What is a cash fund registry?
A cash fund registry lets wedding guests contribute money towards things the couple actually need, instead of shopping from a list of physical items. The couple creates named funds—like a honeymoon, house deposit, or date night—and guests can give as much as they like to whichever fund feels right.
Think of it as the modern evolution of the traditional registry. Instead of asking for a set of dishes, a couple might set up a fund for their first home reno, a cooking class they've been eyeing off, or simply a “Future Adventures” fund with no strings attached.
Cash funds don’t replace traditional registries—they work alongside them. Having both physical gifts and cash funds in your registry gives guests the freedom to chip in however suits them best. Some love choosing a present you can unwrap, while others would rather help you tick off a big experience or milestone. One registry, every type of gift.
Why Couples Go for Cash Fund Registries
Cash gifts are getting more popular in Australia too, as couples are tying the knot later, living together before the big day, and already have all the household basics that old-school registries were meant to cover. A cash fund lets modern couples ask for what they actually need.
Flexibility. Cash can go towards anything—from a house deposit to a dream holiday or even paying off student loans. Couples decide how to use the money, not a shop catalogue.
Fewer double-ups and returns. No more ending up with three blenders. Guests chip in to a fund, and couples can put the money exactly where it’s needed.
Works for every budget. If a $200 registry gift feels a bit much, guests can easily pop $50 into a cash fund instead. There’s no minimum, so every bit helps.
Experiences over stuff. Plenty of couples reckon travel, good food, and shared moments matter more than collecting things. Cash funds let your guests chip in for memories that’ll outlast any toaster.
Combine cash funds with a traditional registry. Not every guest feels comfy giving money. Including a mix of physical gifts and cash funds means everyone can chip in however they like. An all-in-one registry keeps everything sorted in one spot.
Types of Cash Funds You Can Set Up
There are no hard and fast rules about what a cash fund can cover. Couples can set up as many funds as they like, each with its own name, image, description, and goal amount. Here are the most popular categories:
Honeymoon & Travel
The most common type. Couples set up a general “Honeymoon Fund” or split it into specific items: flights, hotel stays, activities, spa days, airport transfers. Guests feel like they’re pitching in for a special moment on the trip, not just handing over cash. For more details, check out the honeymoon registry guide.
Home & Living
Funds for a house deposit, home reno, furniture, a moving fund, or even a backyard garden project. Handy for couples who already live together and don’t need the usual household bits and pieces.
Experiences and Date Nights
Cooking classes, concert tickets, weekend escapes, wine tasting tours, or a date night fund for your first year married. These let guests chip in for memories you’ll make together.
Practical and Financial
HELP debt fund, rainy day savings, a new car fund. Not as romantic, but couples who ask for what they actually need usually get more generous gifts than those who fill up a registry with things they don’t want.
Charity and Giving Back
Couples can also set up funds for a charity, inviting guests to donate in their name. It’s a great option alongside other funds, especially for couples who already have everything they need.
How to Set Up a Cash Fund
Setting up a cash fund only takes a few minutes. On the Registry page, head to the Gifts tab, click ‘Add Gift’, then choose ‘Add Cash Fund’. From there:
Give your fund a name. Pick something clear that lets guests know exactly what they’re chipping in for. ‘Bali Overwater Bungalow’ is much more inviting than ‘Cash Fund #3’.
Add a photo. An image of the destination, experience, or goal makes your fund feel personal and helps guests see where their gift is going.
Add a note. A quick description about what the fund’s for and why it’s special. Something like “We’ve been dreaming of the Italian coast since our first date” helps guests understand and makes their gift feel more personal.
Set a goal. Pick a total amount and choose if guests can see your progress or if you’d rather keep it private.
Choose payment options. Select which platforms guests can use to chip in.
You can add as many cash funds as you like. They’ll show up with your physical gifts and other registry items, so guests can see everything in one spot.
For a full walkthrough with screenshots, check out the step-by-step guide to adding a cash fund.
Customise Goals and Payment Options
Each cash fund is set up separately, so you can choose a different goal structure and mix of payment methods for every fund you make.
Goal Structures
There are two ways guests can chip in to each fund:
Fixed amounts. Set a set gift amount (for example, $50). Guests can give in multiples of that amount. If your goal is $1,000 and the increment is $50, set the quantity to 20. This is great if you want neat, predictable contributions.
Any amount. Guests can pop in whatever dollar amount suits them. Maximum flexibility—perfect for open-ended funds where every bit counts, no matter how big or small.
Goals can be shown publicly (so guests can see how close the fund is to the target) or kept private (just for your own tracking). Making the goal visible can give guests an extra nudge to chip in, especially as you get closer to the finish line. For more info, check out our cash fund goal options.
