Majority of Engaged Couples Register for Wedding Gifts Online, Personalizing Their Registries for Their Unique Lifestyles, According to The Knot 2019 Registry Study

Couples Registered on The Knot Registry Are Choosing Household Items From Retailers and Cash for Their Dream Honeymoon, New Home, Adoption and Experiences

New York, NY—May 30, 2019—Today, The Knot—the #1 wedding planning and registry resource in the US—released findings from The Knot 2019 Wedding Registry Study, the largest and most comprehensive wedding registry study of engaged and recently married couples in America. The study unveiled how couples are curating registries that are as unique and personalized as the wedding itself, while leveraging multiple gift options for their soon-to-be married lives. The majority of couples (60%) set up their primary registries online (up from 33% in 2013) and almost all (97%, up from 81% in 2013) manage their registries digitally.

“The registry journey is an exciting part of wedding planning where couples tend to discuss their personal styles, values and what their future looks like as they decide on the products, experiences and funds they’ll want to start their new life together,” said Kristen Maxwell Cooper, editor in chief of The Knot. “With The Knot Registry, there are no limits on what you can register for, whether it be a kayak for the adventurous couple from their favorite retailer, a cash fund for a family car or IVF, or a charity that’s close to the couple’s heart. And when couples sync The Knot Registry with their personal wedding website, guests can easily find and shop for everything all in one place.”

Couples are choosing their favorite retail products (97%), cash funds for their future (20%) and charities (11%) on The Knot Registry. Kitchenware continues to be the most popular registry category, with bakeware (87%), cookware (84%), kitchen appliances (82%) and kitchen accessories (81%) being the most popular must-haves. According to The Knot 2019 Registry Study, cash registries are on the rise (from 27% in 2017 to 37% in 2019), with the average cash registry receiving $1,863 in guest contributions. Cash registries help couples fund everything from a down payment on a new home to honeymoon excursions—or even a lifetime supply of sriracha! The majority of couples on The Knot Registry create cash funds to help pay for honeymoon-related expenses (55%). Other popular cash fund categories on The Knot Registry include funds for dining; food and drink experiences (15%); household-related expenses (15%); and personal hobbies and interests (9%) for the newlyweds.

The Most Popular Registry Items on The Knot Registry

Wedding registries, on average, feature 111 different items and have a total value of $4,695. To-be-weds are setting up, on average, two to three registries, with retail registries remaining the most popular choice among couples.

The Knot Registry is the most trusted and comprehensive all-in-one registry choice for couples in the US. With options from homewares and electronics to cash funds and charity, couples are able to personalize their wedding registry to fit their needs and help them start the next chapter of their lives together.

Couples are using their wedding registries to give back, with 11% adopting a charity using The Knot Gifts Back, a proprietary charity registry program that allows couples to attach nonprofits to their retail wedding registries. With each registry gift purchase made through The Knot Registry, The Knot donates a portion of that gift in the couple’s name to the charity of their choice.

Top 5 Most Popular Products Registered for on The Knot Registry:

• KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
• OXO Good Grips® Stainless Steel Measuring Cups (Set of 4)
• Pyrex Simply Store 20-pc Set With Multi-Colored Lids
• Cuisinart 4 Slice Toaster
• Ninja Kitchen System 1000W

Top Registry Must-Haves for 2019 From The Knot Trusted Editors:

• Le Creuset Signature Dutch Oven in Matte Sugar Blue
• Vitamix Professional Series 750
• Breville Barista Touch
• Gien Songe Dinnerware Collection
• Dyson V10 Cyclone in Blue
• Parachute Home Percale Sheet Set in Light Blue
• Napoleon Portable Propane Grill
• Mirror At-Home Workout Mirror
• GeniCan
• The June Oven

Most Popular Cash Funds Registered for on The Knot Registry:

1. Honeymoon-related expenses

2. Dining and food experiences

3. Funds for a down payment on a home

4. Physical and mental wellness

5. Continued learning and recreational classes

Top 5 Most Popular Charity Registry Selections on The Knot Gifts Back:

