Fears new cashless trend may cause offence: 'Very divisive'
The Bridal Journey founder Andie Towner's study found that 17 per cent of couples would prefer to go down this cashless route. While she admitted it's a small number, she told Yahoo Finance it's a sad sign of the times.
'I think adding your bank details seems like a demand rather than a suggestion and I think a lot of people would be quite offended by that," she said.
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'It takes out some of that personal sentiment and tradition, which we have so few left when it comes to weddings these days.
'But there's a broader shift happening in how wedding gifts are given.'
Traditionally, the happy couple would be inundated with bulky presents on their big day that came from their gift registry.
But registries have changed to include experiences on a honeymoon or helping with their home renovation rather than physical items for the couple's home.If there isn't a gift registry, then money is likely the preferred option, but some even instruct their guests to not give anything.
Hundreds of ATMs and bank branches have closed in Australia recently, particularly in regional parts of the country where destination weddings are held, and that's where a simple bank transfer could come in handy.
In the 2023-24 year alone, 230 branches were shuttered, with 1,615 closed in the last five years.
Towner said in addition to bank transfers, she's even seen some couples opt for QR codes at their wedding venue or guests told to PayID them.
But she highlighted one major problem with that.
'Half the people that are attending the wedding are older, so, like, my mum wouldn't have any clue how to use PayID,' she said.
'It's just a very divisive topic and controversial.'
The Bridal Journey founder said every couple will be different, but she urged them to think about how they approach gifts to ensure they don't leave a bad taste.
'I think it really probably just comes down to how it's communicated,' she said.
'I think adding your bank details kind of seems like a demand rather than a suggestion and I think a lot of people would be quite offended by that.'
Aussies were divided on the idea.
'NO WAY. wishing wells are perfectly fine/so common and also it's barely an issue spending a few minutes getting cash out and buying a $2-5 card,' said one person.
'Omg that's so embarrassing,' added another.
A third wrote: "Honestly would save me a lot of hassle remembering to get cash out to put in the card en-route to the ceremony."
If you do decide to go down this new-age route, make sure you get it right.
One couple in the US accidentally put the wrong bank details down on their wedding invites and the mistake was discovered on their big day.
The bride's cousin and his brother realised the error while helping their parents transfer money to the couple.
They compared the bank details on the wedding website with the same information on the invitations and found a tiny but monumental discrepancy.
'This revelation killed the mood pretty much instantly,' Claudia Postigo, the wedding planner, explained to People.
'The couple immediately began freaking out, worried that half the guests' gifts had gone astray."
While they were able to sort it out and have everyone's money go to the right place, it shows how a tiny error could cause a costly issue on what's meant to be your happiest day.
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