Charity Registries Are Booming in the U.S.

Before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot in May, they asked their guests and fans to donate to one of their seven favorite charities in lieu of sending a gift. Their decision to donate their wedding presents is part of a larger shift towards charitable wedding gift giving, as charity registries have soared in the last three years in the U.S.

According to The Knot’s annual wedding registry survey, charity registries have tripled in just one year. In 2016, only 3% of engaged couples asked guests to donate money to their favorite nonprofits; in 2017, that number climbed to 10%.

Even so, while couples might be feeling extra generous these days, unfortunately only 15% of guests contributed to charitable registries when available. The average amount of donations was only around $338 total, leaving plenty of room for improvement. But still, it’s heartening to see couples giving back rising in popularity. This is definitely a wedding trend we can all get behind!