1. Humane Society of the United States

2. St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital

3. American Cancer Society

4. Make-A-Wish Foundation of America

5. VOW

Couples using The Knot Registry are making a big impact. For example, in 2018, couples using The Knot Registry raised enough money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital to provide 2,032 new toys for hospital play areas and recreational areas at St. Jude housing facilities. Couples who selected Feeding America as their charity of choice on The Knot Gifts Back charity registry program provided 9,680 meals to families in need through the funds raised by their wedding gift purchases. The Knot Gifts Back is free for couples to opt into and doesn’t cost anything for guests. The Knot is honored to offer a charity registry program that simultaneously benefits to-be-wed couples and those in need.

For the full list of most popular registry items, experiences and charities, plus recommendations from The Knot Editors, see The Knot Registry Awards at https://www.theknot.com/registry-awards.

Top Wedding Registry Trends From The Knot 2019 Registry Study

RETAIL REGISTRIES CONTINUE TO REMAIN MOST POPULAR. Bakeware, blenders and bed sheets on wedding registries aren’t going anywhere. The majority of US couples (80%) have at least one retail registry. On average, couples begin curating their registry about seven months before their wedding day. Most to-be-weds (60%) curate registries with the goal of upgrading their current household items, such as cookware, bakeware, sheets and towels. When deciding which retailers to create registries with, couples consider the products available (93%); variety of price points offered (88%); if the retailer offers online management tools (88%); how affordable the products are (84%); and if there’s a good return/exchange policy (83%).

HONEYMOON REGISTRIES TAKE FLIGHT; NEARLY 1 IN 10 COUPLES CONSIDER THEIR HONEYMOON REGISTRY THEIR PRIMARY REGISTRY. Millennial couples are all about experiences, and study data shows that newlyweds stress the importance of having a honeymoon. Since 2010, honeymoon registries have nearly tripled in popularity, with one in three (29%) to-be-wed couples creating one. On average, couples receive $1,562 from guests to put toward their honeymoon-related expenses, from first-class flight upgrades to wine tours in Tuscany. While retailer registries continue to be the most popular selection as a primary registry, honeymoon registries are gaining traction, with nearly 1 in 10 couples (9%) considering their honeymoon registry their primary registry.

MILLENNIAL COUPLES PRIORITIZE DIGITAL REGISTRY CREATION AND MANAGEMENT. From finding inspiration to booking vendors, millennials are turning to technology for all aspects of wedding planning—and creating their registry is no exception. Nearly two in three couples (60%) set up their primary registries online (up from 33% in 2013) and almost all (97%, up from 81% in 2013) manage their registries digitally. Nearly 9 in 10 couples (88%) report prioritizing retailers that offer registry management tools across digital platforms. Mobile registry management tripled in popularity in recent years, with 4 in 10 couples (39%) reporting they managed their registry almost exclusively from their mobile devices in 2018 (up from 13% in 2014), using apps like the The Knot App.

WHILE SETTING UP WEDDING REGISTRIES, COUPLES THINK OF THEIR GUESTS. When determining where to register, nearly all to-be-weds (98%) report being concerned with how easy gifting and shopping off their registry will be for guests. In order to streamline all the information about their wedding celebration—including where to find and purchase wedding gifts—the majority of couples (83%) report using their personal wedding website to share all the necessary information. The personal wedding website is the most popular way for guests to find information about an upcoming wedding, including finding and purchasing a gift for the newlyweds.

₁Source The Knot 2018 Guest Study

About The Knot
The Knot is the nation’s leading multiplatform wedding resource offering a seamless, all-in-one planning experience—from finding inspiration and local vendors to creating and managing all guest experiences, wedding registries and more. The trusted brand reaches a majority of engaged couples in the US through the #1 wedding planning website TheKnot.com and #1 iOS and Android mobile app The Knot Wedding Planner, The Knot national and local wedding magazines, and The Knot book series. Since its inception, The Knot has inspired approximately 25 million couples to plan a wedding that’s uniquely them. Visit The Knot online at TheKnot.com and follow on social media: Facebook.com/TheKnot and @TheKnot onTwitter, Pinterest and Instagram.