The Knot Worldwide Releases 2026 Annual Registry Study

Today, The Knot Worldwide, a leading global wedding technology platform and marketplace, released the findings from its 2026 Annual Registry Study. The Study found that wedding registries remain a top priority for engaged U.S. couples, with 82% creating them over the past year. The practice is especially dominant among Gen Z couples (89%) and those hosting large-weddings (87%). According to the Study, the driving force behind registry creation is home upgrades, with more than half of all couples (51%) citing them as the primary reason behind creating a registry.

As couples marry later (according to The Knot's 2026 Real Wedding Study, the average age is 32) and are more likely to already share a home, registries have increasingly become a way to upgrade existing household items. Among physical gifts, kitchen appliances are the most wanted category, while Bakeware (79%), Cookware (75%), Bath Items (73%), and Bedding (69%) remain the most commonly registered-for items. Beyond traditional home staples, other notable categories include Storage and Organization (34%), Grilling/BBQ and Outdoor Entertainment (32%), Electronics (31%), and Luggage and Travel Gear (30%).

"Wedding registries continue to be an important part of the wedding planning journey, but we are seeing new trends emerge," says Jade Sperling, Vice President and General Manager, Registry and Wedding Websites, The Knot Worldwide. "Today's couples are looking for greater flexibility, convenience, and personalization, whether they're upgrading their home, planning a dream honeymoon or investing in future goals. They're also looking for a registry experience that's simple for both themselves and their guests, making an integrated registry platform more important than ever."

To this effect, the Study found a rise in hybrid registries - with 56% of engaged couples combining traditional gifts with cash funds. In fact, cash is highly coveted: 41% of couples say it is the gift they want most, with three in four (75%) including a cash fund on their registry. When it comes to spending cash funds, couples are prioritizing both experiences and future security - with 31% of gifted cash being spent on a honeymoon, 18% being put into general savings, and 4% out towards a down payment on a home.

Nearly nine in ten couples (89%) say ease of use for guests is the most important factor when it comes to cash funds. In response, The Knot recently launched an integration with Venmo, which provides an easy and trusted free way for guests to contribute to couples' cash funds, while also giving couples more flexibility and control over how they receive gifts. The Knot's Registry gives couples the flexibility to create a personalized registry by shopping from The Knot Registry Store, adding registries from leading retailers (including Crate & Barrel, Amazon, Target, Macy's, and more), and combining traditional gifts, cash funds, and experiences into one easy-to-manage registry. For guests, everything is accessible in one place, making it simple to find the registry and contribute.

In addition to offering a wedding registry, The Knot provides a one-stop shop experience for millions of engaged couples within the U.S. to make wedding planning easier and less stressful so they can focus on the joy and creativity of their big day. This includes offering a Budget Planner tool, direct booking with more than 200,000 wedding professionals, and everything couples need to create their wedding websites, invitations, and more.

The Knot Worldwide's 2026 Annual Registry Study was conducted by The Knot Worldwide's Insights and Research Team to better understand how engaged and newly married couples approach wedding registries today. The study surveyed 1,759 engaged and married members with wedding dates between April 2025 and December 2026.

About The Knot Worldwide: Across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, The Knot Worldwide champions the power of celebration. The company's global family of brands provides best-in-class products, services, and content to take celebration planning from inspiration to action. Through its wedding brands, including The Knot, WeddingWire, Bodas.net, Hitched.co.uk, Mariages.net, Matrimonio.com, and others, the company offers an extensive database of hundreds of thousands of wedding professionals to assist couples in organizing the happiest day of their lives. We have a brand for every kind of celebration-from booking a birthday party, to planning a wedding, to preparing to become a parent, and every moment in between.

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