Honeymoon Fund Etiquette for Couples and Guests

We make cards, pin badges and prints in the UK - we don't sell toasters, so nothing below is us pushing a gift list. It is what UK couples actually ask for, plus the card that goes with it.

Honeymoon funds have replaced the crockery list for most UK couples, and the only real etiquette problem left is wording.

Below: how to ask so it reads as warm rather than grabby, and what guests should actually give.

Wording for couples

• "We're lucky enough to have a home full of everything we need, so if you'd like to give a gift, a contribution to our honeymoon would mean the world."
• "Your company on the day is the real present. If you'd like to give something, we're saving towards our first trip away as a married couple."
• "No gifts, please - but if you insist, there's a honeymoon jar and a card box at the back of the room."
• Put it on the wedding website or an insert card, never in the main body of the invitation.

Rules for couples

• Never name an amount, and never show a running total against people's names.
• Offer a physical alternative - a small list or a charity option - for guests who hate giving cash.
• Say what the money is for. "Two nights in Rome" reads better than "honeymoon fund".
• Thank every contribution by name within a month, ideally handwritten.

Rules for guests

• Give roughly what you'd have spent on a boxed gift - £30 to £50 for most guests.
• Use the card box or the online link, not a bare envelope handed to a bridesmaid.
• Write in the card what the money is for: "a very large cocktail on us" beats a silent envelope.
• If you hate cash gifts, buy one good experience voucher for the trip instead.

Browse wedding cards

How to write it so it lands

• Never name a price.
• Say what the money buys.
• Thank everyone by name within a month.

Where to shop next

• Wedding gift ideas
• Wedding favour ideas
• Wedding gift etiquette
• Wedding guest survival guide
• Gifts for the couple who have everything
• How much to give for a wedding gift
• Wedding speech one-liners
• Wedding anniversary years and gifts
• All guides
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges

Frequently asked questions

How do you ask for honeymoon money politely?

Put it on your wedding website or an insert card, explain that you already have a home full of things, and say what the money is going towards. Never state an amount.

How much should I give to a honeymoon fund?

About the same as a boxed gift - £30 to £50 for most guests, more if you're close family.

Is a honeymoon fund rude?

Not in the UK any more, as long as it's clearly optional and worded warmly. What reads badly is naming a figure.