Honeymoon Shower***HELP

Word of mouth is generally the answer here. Answer questions about gifts (and have wedding party etc) say we dont really need much, but we are saving for our honeymoon next summer. Or something like that.

Or, include it on your wedding website, with some information about what you hope to do while you are in Europe.

You could not give out your gift registry information to anyone, then people assume you want cash or are more likely to give you cash. (You get discounts and stuff if you purchase the unpurchased items from your registry after the wedding, so you may want to keep the registry?)

I would stick with registering for items, things you just want! Like Target FH and I registered for camping gear, a video camera, matching robes, ect...

I have heard of a honeymoon registry (and think it is tacky), but NEVER a honeymoon shower. The point of a shower is for guests to shower you with gifts, actual gifts that you unwrap. Not just checks...

If you don't want to be tacky, I would stick with registering for items, and just expand your registry outside of the normal items.

Lindsay I'm in the same boat as you! Asking for money to make the once-in-a-lifetime trip, just the two of you, unforgettable is not tacky. Plenty of my friends have been doing it. These days couples are living together before getting married more and more and we don't need things like towels and serving platters.

Here's what I'm doing- I hope it helps/puts your mind at ease: I'm planning on registering for a few things that are out of our budget (FH wants a vitamix for example). My family's big on a group of people going in on a big ticket item like that. then I'll be setting up a Honey Fund. Shower is taken care of AND I have the funds to plan a nice honeymoon! Just be prepared for silly little gifts that folks who help with the honeymoon might bring to the shower so you open something from them

I don't think it is tacky either. I mean, how many more towels or dish sets do you really need? My FH and I are considering doing the same thing. We'd much rather have the memories of an unforgettable honeymoon than another vase. Register for some items that you might be able to use on your honeymoon (like luggage, beach towels, a camera) so individuals who feel that they need to have something for you to open at your shower, can pair those with cash or the money they put toward your honeymoon fund.

I had a friend that only registered at honeyfund and did a honeymoon shower...

it is not traditional, but she's not a person that cares much about tradition.

Some people still bought and brought traditional wedding shower gift items...soooo maybe register or risk people buying things you don't want.

I agree with Marilyn... A shower is to shower you in gifts, every single person that came to my bridal shower bought me gifts from my registry. People don't want to sit at your shower and watch you open cards with money in them

What KrystalH said. I would be beyond bored watching someone count money at a shower. Plus it could be awkward if everyone knows the amounts(which I think is the reason showers traditionally aren't monetary gifts).

How about a recipe shower? Instead of gifts everyone brings a recipe that you can add to your collection.

I agree with those saying that guest want to bring gifts to a shower, not checks. Plus, what would a bride do, "oh look, Sue gave me $100. Here is Jens card, oh, thank you for the $10". What a great way to make guests feel uncomfortable.

You can do a themed shower. My daughter was not in need of anything, so we did a "Pamper the Bride" theme. People brought spa type gifts, lingerie, gift cards for hair and make-up, etc.

Traveling to places step by step,

Wherever intriguing things are kept.

Unknown places they might be,

What marvelous things they will see.

Before Bride and Groom head down the aisle,

Let's help them plan their honeymoon in style.

You are invited to a "Travel Europe" shower.

Date, time, Location

Please rsvp by Date

to

Bride and Groom are registered at Bass Pro Shop? or some travel/camping store?

or simply help them with their honeymoon fund.

Are you backpacking it and staying in hostels and some hotels?

Maybe register for stuff you will need on the trip?

Luggage, soft lunch bags with ice packs, Batteries, small flashlights, small hairdryer, security wire/locks (to lock backpacks to seats in trains and stations), ziplock bags, bungie cords, rope tie, pins, first aide kit, meds, Thermos for water, water bottles, coffee mug, umbrellas, rain ponchos, garbage bags (perfect to cover you and bag if it rains), ice packs, sewing kit, hotel toiletries (soap, shampoo, conditioner, hand sanitizer, we have tons, you use them and get rid of the weight), cleaning supplies (small sponge, small dishsoap bottle), kitchen towel, can opener, swissknife, bottle opener, good knife, new OFF mosquito clip (great for hiking), sunscreen.

http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/must-have-travel-accessories-for-back-pack-trip-to-europe.cfm

Personally if you didnt have a registry and were throwing a shower to ask for money, I would skip it because it seems uber greedy to me. I think if you want to register for things you will need for your trip, it would be fine and by making it themed that way that it wouldnt seem so gredy because then people can choose to give you money if they want.

Other ideas are having things like a Wine Shower if you and FH like wine to build your collection or a Movie Shower- things you and FH want to grow and build on and have guests bring their favorite bottle or movie to help you out.

We did the recipe shower for the one of my bridal showers. Everyone brought a recipe and actually a spice so I could stock my pantry. It's a really cool idea.

But you could definitely do a "Stock the Bar" shower. People bring different mixes, liquors, wines, bar accessories, etc.

A Lingerie or Pamper the Bride Shower would also be a nice idea.

Hayley--I love the poem! it is a nice way to throw in the honeymoon registry.

we are doing a honeymoon registry on honeyfund but i thought it might be odd to not register for the shower. I think i am going to steal Hayleys idea and register at a place or two, but also through in a one liner reminding our guests of the honeymoon!

I have never heard of a honeymoon shower! As other posters have said, the point of the shower is for guests to shower the bride with gifts. I would think that if you are not registering for any gifts at all then a shower would really be unecessary.

Word-of-mouth and your wedding website are a good way to get your honeymoon registry out there. If you aren't registering for any gifts, your guests will get the point. And those that want to contribute will, and those that don't will go and buy you a toaster that you didn't ask for.

Watching people just open cards is boring and awkward. Either register for items you can use on your HM as Haley suggest or do something different like a recipe shower, pamper the bride etc.

If someone is wanting to throw you a party they could just drop the word "shower" and call it a celebration/party. Just have an activity planned so everyone can get together and celebrate. Such as pottery making, doing a wine & art painting, afternoon tea. Take the focus off of gifts and instead put it on spending time with friends and family.

I did the honeyfund.com registry only, and my family still threw a shower for me. Some got gifts, some just gave gifts from the honeyfund. The honeyfund gifts say what the money goes toward, like "A Romantic Dinner for Two" or "Snorkeling Adventure" so I just read that, not the $$ amounts.

My friend had a honeymoon registry only as well. For her shower, we also asked people to bring not only their recipe but bring the dish itself for everyone to taste. We displayed the recipe cards by the dish so that people could copy it if they liked it.

I just wanted to share, my FH and I were thrown a traditional surprise couple's shower recently...we got several checks and many giftcards to places we were registered at in addition to traditional gifts off the registry. I'm just sharing this because I think it proves, people will give what they want to give and what they feel comfortable giving...if you do a honeymoon registry, you could register for gifts for the trip in addition...that way you just avoid problems for people that don't want to give money.

I like the idea of a honeymoon registry. and shower. What a nice change from a traditional bridal shower.

You could do a lingerie shower. I have been to those and they are fun. Just another idea. People give items that you might wear on your honeymoon or the wedding night. So are a bit over the top and some are conservative but I think that would make it more fun.

Did you look at the website www.honeymoonwishes.com? It gives you ideas on how to register for your honeymoon. I once went to a shower where the couple registered items on a registry.