Wedding Gifts for Newlyweds Who Have Everything
Skip the china. Couples value experiences and cash to put toward the future.


When Ali Busacca and Dan Belmont wed last summer, they skipped a traditional gift registry. They asked guests who wished to give a gift for cash that the couple could someday use to buy a house. "Dan and I lived together for six years before getting married. If we needed something, we purchased it," says Busacca. They were also preparing to move from a 660-square-foot New York City apartment to an even smaller one in London, leaving little room for more stuff. Plus, they prefer traveling, dining out and enjoying time with friends to acquiring things.
As you choose gifts for couples who are tying the knot this wedding season, consider that many millennials already have the housewares they need (the average age of a bride is 29, and the average groom is 31, according to a survey from wedding site TheKnot.com). They're also transient, and they desire experiences more than sheet sets or fine china. Popular items on Zola, a registry website that allows couples to ask for cash and experiences as well as physical stuff, include gift cards for stays booked through home-sharing service Airbnb, subscriptions to monthly wine club Winc, and meal-kit deliveries from Blue Apron.
If a couple is honeymooning at a resort, see if you can pay for a dinner, excursion or other activity, suggests Kristen Maxwell Cooper, executive editor of XO Group Inc./The Knot.com. At www.honeyfund.com/giftcard, you can buy a gift card redeemable with partners including Delta Air Lines, Hotels.com, Uber, and other travel outfits, restaurants and retailers. Want to boost the couple's investments? Stockpile.com offers gift cards that recipients can use to buy shares of stock. And plain old cash or a check is always an acceptable gift.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

Lisa has been the editor of Kiplinger Personal Finance since June 2023. Previously, she spent more than a decade reporting and writing for the magazine on a variety of topics, including credit, banking and retirement. She has shared her expertise as a guest on the Today Show, CNN, Fox, NPR, Cheddar and many other media outlets around the nation. Lisa graduated from Ball State University and received the school’s “Graduate of the Last Decade” award in 2014. A military spouse, she has moved around the U.S. and currently lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and two sons.
-
Don’t Miss Apple and Walmart Back-to-School Tax-Free Holiday Savings this Summer
Sales Tax Select states host sales tax holidays during the summer. Here’s what you can purchase.
-
The Rule of Retirement Inversion
The rule of retirement inversion says that to have a great retirement, you must ask yourself what would ruin a great retirement — and then plan to avoid it.
-
Alabama Tax-Free Weekend 2025
Tax Holiday Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 back-to-school Alabama sales tax holiday.
-
Amazon Resale: Where Amazon Prime Returns Become Your Online Bargains
Feature Amazon Resale products may have some imperfections, but that often leads to wildly discounted prices.
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2025
Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up. Here's what you need to know.
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnb
real estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute Vacation
Travel It is possible to pull off a cheap last-minute vacation. Here are some tips to make it happen.
-
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
insurance When assessing how much life insurance you need, take a systematic approach instead of relying on rules of thumb.
-
Five Reasons You Shouldn't Shop on Amazon Prime Day
Smart Buying Is Amazon Prime Day still a good deal? We'll break it down.
-
When Is Amazon Prime Day? Everything We Know, Plus the Best Deals on Apple, Samsung and More
Amazon Prime Amazon Prime Day is four days this year. Here are the key details you need to know, plus some of our favorite deals to shop during the sale.