Interview with a Pro from TheHoneymoon.com

I have long been a fan of TheHoneymoon.com and my clients have really enjoyed the ease and offerings of their honeymoon registry website. So, I decided to have a chat with the founder, Scott Ellingboe in hopes of learning what inspires him and what's new!

LAURA: Was there a personal experience in your life that gave birth to the idea of a honeymoon registry?

Scott: Yes. I was on the phone in 1998 with an acquaintance who was a supplier to our business and he was getting remarried in his mid-forties. His fiancée was getting married for the first time and she was registering for all kinds of things they just didn't need. As he was telling me this he said, "I wish we could just register for our honeymoon to Italy because I don't need another blender." It was an "ah ha" moment.

LAURA: What would you consider the most exciting feature of TheHoneymoon.com right now?

Scott: The most exciting feature right now on our site is our digital magazine. It's a fully interactive magazine that will come out quarterly and features great honeymoon destinations and other interesting articles for couples interested in honeymoons and/or destination wedding information. It also has interesting articles on traveling "green" as well as some interesting facts about rum, which is used in many of the most famous tropical drinks. We also profile real couples to give readers a peak into someone else's honeymoon experience.

LAURA: From my own experience, I know most clients aren't willing to sacrifice their honeymoon but I assume more and more couples are seeking help in paying for the trip and adventures. Have you seen an increase in usage on your site as the economy weakens?

Scott: Yes. We have seen an increase in the number of transactions versus the same period last year. However, the average dollar amount spent per gift purchase has dropped from $117 to $102. Wedding gifts fall under discretionary spending, which is usually the first to be affected by the economy. The fact that individual gift purchases are up is proof that more people are choosing this type of registry and that wedding guests are responding.

LAURA: Have any really outrageous registries come across your site and have they been filled?

Scott: I'm not sure what qualifies as outrageous, we've had some outrageously bad registries from people who just didn't get that a honeymoon registry has to be fun, filled with gift items that will give the couple a more memorable experience. Getting to a destination is a small part of the overall experience -- it's what you do when you get there that defines the memories you will cherish forever. There is one registry from about seven years ago that was pretty outrageous at the time -- the couple registered for Viagra, "for those last few honeymoon nights!" That got a laugh out of everyone who saw it.

That's all folks! Check back for more fun interviews!