do without spending long hours scouring the little details of each registry site, so we’ve done the research for you. Read on to see how we’ve broken down the key features you should compare when choosing the honeymoon registry site that’s best for you. Since different features are important to different couples, we’ve compared four important categories on five different honeymoon registries. The sites we’re comparing are:
The four categories we’re comparing are:
Fees
Honeyfund, Traveler’s Joy, Zola, and Blueprint Registries all offer free services. Honeymoon Wishes has a service charge.
The scoop on the free registries: These sites encourage guests to print out a certificate of the item they “purchased” and give it to you in person along with a check, for which there is no charge. If guests would rather pay online, however, there are charges between 2.5% – 2.8% for purchases made with credit cards. For Honeyfund, the standard fee is 2.8% plus .30 deducted from your gift. In this case, you pay the fee, rather than your guests. For most of these sites, the standard registry is free, but includes ads. If you don’t want the ads there are upgrades available, the cost depends on the features you want. Unfortunately, you have to sign up to find out the costs.
The skinny on the paid registries:
Honeymoon Wishes charges a 7% service fee, plus 2.65% credit card fee. You may choose to have the 7% service charge added to the guest purchases or it may be absorbed by the couple and deducted from your gift total as a one-time fee. This fee covers unlimited fund transfers, a wedding web site, email wizards, and much more.
Security
Whereas all of the sites use SSL, which encrypts the data before it is transmitted, some have gone the extra mile to ensure your guest transactions are as safe as possible. Honeymoon Wishes and Honeyfund are the only sites that have implemented the most stringent methods possible by being PCI compliant. That means their security meets strict standards comparable to PayPal’s.
International Features
The best sites for international couples is Honeyfund because it allows a choice of international currencies. The other four sites allow gifts from anywhere but keep their registries to U.S. dollars. Here’s the rundown of the three remaining sites:
- Honeymoon Wishes: Guests from around the world can purchase gifts. The site specifies, however that funds must be mailed to a U.S. address, or deposited into a U.S. bank account or PayPal, unless they go directly to the couple’s destination.
- Zola: Guests from around the world can purchase gifts, but funds are in U.S. currency only.
- Blueprint: Best for US based accounts. Cash funds are only sent via PayPal and additional fees may apply for currency exchange and those fees may vary.
- Traveler’s Joy: Anyone with a valid Visa, MasterCard, or Discover credit card may shop, however, if purchasers are not in one of the countries listed on the site, additional verifications may be required.
Extras
Each of the registry sites has a little something special to set themselves apart, whether it’s social sharing or printable thank-you notes. I’ve listed the sites in order of the amount of free extras they provide, but the winner of this category truly depends on what you find most valuable.
- Honeymoon Wishes: Because Honeymoon Wishes is partnered with Sandals, Beaches, Carnival, and other travel providers, their registry site offers users the option to purchase a real gift from a resort . For example, if a guest buys you a massage, the money goes directly to the resort’s spa to pay for it. There are no worries about keeping your registry money separate so you don’t accidentally spend it on household expenses! Honeymoon Wishes also provides a complete wedding website with a photo album that guests can print photos from, free of charge. There are also announcement cards, email templates and thank you notes.
- Blueprint: This registry boasts quite a list of extras including the fact that it is a complete registry allowing you to register for experiences, cash, and home goods from any retailer. Already started a registry with another retailer? No problem! Blueprint allows you to import other registries into one location. It also provides options for group gifting, gift tracking for thank you cards, and visual blueprints to help you register room by room.
- Zola: Also offers an extensive list of additional benefits including free wedding websites, registry apps, and thank you note manager. This registry also allows for group gifting from a variety of retailers in addition to your honeymoon and experience requests. Our favorite feature is that you are notified when a gift is purchased and have the option of controlling when your gifts will be shipped (with free shipping!) This is a great feature so you don’t have to worry about gifts piling up at your door step while you’re honeymooning.
- Traveler’s Joy: Has the benefit of being the official honeymoon registry for The Knot, Wedding Wire, and WeddingChannel.com. This allows your guests to find your registry through a simple Google search (an option that can be turned off if you prefer more privacy).
- Honeyfund: Since they promote themselves as being a low fee option, we didn’t find that they offered much in the way of free extras. They have a “honeymoon calculator” on their site to estimate the cost of your trip and direct gifts allowed. Any other extras they offer can be accessed through the purchase of three levels of upgrades.
Which honeymoon fund is the best? It depends on what you want out of it! Fees, Security, and International Options all have different importance to different couples, so choose the one that best fits your style.
That’s a wrap on our notes comparing honeymoon registry sites! We hope it is a helpful resource for you sweethearts out there making plans to tie the knot. Sailing off, or taking flight into the sunset for your honeymoon should be as stress-free as possible; and a honeymoon registry is a superb way to save for a trip where you will make lifetime memories! We wish you the best in deciding on the honeymoon registry that is perfect for you. Feel free to share this comparison with friends and family who might find it helpful!
