As cash has been on a slow decline in Australia, people are opting for a more new-age approach to wedding gifts. Some happy couples have started to put their bank details on their wedding invites to avoid handling cash on their big day.

The Bridal Journey founder Andie Towner's study found that 17 per cent of couples would prefer to go down this cashless route. While she admitted it’s a small number, she told Yahoo Finance it’s a sad sign of the times.

“I think adding your bank details seems like a demand rather than a suggestion and I think a lot of people would be quite offended by that," she said.

RELATED

• Wedding shock leads Aussie bride to jump on new trend

• $6,500 Centrelink payment opens today for those impacted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred

• 'Red flag' NAB banker noticed before blocking $440,000 payment: 'Didn't add up'

“It takes out some of that personal sentiment and tradition, which we have so few left when it comes to weddings these days.

“But there's a broader shift happening in how wedding gifts are given.”

Traditionally, the happy couple would be inundated with bulky presents on their big day that came from their gift registry.

But registries have changed to include experiences on a honeymoon or helping with their home renovation rather than physical items for the couple’s home.

Do you have a wedding money story? Email stew.perrie@yahooinc.com

If there isn’t a gift registry, then money is likely the preferred option, but some even instruct their guests to not give anything.

Hundreds of ATMs and bank branches have closed in Australia recently, particularly in regional parts of the country where destination weddings are held, and that's where a simple bank transfer could come in handy.

In the 2023-24 year alone, 230 branches were shuttered, with 1,615 closed in the last five years.

Big issue around cashless wedding gift trend

Towner said in addition to bank transfers, she’s even seen some couples opt for QR codes at their wedding venue or guests told to PayID them.

But she highlighted one major problem with that.

“Half the people that are attending the wedding are older, so, like, my mum wouldn't have any clue how to use PayID,” she said.

“It's just a very divisive topic and controversial.”

The Bridal Journey founder said every couple will be different, but she urged them to think about how they approach gifts to ensure they don’t leave a bad taste.

“I think it really probably just comes down to how it's communicated,” she said.

“I think adding your bank details kind of seems like a demand rather than a suggestion and I think a lot of people would be quite offended by that.”