Wedding registries are shrinking to fit into cramped apartments and starter homes.

Why it matters: Sky-high housing costs have led couples to move in together sooner and purchase houses later.

The big picture: The median age of first-time homebuyers is now pushing 40, according to National Association of Realtors data.

• Only 9.1% of Washington homeowners are under 35 years old.
• This might not be a huge surprise for D.C.-area house hunters, given the local median home sales price is $552,500, per the latest GCAAR data.

What they're saying: "We would love to ask for" big home gadgets, "but there's no room to store them or keep them on the kitchen countertops," says Kristen Campilonga, who's getting married this summer.

• She lives with her partner in a two-bedroom rental in Golden Triangle.

What we're hearing: Small kitchen contraptions have become the "it" wedding gifts, partly because they're "fairly classic" presents "that older family members feel satisfied to give," says Cathryn Haight, editor at The Knot, a wedding planning and registry website.

Size also matters because many couples already have the essentials — 88% of all those who register live together, Alicia Waters, Crate & Barrel brand president, tells Axios.

• Instead of more stuff, they're looking to trade two items for one multifunctional appliance or upgrade to something more luxurious.

Reality check: Cash gifts are still appreciated, especially for a down payment.

The latest: Some people are choosing homeownership over a lavish wedding.

• The number of unmarried couples who say they recently bought a house rose 46% over the past decade, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of census data.

Share with an engaged couple

The median home price was 4.7 times the median income in D.C. in 2023, according to a Harvard analysis.

Why it matters: With home prices outpacing incomes nationwide, homeownership is unaffordable for many people.

The big picture: In 2023, the national median sales price for existing single-family homes was 4.9 times the median household income, Harvard researchers with the Joint Center for Housing Studies found.

• That ratio dipped slightly from 2022 as home price growth slowed, but it remains historically high, per the analysis.
• Increasing taxes and insurance costs, plus elevated interest rates, have driven up the cost of homeownership.

Go deeper: Researchers' interactive map

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• Is news of tariffs or higher building costs impacting your plans?
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