Here is a side-by-side
comparison of seven of the web's more popular registries, followed by
advice on how to choose one:
|
|
|
| Website's
ease of use, explanation of terms, and attractiveness |
A |
| Setup fee |
none |
| Service
charge |
●
None if a honeymoon
valued at $2000 or more is booked through The Big Day
● 9% deducted
from total contributions if honeymoon is booked
elsewhere.
●
$1.55 to mail gift card to couple. |
| Registry
cards |
● Print and e-mail
cards provided for no additional fee |
| Extras |
●
free personal wedding page (in addition to registry page);
premium wedding page is $99 or $9.95 per month
● free e-mail address
● helpful e-mail newsletters and articles |
| Other notes |
● BBBOnline
Reliability Program participant
● payment made to couple by check or direct deposit |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Website's
ease of use, explanation of terms, and attractiveness |
B+ |
| Setup fee |
●
$150 setup fee
●
one-time $75 fee if a honeymoon specialist plans
the honeymoon |
|
Service charge |
● 9% service charge added to cost of the
gift |
| Registry
cards |
● 100 free registry cards (fee for
additional cards is not specified) |
| Extras |
●
Registry is run by a travel agency specializing
in luxury travel
●
Offers concierge service to customize the
honeymoon experience—e.g., releasing butterflies in your room,
or playing your wedding song on your arrival |
| Other notes |
●
Member American Society of Travel Agents, Cruise
Line International Association |
|
|
|
|
|
| Website's
ease of use, explanation of terms, and attractiveness |
B |
| Setup fee |
$225 |
| Service
charge |
none |
| Registry
cards |
● 100 printed cards
and e-mail cards provided for no additional fee |
| Extras |
● personal web
page for creating a honeymoon journal, with space for couple's
photo
● Giftpile will send a "thank you" e-mail with honeymoon
journal and pictures attached to all gift-givers
● registry
remains active after wedding and honeymoon for late gift-givers |
| Other notes |
● registry setup
is conducted in person via e-mail or phone rather than through website
●
member of Association of Wedding Professionals
International |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Website's
ease of use, explanation of terms, and attractiveness |
A- |
| Setup fee |
●
"Free" registry: No setup fee
● "Full service" registry: $100 setup fee if travel is
booked through HoneyLuna; $150 if honeymoon is booked elsewhere;
$25/hour travel consulting fee to prepare custom itineraries
(minimum $50 charge) |
| Service
charge |
●
"Free" registry: 9% service charge
● "Full service" registry: 15% service charge |
| Registry
cards |
● 100 printed cards
free; 10
cents per card over the first 100
● free e-mail announcements |
| Extras |
● Guests can pay
for gifts using one of seven different currencies
● Guests can send free gift acknowledgment to couple |
| Other notes |
● member of the
Better Business Bureau |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Website's
ease of use, explanation of terms, and attractiveness |
B |
|
Setup fee |
none |
|
Service
charge |
● 5.85% - 8.85%,
depending on the size of the gift |
| Registry
cards |
● none (although
postcards and invitation insert cards can be downloaded for
printing) |
| Extras |
● personal web
page (in addition to registry page)
● gift
notification e-mail with option for delayed notification |
| Other notes |
● member of the
American Society of Travel Agents
● BBBOnline Reliability Program participant |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Website's
ease of use, explanation of terms, and attractiveness |
A- |
|
Setup fee |
none |
|
Service
charge |
● 7% service
charge; couples decide whether the charge is added to or
deducted from the gift cost
● 3% charge
for gifts purchased by credit card |
| Registry
cards |
● none (although
registry announcements can be downloaded for
printing) |
| Extras |
● personal web
page (in addition to registry page) |
| Other notes |
● member of the
American Society of Travel Agents
● BBBOnline Reliability Program participant |
|
|
|
|
Website's
ease of use, explanation of terms, and attractiveness |
A |
|
Setup fee |
none |
|
Service
charge |
● 7.5% service
charge deducted from the total amount of
the gift at the time of redemption
|
| Registry
cards |
●
ability to send registry notices by e-mail or to download
announcements to be printed for insertion in inviations |
| Extras |
●
couples can place up to five photos on their registry page |
| Other notes |
● not a travel
agent; users book their own travel |
Search for the term "honeymoon registry" on your
favorite search engine, and you'll come up with plenty of results.
How do you choose the one that's best for you? Here are a few basic
tips:
-
As the comparison below illustrates, different
registries offer various mixes of features and costs. Think about
what is most important to you. Do you want a slick-looking registry
with lots of automated features, or would your guests prefer the
personal service of a low-tech, high-touch registry? Does it matter
how much of a service charge your guests pay? Do you want the
freedom to arrange your own travel, or would you prefer to lean on
the services of the travel agents affiliated with your registry?
-
Take a "virtual tour" of several different
registries. Start by looking for the registry's FAQ page, then look
at a few examples of honeymoon registries. Some sites provide sample
registries, or you can look up other couples' registries by typing a
random last name into the search box (you can retrieve a long list
of registries by just entering one or two letters into the search
box). Look at "dead" registries (where the wedding date is long
past) to get an idea of what others have listed and what they
actually received. Look at "live" registries (where the wedding date
is still in the future) to see what your guests will go through to
purchase items for you. You should compare several different sites
because information or features on one site may help you evaluate
other sites.
-
Look for professionalism. Does the site provide
a thorough explanation of its services, including all fees and
service charges? Does it explain who you can contact or what you can
do if you run into problems? Is the site a member of the Better
Business Bureau or other professional associations? Are the terms of
your relationship with the service clearly spelled out before
you sign up? Is the site easy to navigate, or do you have to hunt
for what you need? If the honeymoon registry is run by a travel
agency, does the FAQ explain the company's policy for cancelled or
delayed travel?
-
Check the company's record at the
Better Business Bureau. Or, better
yet, contact couples who have actually used the registry. You can
find couples by looking up old honeymoon registries and doing a web
search for their e-mail addresses. Or look for e-mail addresses
associated with wedding home pages hosted by the registry service.
Send a friendly e-mail explaining your situation and asking for
advice; most couples will be happy to offer their advice.
-
Talk to someone from the registry service,
either by phone or e-mail. Is it easy to contact a real person, or
do you have to wait days for a reply? Does she or he patiently answer your
questions, or rush you into signing up? Are all your questions
answered to your satisfaction? If the registry service falls short
on customer service when you're signing up, don't expect better
service if a problem arises.
Cheap
Honeymoons