September 30, 20268 min readWondering what to put on your honeymoon wishlist? Here's how Sam and Merel built theirs, what guests loved most, and why the most specific items were funded fastest.
A good honeymoon wishlist does more than list costs. It helps guests picture what they're contributing to — a glass of wine, a breakfast with a view, a stretch of road trip, a hotel stay, a moment the couple will remember.
Sam and Merel’s wishlist is a lovely example of how specific, personal items can turn cash gifts into something guests feel excited to fund. You can see their Pot here: Sam and Merel’s Honeymoon Pot.
We asked them to talk us through their honeymoon wishlist: why they designed it the way they did, what guests funded first, and what they'd tell other couples building theirs.
Here are their answers.
Their wishlist mixed bigger travel essentials with specific, easy-to-picture moments. Five examples included:
Flight tickets from London to Salzburg & Croatia to Amsterdam
A contribution toward our hotel “The Dolphin Suites” in Veli Lošinj, Croatia
Contribution towards our car, the most important vehicle on this road trip!! Vroomvroom
Wine tasting in the prosecco hills of Northern Italy
Dinner in the mountains in Salzburg
Eventful, relaxing, lovingly.
We wanted to show everyone that their contribution really went into something specific that we would be doing.
I've heard of this idea from a friend who did something similar, but sent in their thank you notes, "your contribution went towards xyz on our trip." I liked the idea that they would know before contributing already what we would spend their donations on.
Also, we added some larger and some smaller items — flights, car rental, hotel, but also a coffee, breakfast, or cocktail — so that every donation, big or small, would be meant for something special.
Of course, you could add money towards a bigger wishlist item, or fully fund our coffee. Anything worked. That's why we really liked using this website too.
We noticed that the more specific, the more people tended to fund it.
"Wine tasting in the prosecco hills of Northern Italy" or "Breakfast in Slovenia looking out over Lake Bled" were funded much quicker.
One that stayed empty: "sightseeing in Pula" or "spa massage."
The smaller items such as coffee, breakfast, or wine were quickly funded by only one or two donations. Others really liked contributing toward larger wishlist items such as BnBs along the way, our final longer hotel stay, our flights, and our car rental.
"Contribution towards our car, the most important vehicle on this road trip!! Vroomvroom" — yes, I got silly with that one, and it worked!
I think people liked using it because it was clear and they felt like they knew what their donation would mean for us during our honeymoon.
We also heard that people found it very cute!
The more specific, the more you — the more people will like donating, as they can really envision you experiencing that particular thing, and they'd be so happy to be able to partially facilitate that for you.
Don't be afraid to make it your own!
The lesson is simple: the best wishlist items are easy to picture.
A broad item like "sightseeing" can work, but a specific moment like "Breakfast in Slovenia looking out over Lake Bled" gives guests something to imagine. It feels more like a gift because it has a scene attached to it.
A strong honeymoon wishlist usually has:
A mix of price points.
Small items like coffee, breakfast or cocktails let guests fully fund something lovely. Bigger items like flights, hotels or car rental let guests chip in towards the bones of the trip.
Specific moments.
The more vivid the item, the easier it is for guests to connect with it.
A bit of personality.
If "Vroomvroom" sounds like you, keep it in. The silly details are often what make the wishlist feel human.
You don't need to make your wishlist perfect. You just need to make it yours.
A Honeymoon Pot is free to create, and guests don't need an account to chip in — just a link. You can keep it simple or add a wishlist of moments at different price points so guests can choose what they'd like to fund.
Related reading:
How to word cash gifts on your wedding invitations
How to share your Honeymoon Pot with wedding guests
Wedding thank you notes: how to write them without losing track
Jasmine Stone is a marketing manager with nearly ten years’ experience in digital fundraising and tech, creating campaigns that feel human rather than transactional. At Collection Pot, she focuses on content that makes group gifting easier and more joyful. When she is off duty, you will usually find her with her nose in a good book or exploring a new city.
