The Ultimate Wedding and Honeymoon Registry Checklist

Building a honeymoon registry can be nerve wracking for couples. It's often their first time creating one, and they worry they've missed or forgotten something.

If this sounds like you and your partner, then don't sweat it. You're in good company.

To help you feel confident, here is our complete honeymoon registry checklist so you can feel good about building and posting the best registry possible.

1. Research honeymoon registry platforms and payment plans

Before you start building a honeymoon registry on any platform, it's important that you first research which platform actually suits your needs. You might think that all platforms treat registries equally, but all platforms have slight differences in how they charge users and how their registries look.

Some key differences between platforms can include:

• When you are charged for using the site (per transaction or once when the registry launches).
• How and when you can access the funds.
• What types of credit card fees and other fees might you face.
• How your registry appears to guests.
• Why the registry is promoted as “free” and what that truly means.

You don't want to sign on with a honeymoon registry platform only to find out later that you cannot access your gift funds until after the wedding. Do you research upfront so there are no surprises as you get closer to your big day.

2. Make it clear to guests that this is the correct honeymoon registry

Although no two couples are exactly the same, it can't quite be said that all honeymoon registries are wholly unique. When designing a honeymoon registry, some couples don't add enough personal touches to their site, and as a result, guests find themselves unsure if they have the right registry — and they might decide to just bring a card to your wedding instead.

As you and your partner design your registry, make it abundantly clear who the registry is for and provide ample clues to assure people that they've come to the right place. In your introduction, list your full names and the date of your wedding. You might also consider adding your parents' names or the location of the wedding.

Don't forget to add photos as well. If you're using Hitchd, then you can upload a profile photo and a cover photo. The profile photo should be one of you both, but the cover photo, which is larger, can also include you.

3. Check the nmber of gifts on your registry?

Although building your own honeymoon registry can be a lot of fun, some couples worry about how many gifts to list and at what point does the registry have too many gifts? You don't want your guests to think you don't appreciate their generosity, but having too many gifts on the list can look tacky and out of touch.

But having too few gifts can also be off-putting, especially if they're all gifts at high price points (more on that later). Guests won't know what to give you, and you might end up with home goods you don't need. While it's wonderful that guests include a check in the card they give you on your big day, this can make budgeting for your honeymoon difficult since you won't know how much money is coming in.

So how many gifts is correct? Take the number of guests coming to your wedding and add 20 percent of it. That number should be the amount of gifts on your registry. This will ensure that there is enough variety and that last-minute gifters won't be left with the most expensive item on your list.

4. List more than one type of gift

Some Hitchd users love the cash fund idea, and that's all they put on their honeymoon registry. While cash funds are great for raising money to fund a cause like a down payment on a house, they don't provide guests with much variety or even excitement. As much as you might want to create just a cash fund and call it a day, building out a honeymoon registry with different types of gifts will work out better for you in the long run.

The different types of gifts should include:

• Experience gifts such as theater tickets, accommodation costs or meals.
• Physical gifts such as luggage.
• A cash fund so guests can give any amount they like.

Our data has shown that the average contribution amount to a honeymoon registry increases by 38.5% for registries that have a varied number of gifts and experiences compared to registries that had just a single honeymoon fund gift. Give your guests some variety in what they can give as gifts, and they'll appreciate your thoughtfulness.

5. Review price points

At your wedding, guests with all types of budgets will be in attendance. Some, like parents and grandparents, will probably spend more on your gift while others may not be able to buy you an expensive present. You might have friends who are still in school or are budget for a wedding themselves. Some of your relatives might be trying to put your cousins through college.

As a couple, you and your partner need to honor all of these types of budgets that will be coming to your wedding. To do that, you need to flood your honeymoon registry with a broad range of price points with most of them landing in the $40 to $70 range. Some gift ideas could include:

• A round of drinks for $25
• Lunch for $40
• City tours for $50
• Cab fair for $40.

You can also break down expensive items, such as flights or adventure excursions, into multiple gifts at smaller price points. In a way, it's as if several people are going in on a gift for you to do together. Now instead of $100 to go snorkeling, you have two $50 gifts or even four $25 gifts.

Having a diverse list of price points will be a major relief for guests. They won't feel pressured to overspend and they can feel good about giving you something special.

6. Finalize and launch your honeymoon registry

Before launching your honeymoon registry, you and your partner should both read over the introduction and every gift together. Check for misspellings and any errors in the description.

Once you're ready, don't forget to launch your site officially. If you're using Hitchd, that means paying your one-time fee, which will allow you access the funds you receive as gifts. Once everything is paid for, you're good to go.

7. Share the link to your honeymoon registry with your bridal party

Every couple knows to add the honeymoon registry link to their wedding website — but did you know that there's one extra step you should be taking?

Share the link with both of your parents plus the bridal party. If any family member has questions about what to get you as a gift, they will almost certainly go to the couple's parents. Your friends will probably reach out to those that they know in the bridal party. This should cover all of your guests, and even if they miss the link on your wedding invitations or site, they'll still be able to find you.

Whatever you do though, don't share your link on social media unless you have a designated bridal party group or other wedding-related group. Chances are you're not inviting all of your Instagram or Twitter followers to your wedding, so sharing the link with them will look like a cash grab on your part.

Once you've been through the checklist, pat yourself on the back! You're ready to launch your site — and you're one step closer to your the honeymoon you've always wanted.