New strategy to meet changing weddings & honeymoons market. Today's brides and grooms are getting married later in life, which can pose an interesting dilemma for gift givers.  (Recent study by the Condé Nast Bridal Group)

After all, what can you buy a couple who already has many of the basics traditionally given to new brides and grooms?  To solve this wedding gift quandary, Marriott International, Inc. has introduced a new Honeymoon Gift Registry, in which couples receive the gift of exciting new experiences, versus something new for the home.  For example, rather than registering for a cocktail glass set, couples can opt for spa services such as the Cocktail Wrap at the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, Thailand.

"Ninety-four percent of engaged couples plan to go on a honeymoon and 92 percent plan to go on that excursion right after their wedding, which indicates that honeymoons are on top of their priority list," said Elizabeth Lluch of WeddingSolutions.com, who has partnered with Marriott.  "In addition, our research has shown that in recent years, more couples are paying for their own honeymoons, which makes this registry the ideal option for savvy brides and grooms-to-be."

Participating couples start by registering for a number of romantic "honeymoon items," ranging from hotel accommodations and spa services to robes, wine-with-dinner and rounds of golf.  Wedding guests can then purchase items from the registry, and the gift values are accrued to one card reflecting the total value for all items purchased from their registry.

The card accumulates value continually as additional gifts are added. Couples can redeem the card at approximately 2,700 Marriott hotels or resorts across nine brands, including Marriott, JW Marriott, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Marriott Vacation Club International. 

There is no registration fee for signing up with the Marriott Honeymoon Gift Registry and no fees or surcharges are charged to gift givers.  Because it does not expire, the card can be used during the honeymoon or for multiple vacations, keeping the number of gift options open until the card's balance is used in its entirety.   

"Whether couples marry early or later in life, they all want a dream honeymoon," said Leigh Anne Ambrose, director of Marriott's GiftCard Marketing.  "With the Marriott Honeymoon Gift Registry, wedding guests can give bridal couples a unique present and memories that they'll cherish for years to come." 

To view the terms and conditions, or to create a registry, visit www.MarriottRegistry.com