(NewsNation) — Toasters are out, down payments are in: Today's newlyweds are trading traditional wedding gifts for help buying a home.
Nearly half (48%) of newlywed homeowners who made a down payment said they asked for money to put toward their home purchase instead of wedding gifts, according to a new LendingTree survey.
That figure is even higher among men (57%) and those married in the past six months (53%).
Matt Schulz, LendingTree's chief consumer finance analyst, sees it as a positive trend, noting that there's less stigma around asking for money that can be put to good use.
"That’s good for the newlyweds, and it’s good for those giving the gift because they know their gifts won’t be stashed and collect dust," Schulz said in the report.
LendingTree found that the average down payment for newlywed homeowners is $46,741 — a steep sum forcing many to choose between their dream wedding and dream home.
In fact, 35% of newlywed homeowners said their wedding delayed homebuying plans, and 41% wished they had put more money down on their home.
"If you’re trying to choose between a bigger, more elaborate wedding and putting a bigger down payment on a home, it’s important to ask yourself and your partner tough questions about what matters most," Schulz said.
Overall, 67% of those surveyed said their dream home is more important than their dream wedding. And more than half of the respondents (52%) scaled back their wedding, opting for a smaller celebration to afford a bigger home.
Wedding guests aren't the only ones chipping in. Across all newlywed homeowners, 71% received help from parents to pay for their wedding or down payment, and 37% said their parents helped with both.
LendingTree's findings are based on an online survey of 1,050 U.S. newlyweds ages 18 to 79 from March 12 to 19, 2025. Newlyweds were defined as those married within the past two years at the time the survey was conducted.