Maybe you've always been more willing to marry than to settle down. Or perhaps you're saying your vows for the second time, you're older and already have all the household accoutrements you could possibly need, or you just don't want material goods to mark the occasion of your nuptials. Whatever the case may be, if you want to make sure the wagon wheels keep on rolling once you're hitched, start out on a note of adventure: Forget all that stuff at Pottery Barn or Bloomies and register with a travel agency.
If you're planning a June or summer wedding in 2005, now is the time to start thinking about this inventive option. The better you plan ahead, the more your guests will be able to customize their donations: If you research now where you'd like to travel, stay, and eat, your friends and family can choose to give you a dinner at Le Gran Colbert in Paris, or a night at the Four Seasons -- rather than write you a check for a general fund. The more you do your research, the more invested Aunt Tillie can feel in presenting you with something she won't see displayed in a hutch every time she comes for the holidays. Even your most conservative relatives will probably grow to love the idea, even if they don't understand at first.
Honey Luna (tel. 800/809-5862; www.honeyluna.com) was the first agency to specialize in travel registries. Founders Nancy and Phil Bombase started the company, in 1995, because they wanted such a service for their own post-wedding travel. They seem to take special pleasure in exotic tropical destinations such as Tahiti or Bali, but they do it all, with destinations from Thailand to Alaska, and theme trips that range from African safaris to Disney World packages. Honey Luna's specialists will help you decide where to go and when, traffic your contributions as they come in, and make your travel arrangements for you. Your guests can post their gifts online, and you can view them as they come in.
The advantage of working with an outfit like Honey Luna is that they've got the drill down. They make the registration process very clear for your guests. The Website posts your flights, hotel stays, and meals, and contributors can click their way through the choices. The site also lists a special spot for pure cash donations to be used during the trip. The disadvantage is that they take a cut from your total. Honey Luna charges a fee of $100 just to register with them ($150 if you don't book your trip through them), and they take 15% off your total gift amount. Any monies not spent are turned over to you in cash (less the 15%).
Giftpile (tel. 619/227-4706; www.giftpile.com) offers a much better deal for slightly less service: They charge only a one-time fee of $225 to act strictly as a liaison. They will help you decide where to go, counsel your wedding guests when they call to make donations, traffic their contributions, and recommend reputable travel agents. They won't actually book travel, however, which in the end saves you money. Owner Maya Sunpongco founded the company in 1999 because she knew a number of friends who had paid for their own weddings and didn't have funds for a honeymoon right away. She admits she tends to attract "nontraditional couples," and she likes the fact that she never has to deal with Bridezilla. Hers is a goodwill enterprise. She says, "The honeymoon is the one stressless part of planning a wedding, so it's fun working with people at that stage."
The Honeymoon (tel. 888/796-7772; www.thehoneymoon.com) likewise acts as a facilitator and doesn't actually book travel for you. They do partner with travel agencies all over the country, so they can recommend a reputable agent in your area. "Honeymoons are such a personal thing that most people like to be able to talk with someone in person about their plans," says marketing manager Brandy Gerth. Owner Neal Kraemer doesn't charge a fee but takes a percentage off the total gift amount -- 5.85 to 8.85%, depending on the final tally.
You'll make the most of your loved ones' generosity, though, by registering through a standard, reputable travel agency, such as Gulf Stream Travel (tel. 800/844-6939; e-mail toptravel@aol.com), if you've carefully done your research. Gulf Stream doesn't take a percentage or charge a fee, and they book all the travel for you -- which is where they make their money, on commissions. The setup isn't as organized and explicit as Honey Luna's: They don't have, for example, a Website with an itemized list of hotels and meals. But Gulf Stream's amenable registry specialist, Debbie King, is willing to tell contributors what their options are, and she keeps close track of who gave what and presents you with a list of donors and their addresses once payments are in for all the pledges she has received. She's willing to work with couples from all over the country too. The best news is that you receive a check for whatever money Gulf Stream doesn't spend on hotels and airfare.
Most importantly, Gulf Stream is extremely reputable. This is of paramount importance if you don't want to end up honeymooning in Heartbreak Hotel. You need to know an agency is not going to fold or pilfer funds, and we'd say first-hand or very close second-hand experience is the only way to be perfectly secure here. Work with an agent you know or have worked with before; at the very least, get very strong recommendations from a trusted friend. Call ASTA (tel. 703/739-2782) and make sure your agency is a member with no major spots on its record. You can also call the Better Business Bureau to make sure the company has no major complaints filed against it. Experience, though, is the best guarantee: Sign up with someone you've worked with before, or ask friends and family for referrals. You want someone tried and true here.
Certain branches of Liberty Travel (tel. 888/271-1584; www.libertytravel.com) -- one of the most stable, reputable agencies in the business, with offices nationwide -- will be game to work with you, but you have to call your local branch and ask if they offer bridal registry service. Unless you're dealing with an agency as reliable as Gulf Stream, it's probably better to work with a local company, so you can meet your agent face to face to discuss this very personal matter.
Such services are mostly known as "honeymoon registries," but the term "travel registry" seems to go over better with gift givers: People seem to take more kindly to the idea of buying you a trip somewhere than to subsidizing your honeymoon. They also like to be in on your fun, so keep them apprised of your plans as they shape up. And, at the very least, don't forget to send postcards, once you're on your merry way.
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