48% of Newlyweds Asked for Down Payment Help Instead of Gifts [New LendingTree Survey]

Marriage isn’t just about starting a life together. For many newlyweds, it’s also about finding a place to call home.

However, high wedding costs mean many couples delay homebuying plans. Still, some aren’t afraid to ask for financial help. We surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. newlyweds to learn how couples balance homebuying and wedding planning. Here’s what we found.

• Among homeowners married in the past two years who made a down payment, 48% requested money to help pay for their down payment instead of wedding gifts. 
• 35% of newlywed homeowners say their wedding delayed homebuying plans. 36% say they put down less of a down payment due to their nuptials. 
• The vast majority (59%) of newlywed homeowners who made a down payment say they spent more on that than their wedding. Over half (52%) say they had a smaller wedding to afford a bigger home. 
• 36% of newlywed homeowners say they found buying a home more stressful, while 33% say wedding planning was more stressful. When asked which process caused more arguments, more respondents (36%) said wedding planning.

You can check out the full report here: https://www.lendingtree.com/home/mortgage/newlywed-homeowners-survey/

LendingTree's Chief Consumer Finance Analyst, Matt Schulz, had this to say:

"People want helpful wedding presents that they'll actually use rather than ones that will just be stashed away in a closet. Life's just too expensive in 2025 to waste money on things that don't matter, especially if you're a young newlywed. That's why many people are skipping asking for fancy dishes and silverware and instead requesting cold, hard cash for a mortgage down payment or other financial goals. Practicality and frugality are in. Excessive formality and overspending definitely are not."