Payment Methods
Each fund supports a range of payment methods, and you can turn on as many as you like:
Credit or debit card. Guests pay straight through your registry page. Payments are securely processed by Stripe and land in your Joy Wallet, ready for you to transfer to your bank account or debit card whenever suits you. Standard processing fees (charged by Stripe) apply. Learn about credit card fees.
Venmo, PayPal or Cash App. Link your account username and guests will be sent straight to the platform to finish the transaction. Joy doesn’t charge any fees for these contributions.
Cash or cheque. Guests get your postal address and send their gift straight to you.
You can also link different payment platforms to different funds. For example, connect Venmo to your honeymoon fund and PayPal to your house fund to keep contributions organised. More on this approach: linking different accounts to different funds.
No fees on cash gifts. Contributions via Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App are fee-free. For credit card contributions, processing fees go straight to Stripe. Joy doesn’t take a slice.
How Guests Chip In
Guests don’t need a Joy account to chip in. Just head to the couple’s wedding website, open the registry, and pick the fund you’d like to support. It’s all pretty simple:
Pick an amount. Choose from set options or pop in your own, depending on how the fund’s set up.
Add their details. Name and email, so the gift goes to the right person.
Choose how you’d like to pay. Credit card, Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, or cash/cheque—whatever the couple’s made available.
Finalise the payment. Credit card payments are done right here. For Venmo, PayPal or Cash App, guests are sent to the payment platform to finish up. If paying by cash or cheque, they'll get the mailing address.
After chipping in, guests can choose to send a personalised card along with their gift.
For the full guest walkthrough, check out how to contribute to a cash fund.
Get Cash Equivalent
There’s also an option for couples who want to list specific products but get cash instead. With Get Cash Equivalent, you add physical items to your registry as usual. When a guest buys one, the cash value goes straight into your Joy Wallet instead of the item being shipped. Guests see a regular registry purchase; couples get the flexibility of cash. This is available for U.S. registries, for items you add manually or through the browser extension. Learn how Get Cash Equivalent works.
Managing Contributions and Transfers
Once contributions start rolling in, the Track tab on your Registry page turns into your dashboard. Here’s what you can manage from there:
Keeping Track of What’s Come In
Every contribution is logged on the Track tab of the Registry page: the guest’s name, the amount, the payment method, and which fund it went to. Credit card contributions show up in your Joy Wallet balance. Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App contributions go straight to your account on those platforms and are recorded for your reference.
Transferring to Your Bank
For credit card contributions, funds build up in your Joy Wallet. Move them to your bank account or debit card from the Track tab whenever you’re ready. Transfers usually land within three to five business days. There’s a flat $1.70 fee per transfer that goes to Stripe for the bank transfer—Joy doesn’t take a cent.
For example, a $500 transfer means you'll get about $498.30 deposited, with $1.70 going to Stripe. If you'd rather skip all the fees, Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App contributions don't have any transaction or transfer costs. Learn more about transfer timing.
Connecting Stripe
To receive credit card contributions and Get Cash Equivalent payments, you'll need to connect a Stripe account. Setting it up only takes a few minutes and you only have to do it once per event. Once you're connected, all credit card contributions and cash equivalent purchases go straight into your Joy Wallet, ready to transfer to your linked bank account. How to set up Stripe.
Requesting Contributions through Messages
Cash funds aren’t just for your registry page. You can also send contribution requests straight to selected guests through Joy Messages. Set up a fund, pop it into a message, pick who gets it, and hit send. Guests will receive a secure payment link by email. Handy for group accommodation, shared travel costs, or any contribution that doesn’t quite fit the usual registry. Learn about cash funds via messaging.
Cash Registry Etiquette
Asking for cash is totally normal these days, but here are a few tips to make it all a bit easier:
Offer cash funds alongside physical gifts. Some guests—especially the older rellies—prefer choosing something they can wrap up. Giving both options keeps everyone happy.
Let guests know exactly what the money’s for. “Honeymoon Cooking Class in Florence” feels way more personal than just “Cash Please”. People are often more generous when they can see what their gift will help make happen.
Don’t pop cash fund details on the invite. Add your wedding website URL to your save-the-dates and invitations, and let guests find the registry themselves. Pointing everyone straight to a cash fund can feel a bit transactional.
Send thank-you notes that mention the fund. “Thanks for helping us get to the Amalfi Coast” feels much warmer than a generic message. It lets your guest know their gift went towards something special.
Got questions about setting up your cash fund registry? Head to the Help Centre or flick us an email at support@withjoy.com.
