Forget cookware and kitchen appliances. An increasing number of couples are forgoing wedding registries altogether and asking for something even more practical as a wedding gift: cash, to be put toward a downpayment on a starter home.

A recent LendingTree survey found that 48% of homeowners who got married in the past two years asked for downpayment assistance from wedding guests in lieu of traditional presents. Additionally, 52% of newlywed homeowners said they downsized their wedding reception to afford a bigger home purchase.

“Wedding gifts used to be dinnerware, silverware, candlesticks and other things that would sit in a box or cabinet and maybe get used once a year,” commented Matt Schulz, LendingTree’s chief consumer finance analyst. “Now, there’s less stigma in asking for money toward a downpayment or a honeymoon.”

The survey also found that wedding plans interfered with many couples’ homebuying plans, with 35% of newlywed homeowners saying that their wedding delayed their home purchase, and another 36% saying wedding costs forced them to decrease the size of their downpayment.

However, 26% of survey respondents said they put more money down on a home purchase because of their wedding, suggesting that asking for downpayment funds from wedding guests paid off.

Downpayments are trending upward nationally. A Realtor.com report released earlier this month found that homebuyers paid $29,900 on average for a downpayment and 14.4% as a share of the purchase price in 2024 — both of which were record highs.

Starter home prices have also been increasing, particularly in urban areas. A recent Zillow analysis revealed that in March the typical starter home cost at least $1 million in 233 U.S. cities.