So you’re getting married, congratulations! You’ve set a budget, you know exactly what you’re looking for and you’re planning who is going to be invited. Just one quick question – have you thought about your honeymoon? I’m at that age where a lot of my friends are getting engaged and planning their nuptials (a few for the second time). The first question I always ask is – what are you planning for the honeymoon? And most of the time I get a sort of blank stare and an ‘I hadn’t even thought that far yet’ answer.
Weddings can be expensive, so unless you have a very rich relative who is known for paying for the honeymoon as a wedding gift (I’m convinced that only happens in the movies!), you’re going to have to add that to your budget as well. Now you want your honeymoon to be as romantic and luxurious as possible, and with the following guide you won’t have to compromise on either of those!
What do you want?
The first step to planning your honeymoon (and any trip for that matter) is to decide exactly what you want – what is essential and what are you willing to live without for your first days as a married couple? Now start thinking about how much you’re willing to spend on your honeymoon – this budget needs to cover accommodation, travel, food and entertainment for the duration so make sure it’s a fair figure or else you’ll never stick to it! Also, if you want to make some extra savings on the ceremony or accessories, you can get many of the items you will need at Kohl's with multiple discounts when you use Discountrue.com coupons, which will let you maximize your honeymoon budget.
Leverage A Travel Agents Contacts
I’m not often someone who advises using a travel agent, but at the end of the day you want your travel planning to be as stress free as possible. And in this case a travel agent is a good choice. They can often save you a fair amount on travel packages which include accommodation and travel, and sometimes even on packages that include your food and drink as well! Make sure you’re choosing an agent who specialises in the type of trip you’re planning – don’t go to a safari travel agent if you’re interested in a luxury cruise!
Create A Honeymoon Registry
There are some travel agencies and tour operators who offer a registry service for their honeymoon packages. They collect, track and then apply any contributions your wedding guests make towards your honeymoon expenses. Instead of creating a gift registry with items you don’t really need, why not have your guests contribute towards the honeymoon of your dreams? There are even a few that allow your guests to sponsor honeymoon activities such as a romantic meal or a sunset cruise.
Honeymoon In The Off-Season
Now this has two benefits. Not only will you be avoiding the usual holiday crowds, but off season rates are much lower than peak season rates. Now off-season doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to be dealing with terrible weather, for many destinations it just means that for whatever reason they don’t normally have vacationers during those times. If you have a specific destination in mind then delay your honeymoon until the off season (or shoulder season if weather is a factor), and if it doesn’t matter where you are then choose anywhere that has nice weather, the activities you enjoy and few holiday makers.
Honeymoon In The Area
Nobody ever said that your honeymoon has to be in some far away destination that you can only revisit on special occasions. Remember that the closer your destination is, the less your travel costs will be. So opt to fly, or even drive to somewhere that is only a few hours away. And if you’re really smart, then have your wedding nearby so that you don’t have very far to travel after the reception.
You may even get discounted prices because some guests may opt to spend the night and drive back in the morning. Just remember that some guests may not be able to attend a wedding that is far away, so that is also something to consider (no your wedding is not just about you!).
A Honeymoon Is Just A Fancy Name For A Holiday
That’s right, there is nothing really unique about a honeymoon if you think about it logically. Except for the fact that it’s normally just a trip for two and that romantic activities are the norm. But what that means is that every budget travel guide you’ve ever read will apply to budgeting for your honeymoon. Vacation rentals, alternative airports, cheaper airlines, using any travel points you may have, using travel sites, etc. all apply to saving on a honeymoon as well. The only difference is that if you mention this is going to be your honeymoon, there are some holiday providers that will comp a few extras. This could be a room upgrade, a slightly cheaper fee, free champagne and chocolates and sometimes even a romantic meal in a fancy restaurant. Even local groceries, butchers and pubs are likely to help you celebrate in some way if you let them know you’re spending your first days as a married couple in their town.
Last Thoughts
And my final tip for honeymooners is to enjoy the trip. Whether you’ve delayed the honeymoon for any reason or you went straight from the reception to the airport, this vacation is a private celebration of the fact that you have chosen to spend the rest of your days with this one person.
