In today’s shifting socioeconomic landscape, age-old wedding traditions are evolving. For Valentina Valentini, a freelance journalist based in London, the concept of a conventional wedding gift registry seemed impractical. Planning her California wedding from her small London apartment, the logistical nightmare of transporting or shipping numerous tangible gifts was evident. Moreover, international shipping could mean additional burdensome expenses in the form of import taxes.
“At 39, my partner and I are quite settled. We live in a snug apartment and don’t have the space or need for more possessions,” Valentina remarked. “Tangible gifts seemed redundant. However, owning a home, especially one with a porch back in New England where I grew up, is a dream we both cherish.”
Instead of toasters, china, and blenders, Valentina and her spouse took a contemporary approach. They asked their wedding guests to consider contributing to their savings, earmarked in a certificate of deposit, with the hopes of accumulating enough for a down payment on their dream home.
Such preferences aren’t unique to Valentina. A recent survey from Realtor.com revealed a startling shift in nuptial gift expectations. Of the couples who created a wedding registry in the past two years, a whopping 85% expressed that they would have favored cash to assist with a home down payment over traditional gifts.
Clare Trapasso, executive news editor for Realtor.com, reflected on these findings: “In the face of soaring home prices and mortgage rates around 7%, it’s no surprise that modern couples value financial contributions toward housing more than they do another set of dishes or kitchen gadgets. Practicality is taking precedence.”
If given another chance, 80% of the newlyweds surveyed shared that they would gladly include options for guests to donate towards housing-associated costs, be it down payments, monthly mortgages, or closing fees.
The National Association of Realtors provides context for this trend, stating that over the past years, housing prices have surged to such an extent that three-quarters of the listed homes are beyond the financial reach of the average middle-class buyer.
Nevertheless, requesting cash gifts at weddings can be a delicate matter. Wedding ceremonies are steeped in tradition, and many guests might be unfamiliar with or even uncomfortable with this evolving norm. Yet, as priorities shift and the realities of modern living become evident, such changes in wedding customs might just become the new norm.
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