When it comes to asking for gifts—in any situation—it's best to be as strategic as possible. That way, you get the things you really want.
This idea certainly rings true for bridal showers—after all, what bride wants to end up with stacks of fine china she'll never use or more cotton linens to stash away in the storage closet?
The key to getting the bridal shower gifts you want is simply asking. Most brides do that through a registry— a list of presents selected in advance. Registries allow brides to make their gift preferences known, so they end up with valuable and meaningful presents.
Although it can sometimes feel strange to write up and distribute a wish list for gifts, a bridal shower registry is one of the most helpful resources for guests leading up to the event. It requires clever thinking about what you want (and need) as you embark on newlywed life.
While registries usually included homewares and appliances in the past, you can ask for just about anything today. You can even request modern gifts like cash funds and charity donations.
There are so many ways to personalize your wedding registry to fit your lifestyle, and Braid Money Pools is one of the best tools to use in this process.
Braid is an app that lets you set up dedicated money pools for gifts on your bridal shower registry—from a honeymoon pool to a money pool dedicated to your home renovation project. You can feel free to get the gifts you want.
Let's dive into how Braid works for bridal shower registries!
What are Braid Money Pools?
A Braid Money Pool is a new place to collect and manage money gifts for bridal showers.
You can create as many pools as you need for the various gifts you're requesting. For example, create one for your honeymoon, one for your backyard landscaping transformation, and one for a pet adoption fund. Feel free to get creative! Braid Pools are free to set up and free to use.
Braid Money Pools allow guests to collaborate and chip in for big-ticket items. You can share the different pool links for each gift—so if Guest #1 wants to contribute $50 to your honeymoon and Guest #2 wants to contribute $100 to your house down payment, that's totally doable.
The great thing about Braid is that guests don't need to sign up for the app to add to your bridal shower money pools. Simply share the pool links, and they can immediately contribute money from their smartphone.
After the bridal shower, once you've gathered your cash in your Money Pools, spending the funds is hassle-free. Each pool includes a free digital debit card you can use wherever Mastercard is accepted.
Ready to get the gifts you want? Learn more about starting your free Braid Money Pools here!
Now, let's dive deeper into some unique and useful bridal shower gifts you may want to pool money for, including:
- Honeymoon
- Home funds
- Charity donations
- Pet adoption fund
- Personal and professional goals
1. Honeymoon fund
Sure, your wedding will likely be a blast—maybe even the party of the year. But the real fun starts when the stress of planning is over. It's time for you and your boo to go to a spectacular destination to celebrate your new lives together.
Traveling can be expensive, though—and while your parents may have covered the wedding (if you're lucky!), you may find yourselves footing the bill for the honeymoon.
If you'd like cash funds to go toward paying for airfare, car rentals, hotels, food and drinks, and sightseeing activities, consider creating a Braid Money Pool dedicated to your honeymoon.
Whether you're thinking beachside in Cabo, skiing in the French Alps, or exploring the Amazon in South America, you deserve an unforgettable first trip as a married couple.
2. Home funds
Setting up your new lives as Mr. and Mrs. can be daunting, and the rising cost of living makes it very expensive. Your home should be a sanctuary and a safe place to build your relationship, so asking for help funding home costs is intelligent and practical.
You may be looking for assistance paying a down payment for a new house or condo. You can set up a Braid Money Pool called "Downpayment Fund" and send the link to your bridal shower guests.
Or, you may want to renovate your current home or embark on a landscaping transformation for your yard. Maybe you just need to rehaul your cookware collection or furnish a guest bedroom.
Whatever your home needs are, write it out in your pool description and watch the cash gifts roll in to fund your domestic dreams.
Ready to start a home fund for you Bridal Shower gift? Click here to get started.
3. Charity donations
Some brides feel they already have it all and ask for donations to their favorite charity instead of gifts.
Creating a Braid Money Pool dedicated to your cause of choice is an easy way to streamline the process, making it super easy for guests to donate. Simply tell your guests about the charity and why it's personally important to you, share the money pool with your guests, and voila. You've got donations and a whole lot of good karma coming toward you.
4. Pet adoption fund
Pets are excellent for stress reduction and unconditional love. Some might even say adopting a sweet dog, cat, or another incredible animal is the best choice they've ever made.
But, they're also undeniably expensive—the costs can add up with vet visits, high-quality food, medications, beds, toys, daycares, and petsitter expenses.
If you decide as a couple it's time to add a new furry friend to your family, consider starting a Braid Money Pool to raise money for pet adoption. The animal-loving guests at your bridal shower will surely love to contribute.
5. Personal and professional goals
You may be getting married, but you're still working hard to achieve your goals.
For example, you may be a startup founder creating the best DTC cookie dough the world has ever tasted. Or, maybe you're finishing your law degree at a prestigious university. You may even be in the throes of post-production on your first film.
Whatever dream you're chasing, you could probably use a little more cash to keep moving the needle.
Consider creating a money pool for your personal projects or professional goals.
After all, your bridal shower guests will love supporting you in whatever way they can.
