It’s a funny thing that when you get engaged people assume that you have no furniture, your kitchen cupboards are completely devoid of any sort of equipment and you’ve been air drying these last few years from a lack of towels! With Christmas just around the corner, as an engaged couple you’re probably likely to score a few unnecessary gifts! Luckily when it comes to your wedding you can set the gift guidelines.
In the last few years, we’ve seen a huge rise in the number of couples requesting funds instead of gifts at their wedding – so much so that it’s become the norm, with over 60% of people believing that a cash gift is appropriate (and even expected) at a wedding.
Because you and your beau have probably been living together, or with flatmates for a few years now, you probably don’t need traditional-style wedding gifts or really even know how to use a crock-pot! Receiving money as a gift can really help couples to save for a home, pay off the wedding or go on a honeymoon they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. We’ve seen wishing wells and piggy banks all over pinterest, but there is an option we’ve come across that is a bit more secure, organized and ensures that you know who gave what so no-one misses out on thank-you cards. Community First Credit Union has a unique way of merging a wedding registry with a high interest savings account that takes out the confusion, awkwardness and hassle from cash donations. It’s called Matrimoney – cute!
They’ve made it really easy to register; you definitely do not have to be Mark Zuckerberg to work it out! You just open an account and then get your own registry page that you can upload photos to, leave little messages, create thoughtful personalised registry cards and include the details of your wedding. Guests then just find your page by entering the bride or groom’s name or the wedding date. They then can choose from the various payment methods to make a deposit and get a cute little receipt print out that they can then put in a greeting card at the wedding. The site is not at all ‘banky’ looking – in fact it does a good job of channeling a feminine, sophisticated scrapbook theme. Matrimoney has dotted all the ‘i’s and crossed all the ‘t’s too – the couple gets an SMS as soon as a deposit is made to ensure that every donation is acknowledged.
Matrimoney is free to open, has no fees and gives you a little kick-start with a high 4% interest rate on your balance. Also for after the wedding when your normal savings account is a bit cash-strapped, they make it stress-free because you don’t have to make any monthly or regular deposits to keep the high interest – so thoughtful! You also become a newlywed VIP and get exclusive offers to the things you’re most likely to use like home loans, credit cards and travel insurance (hello honeymoon!).
The credit union itself is definitely a good guy too – they also offer Australia’s lowest rate credit card, the McGrath Pink Visa Credit Card, which supports the McGrath Foundation for breast cancer research – which you know we love.
Overall, a pretty good alternative to a wishing well! Check it out at http://www.matrimoney.com.au/
MW x