Treasure every moment, do silly, soppy romantic things and take photos of everything. Wake up late, go to bed early, kiss each other whenever the urge takes you and hold hands all the time. Giggle together, laugh at everything you see and enjoy this time together. Marriage is not all fun and games, there are going to be times when you want to kill your significant other, times when you question your relationship and times that you wonder why the hell you got married. And sometimes the only thing that keeps you hanging on are the honeymoon memories, so make them beautiful!
What do you want?
The first step to planning your honeymoon (and any trip for that matter) is to decide exactly what you want – what is essential and what are you willing to live without for your first days as a married couple? Now start thinking about how much you’re willing to spend on your honeymoon – this budget needs to cover accommodation, travel, food and entertainment for the duration so make sure it’s a fair figure or else you’ll never stick to it! Also, if you want to make some extra savings on the ceremony or accessories, you can get many of the items you will need at Kohl's with multiple discounts when you use Discountrue.com coupons, which will let you maximize your honeymoon budget.
Leverage A Travel Agents Contacts
I’m not often someone who advises using a travel agent, but at the end of the day you want your travel planning to be as stress free as possible. And in this case a travel agent is a good choice. They can often save you a fair amount on travel packages which include accommodation and travel, and sometimes even on packages that include your food and drink as well! Make sure you’re choosing an agent who specialises in the type of trip you’re planning – don’t go to a safari travel agent if you’re interested in a luxury cruise!
Create A Honeymoon Registry
There are some travel agencies and tour operators who offer a registry service for their honeymoon packages. They collect, track and then apply any contributions your wedding guests make towards your honeymoon expenses. Instead of creating a gift registry with items you don’t really need, why not have your guests contribute towards the honeymoon of your dreams? There are even a few that allow your guests to sponsor honeymoon activities such as a romantic meal or a sunset cruise.
Honeymoon In The Off-Season
Now this has two benefits. Not only will you be avoiding the usual holiday crowds, but off season rates are much lower than peak season rates. Now off-season doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to be dealing with terrible weather, for many destinations it just means that for whatever reason they don’t normally have vacationers during those times. If you have a specific destination in mind then delay your honeymoon until the off season (or shoulder season if weather is a factor), and if it doesn’t matter where you are then choose anywhere that has nice weather, the activities you enjoy and few holiday makers.
Honeymoon In The Area
Nobody ever said that your honeymoon has to be in some far away destination that you can only revisit on special occasions. Remember that the closer your destination is, the less your travel costs will be. So opt to fly, or even drive to somewhere that is only a few hours away. And if you’re really smart, then have your wedding nearby so that you don’t have very far to travel after the reception.
You may even get discounted prices because some guests may opt to spend the night and drive back in the morning. Just remember that some guests may not be able to attend a wedding that is far away, so that is also something to consider (no your wedding is not just about you!).
A Honeymoon Is Just A Fancy Name For A Holiday
That’s right, there is nothing really unique about a honeymoon if you think about it logically. Except for the fact that it’s normally just a trip for two and that romantic activities are the norm. But what that means is that every budget travel guide you’ve ever read will apply to budgeting for your honeymoon. Vacation rentals, alternative airports, cheaper airlines, using any travel points you may have, using travel sites, etc. all apply to saving on a honeymoon as well. The only difference is that if you mention this is going to be your honeymoon, there are some holiday providers that will comp a few extras. This could be a room upgrade, a slightly cheaper fee, free champagne and chocolates and sometimes even a romantic meal in a fancy restaurant. Even local groceries, butchers and pubs are likely to help you celebrate in some way if you let them know you’re spending your first days as a married couple in their town.
Last Thoughts
And my final tip for honeymooners is to enjoy the trip. Whether you’ve delayed the honeymoon for any reason or you went straight from the reception to the airport, this vacation is a private celebration of the fact that you have chosen to spend the rest of your days with this one person.
Treasure every moment, do silly, soppy romantic things and take photos of everything. Wake up late, go to bed early, kiss each other whenever the urge takes you and hold hands all the time. Giggle together, laugh at everything you see and enjoy this time together. Marriage is not all fun and games, there are going to be times when you want to kill your significant other, times when you question your relationship and times that you wonder why the hell you got married. And sometimes the only thing that keeps you hanging on are the honeymoon memories, so make them beautiful!
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Regards
shahid