Are you getting married in the near future? If you’ve been living on your own for awhile, you may not need the traditional wedding gifts of household appliances and dishes.  And, if you’re like me, the thought of someone spending a lot of money on nice china just because “it’s something you’re supposed to have once you’re married” may make you cringe. If this sounds familiar, consider using a honeymoon registry instead of the traditional wedding registry.

A honeymoon registry allows your friends and relatives to give you the gift of travel. You decide where you want to go and what you want to do, and then break everything down into “gifts” that people can buy for you.  For example, people can contribute money to cover part of the airfare, a night in a hotel, dinner out, museum tickets or even just a bottle of wine. If everything works out, you get help paying for the honeymoon of your dreams and avoid getting oodles of stuff you don’t really need.

The two biggest honeymoon registry services are Honey Luna and the Big Day. If you decide to go this route, here are some tips:

  • Make sure you have gifts in a variety of price points
  • Provide detailed descriptions of each “gift” so that the person buying it can visualize what they are purchasing.  Some people won’t want to contribute because they feel like they are giving a gift certificate instead of choosing something special. If they can visualize what they’re buying, and more important, visualize you enjoying it, they are more likely to go along with the idea.
  • Let people know about the registry well in advance.
  • Have a back-up plan for financing.
  • Expect resistance from more “traditional” family members. Get other family members to promote the idea for you.
  • If you’re leaving the country for the honeymoon, register for an express passport. You, your spouse and everyone who contributed to the registry will be extremely disappointed if the trip doesn’t happen because you don’t have your documents.

When you apply for a passport with normal processing, it can take at least two months for you to receive it. Even with the government’s expedited service, you can expect to wait at least 3 weeks. And then, if there’s a problem with your application you might have to start over again.

When you order an express passport from a private passport expediting company, you get expert help with your passport application. And with express processing times that range from 24 hours to a little over a week, you’ll have it in hand well before you walk down the aisle.

Your passport is the last thing you want to worry about when you plan your honeymoon-order an express passport today!