At what is seemingly a molasses pace, gay marriage is slowly (but surely!) becoming legally recognized in states. For couples who have been together for years and want to take the marital plunge, creating a wedding registry can be a bit tough. Chances are, in the years of living together, you’ve probably already acquired all the necessary housewares, so you won’t need that toaster oven from your good-hearted aunt Ethel.
That’s why honeymoon registries like Traveler’s Joy have been a big hit with same-sex couples. Traveler’s Joy allows wedding guests to donate money toward a dream honeymoon experience instead of purchasing individual presents.
Jennifer Jenkins and Robyn Peffinger , newlyweds from Bloomington, Ind., used Traveler’s Joy to honeymoon on the outer banks of North Carolina at Ocracoke Island.
Snapshots of Robyn and Jennifer’s honeymoon on Ocracoke Island.
“We decided to use [a honeymoon registry] because we have been together for 10 years and did not need the traditional housewares like sheets, silverware, toasters, etc.,” Peffinger said. “And we had only been on one vacation in our entire relationship so we felt this option could help us pay for a honeymoon that we would not otherwise be able to afford.”
The Traveler’s Joy website allows engaged couples to create a registry at no charge. (And in the words of the infamous Denny’s waitress from Mad Men, “Free is always good.”) Since Traveler’s Joy is a travel registry service, everything is à la carte: honeymoon destination, transportation services, vacation activities, etc. There are no pre-organized, travel-agent-style bookings, so everything is organized exactly the way you want.
The registry allows you to customize your website to include images and descriptions of your travel plans. Besides being green with envy, your wedding guests will understand exactly what you want—down to the 90-minute deep tissue massage. Don’t be shy! Some couples even list travel accessories like a GPS or iPod to make their dream honeymoon a reality, and guests are happy to oblige.
Once you create the registry and list the appropriate items, simply give the website information to your guests as you would with a traditional wedding registry. All they have to do is log in and sign on the electronic dotted line.
There are practically infinite registry options involving content and dream items, but Jennifer and Robyn said the site was easy to navigate for both themselves and their guests.
“Not only was it user-friendly for us as a couple, it was a breeze for our guests,” Robyn said. “The set up was easy with the website’s many templates and suggestions for each step and personal guidance for our individual honeymoon.”
Although registration on Traveler’s Joy is free, the wedding couple is responsible for the transaction fees. Because those charges are present on almost all of the registry sites on the internet, what is notable is the transaction rate. But since Traveler’s Joy had cheap transaction rates, along with all the other unique perks, Robyn and Jennifer highly recommend the site for other couples.
Photo: travelersjoy.com
