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Honeymoon registries are in vogue now and for good reason. Brides and grooms are older than ever. They'll often have most of the items from a traditional registry and are forced to only upgrade. Couples too have always craved a special connection with their guests and, with the proliferation of honeymoon registries, have found that easier than ever. If you want that extra touch of personalization, then maybe the honeymoon registry is right for you. As you get underway, here are a few ideas to keep in mind. Your registry should reflect your personalities. We can not stress enough how much more your guests will appreciate a registry that sounds like you. We've thrown in some tips on respectfully spreading the word about your registry in # 10. For our cruise and all-inclusive honeymooners, we owe # 8 to you.

1. If you're the outdoorsy types, then do not forget to plan events like horseback riding, snorkeling, boating, parasailing and swimming with the dolphins. Put them on your registry because guests love these. Be specific about them too: "We'll boat to Molokini Crater for an afternoon of snorkeling!" is better than just "Snorkeling".
2. Like to eat? Do not we all, but your honeymoon is a time to really do it up, so let that show. Mention restaurants by name or the type of cuisine in the title: "Dinner by candlelight at Gramercy Tavern" is better than just "Dinner." You probably will not want to plan all your meals in advance, so you'll have to have a little more general with some. Try "We'll Dine on the Beach" and mention the sand between your toes in the description. Or name what choice it'll be for a dinner on a whim.
3. Nightlife is another big honeymoon expense and your guests who enjoy a bit of nightlife themselves will just love these. Do a little research and find out where you'll go out and what people drink there: Is there a house specialty? Some of these are easier than others. If you're in Cancun, then "Margaritas at Laguna Grill" is a winner rather than "Drinks". You can also specify times, like "A Bottle of Wine at Sunset" will do the trick for a great add-on gift.
4. Airfare may be your biggest expense. It is usually close family members that make a dent in this one, mainly because it's hard to personalize. Rather than "Contribution to Airfare", it's a good idea to break up the trip into time in the air. So "400 Miles in the Air" may cost $ 125. If you want to get even more personal and you know your guests will like it, try something like "One Inglenook and one in-flight magazine in the sky" as a description (You probably do not.) 't want to have a quantity of 8 or 10 for that, lest your guests picture you arriving at your honeymoon destination loaded. You can also put a Getting to … as an item near the beginning of your registry and a Getting Home … at the end. That way you can break this big expense in half.
5. Your hotel is another big budget category. Usually you'll want to break this down into one-night stays. "A night in our Ocean-Front Villa", followed by a personal description like "We're staying at Nirvana on the Beach in Negril with the ocean near at our door! The sun sets directly across the water!" If you're staying in luxury accommodations, then it's OK to break it up into two categories, like the "One night in New York" and an "Upgrade to the Suite" type items, each for half the cost of a night's stay, especially if you're having a reliably small wedding. Expecting to sell out of 14 $ 400 hotel room items with just 80 guests may mean you have not put enough meals and activities on your registry.
6. There are plenty of miscellaneous items to remember too. Rather than "Suntan Lotion and other beach stuff", go with "Save our Skin!" and mention sunglasses in the description if you want a cheap pair for out on the sand. If you have to kennel a pooch, then go with a variation of "The B & B for Dino" and upload a photo of Dino for that item. Do not forget gas for the rental, maps and tour guides. Try these under a Necessities type title, and mention, "We do not want to get lost!". What about taking a limousine to the airport and back? It may be a luxury you would not do for yourself, but you may have a cousin who thinks it's time you were pampered. Do not forget the spa trips. These are usually one of the first items off the registry, so plan on a massage or two. You should find other suggestions for this category when you're creating your registry.
7. Pricing is important. Make sure there is a full range of prices for your items. Make sure you have enough small items on your registry that can accommodate all budgets, but also so that your guests can put together a group of items as well. You will have guests who will give you a night's stay and a bottle of wine at sunset, to be helpful and personal at the same time. But do not shy away from the big-ticket items too. Think of what you're spending per head for the wedding. Some guests may try to match this as a guideline. You may have some close friends who really want to shower you as well, and will find a way.
8. For cruises and all-inclusive resorts where almost everything is paid for, do not just put two items – airfare and hotel (or cruise). Most importantly, remember that those meals and drinks are not free; you're paying for them with the cost of the hotel. Price your hotel item like you would if you were not staying at an all-inclusive. This is especially easy if you're lucky enough that the resort gives you the option of going all-inclusive or not. If they do not, then look at the cost of neighboring resorts and their restaurants. It's a little more work but you want to get it as close as you can. Then check the prices for a snorkeling trip from a non-all-inclusive and include that as an item. Then you can put in the extras like you would normally as in the "miscellaneous" listed above. If you've included enough dinners and drinks, then you'll find that the total is larger than what you're spending for your all-inclusive, that it's inflating your registry. That's because you're getting a discount for your all-inclusive dollar. You can then reduce your hotel item by that amount so that it matches what you're actually paying, or you can reduce each item's cost to reflect your discount (if you're saving 10%, then reduce each item that's included by 10% in your registry.) Even at nearly all "pay as you go" resorts, you can charge everything to your room. At the end, it's "all-included" in your bill. In this case, you are just buying a little freedom to have lunch at the great spot at the other end of the beach and not feel guilty about the free lunch you just missed. No reason to feel like you can not break out those included items for your all-inclusive registry. Same goes for a cruise. Your guests will usually want to connect with a particular memory, so break out particular days or ports-of-call. If you're familiar with the cruise ship, you might try breaking out a particular restaurant or lounge where you'll spend some time to add as a registry item. "We'll live it up in the Palladium Lounge!" is more personal than "Cruise Donation" any day.
9. Upload your own photos. The better honeymoon registry websites will have included plenty for you to find what you need for most items, but a few of your own will really help. The web is an endless source of photos, but do not forget ones you've taken yourself. Upload your own personal photos to add that personal touch to your registry.
10. Getting the word out gracefully is a challenge. If you have a wedding website, you can link straight to your registry from there. After you create a registry, some registry services will send you the link to your registry to include in emails if you want to let close friends and family know. They can help spread the word. Some services will also send you the code to add to your wedding website that will take your guests directly to your registry! If you do not have a website, another great way to tactfully get the word out is to mention it on Facebook or MySpace. Think about setting up a wedding Facebook and MySpace too! You can then upload honeymoon photos so your guests who shared in your wedding and honeymoon can follow along.

To sum up: Personalize, personalize, personalize !!! Let your humor through too. Being a little tongue-in-cheek is great, if it's you. That goes for being a little risqué too, so long as you have your guests in mind. If they expect it from you, great! They'll want to see it.

Good luck and happy registering!

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Source by John Schnatterly