While the pandemic forced many couples to postpone their nuptials, the backlog of celebrations has mostly resumed. This year, 2.6 million couples tied the knot in the United States.
According to the wedding website Zola, many couples skipped on the fine china registry, opting instead for more charitable gifts from guests. Through Zola’s personalized wedding registry cash funds, couples can register for traditional gifts like a state-of-the-art blender, financial gifts like a honeymoon fund, or, for socially conscious couples, a donation to the charity of their choice.
Zola says newlyweds raised $1.4 million for charitable organizations this year, a 237% jump from 2019. Based on data shared with Fast Company, these are the top causes and nonprofits brides and grooms chose to support.
- Animal organizations. The third wheel in many relationships is a beloved furry friend, which may have prompted many couples to select humane animal nonprofits as a beneficiary for their wedding gifts. Animal nonprofits topped the list for donations, with couples donating to the ASPCA, Orangutan Foundation International, and PAWS Chicago.
- Abortion and reproductive rights. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, Zola saw a rise in donations to nonprofits like Planned Parenthood, which not only advocates for reproductive rights but offers lifesaving health services like cancer screening and HIV and STD testing and treatment.
- Humanitarian and social services. It’s been difficult to escape the atrocities in the world, especially when we were at a standstill during the pandemic. And couples felt moved to help with causes advocating for welfare and human rights organizations, such as Outside In, a nonprofit that serves homeless youth, and Corazon de Vida, which supports orphaned and abandoned children.
- Medical. As couples vow to love each other in sickness and in health, they also donate to a number of causes that support the sickness part. Couples donated their financial wedding gifts to hospitals and research funds like Memorial Sloan Kettering, Fanconi Anemia Research Fund, and American Diabetes Association.
- Environmental. With more and more couples choosing outdoor venues for their celebrations, one can assume that their love for the outdoors extends beyond venue spaces. Rounding out the top five causes are nonprofits that support environmental protection, including the National Parks Foundation, Nature Conservancy, and Environmental Defense Fund.
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