Love and Lobster Coastal New England Weddings

Have more matching towels than you know what to do with? All set in the nesting bowls department? If you and your honey have already created a home together, registering for traditional wedding gifts may leave you stuck with a pile of well-intentioned clutter.

Many couples are instead turning to honeymoon registries, which allow loved ones to contribute to your dream vacation with the click of a mouse. But with so many sites to choose from, how’s a busy bride to pick just one? Keep in mind a few factors as you weigh your options:

Services: Make sure you know what’s included in each site’s offerings. Traveler’s Joy, for example, encourages couples to make their own travel arrangements and also features your honeymoon registry in the WeddingChannel.com registry center and on TheKnot.com. Honeymoonwishes.com and Honeyluna.com, meanwhile, steer couples to one of their travel agents to help plan the trip. If you already have a destination in mind, resorts including Disney and Marriott also offer registries. Most sites accept contributions by phone, so less computer-savvy guests aren’t left out.

Fees: These can include both a service charge and a fee for credit card transactions shouldered by your wedding guests. Traveler’s Joy deducts 7.5% of the total amount of funds contributed, while Honeymoonwishes.com charges guests a 3% credit card transaction fee and a 7% service charge, which couples can either add to or deduct from each gift amount.  Traveler’s Joy also allows couples to donate up to 3% of the funds to a charity of their choice through the I Do Foundation.

Payout dates: Check to see when you’ll receive your honeymoon funds. Traveler’s Joy will send you a bank check or direct deposit the money upon 72 hours of your request, while The Big Day does forgetful couples a favor by automatically sending a check 5 days before the wedding unless directed otherwise.

Privacy policies: Find out how the sites will use your personal information. Some keep all information confidential, while others may use it for marketing purposes.

Accreditation: Registries listed as members of the Better Business Bureau, like Traveler’s Joy and Honeymoon Wishes, come with an extra layer of assurance that their practices are trustworthy.