For eons, it’s been customary for a wedding guest to bring a gift along. Oftentimes a couple will send a gift registry along with their invite. Nobody wants three toasters, so a gift registry is a clever way to avoid duplicate or unwanted gifts.

While it might be nice to get lots of free stuff, you may not need all those gifts. Will all those extra possessions really make you happier, or will they just take up space in your house? Especially as couples are getting married later and later, it’s also more likely they don’t have a lot of need for more things.

So on that note, instead of a gift registry, here’s a fun trend you can steal for your wedding:

Create an experience registry.

An experience registry is like a gift registry, but instead of listing all the things you’d like to receive, you dream up the experiences you’d like to live.

So rather than a blender, guests can give you tickets to a movie or museum. They can sign you up for a class or workshop. You get the idea.

Here are 6 unique experiences you can use for inspiration if you’re starting to warm up to this idea of an experience registry.

Surf Lessons

 

If you’re honeymooning on a warm, sunny beach, you should definitely consider adding surf lessons to your list.

It may seem ambitious, especially if you’ve never tried before, but you and your spouse can definitely get the swing of it with a good teacher and a solid day of practice. Surf’s up!

 

Cooking Lessons

 

Everyone knows that couples who cook together, stay together.

Add the sign-up for your local classes on your experience registry to gain a valuable skill and hobby you and your spouse can do for life.

One of my favorite gifts from my wife was a class in making sushi rolls. It included a hands-on course from a sushi chef, all of the ingredients, and a few other couples to share in the fun. Plus, we got to take home about 10 extra rolls of sushi in addition to the metric ton we ate during the class!

 

Wine Tasting

 

Look for wine tasting events in your local area that you can put on your experience registry.

They’re tons of fun and a great way to unwind and socialize with fellow wine lovers.

 

Gym Membership

Socrates once said, “what a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.”

There are few experiences as meaningful as the experience of physical fitness. 

Not only is it amazing for your self-esteem, your body itself will feel amazing. You’ll have more energy, mental clarity, and happiness in your days than you otherwise would. Whether it’s a spin class, kickboxing, TRX, or a barre workout, it’s so much fun and will help you feel great!

 

Foreign Language Class

 

Especially in our globalized society, there is no better time than the present to learn a foreign language. It’ll be another fun thing to do with your spouse, and it could even lead to some amazing vacations in other countries. 

You have to practice somehow, right?

It’s also good for your brain health (the power of being a beginner cannot be overemphasized and there are literal books on this subject) and could be a nice boost to your resume.

Art Class

 

What a better experience than creating something beautiful together! Whether it’s a painting class, a pottery class or some other craft, this experience will stretch your comfort zone and make you feel fulfilled at the end, having created the perfect masterpiece together.

 

 

Studies have shown that experiences actually make us much happier than possessions do. Not only that, couples who try new things together have been shown to be much happier and satisfied in their relationships.

Might as well hit the ground running and develop good habits in your marriage, right?

Ditch the gifts. Go for the experiences.