It’s no surprise that as the holidays get closer and closer more couples are finding themselves engaged to be married! Having lots of family surrounding you makes getting engaged during the holidays a popular time and with that new engagement comes the planning of not only the wedding, but the honeymoon as well! Here are a few tips I learned from ABC News - Travel for those who are engaged and now planning the honeymoon:
1. Timing – this is referencing when you want to take your honeymoon. Is it right after leaving your reception, do you want to wait a few months and then take your trip or do you want to plan for the best weather and hold off until the destination has ideal conditions? All of these scenarios are an important factor and need to be considered when booking.
2. Regional or Mini-Moon – when you are on a tight budget or the wedding has taken away a few of those stashed vacation days, you may not have the time or the resources to take the desired 2 week vacation. You may want to consider a closer alternative, look for exotic locations or romantic getaways that are more affordable, but maybe within driving distance to tide you over until you can splurge on a more luxurious or exotic honeymoon location.
3. Budget – It can’t be said more plainly that just that. Budget. It’s as important as designating the money for flowers at your wedding. A honeymoon can consist of several hidden charges that add up and can leave you in debt and wishing you had planned more efficiently instead of relaxing and enjoying your vacation. Remember that where you go can affect currency exchange, who and how much you tip, if you have baggage fees, cost of meals, or if you need to rent a car.
4. Involve Guests and Attendees of the Wedding – if you’re struggling to make budget or can’t decide between two fabulous locations ask for input and donations. There are several websites available where you can set up a poll and also have your guests give towards your honeymoon registry as an option for your wedding present. This way you have an interactive approach to the planning and also a way to reduce the costs! I had a girlfriend who at the reception announced the location of the honeymoon based on the poll!
5. Each person’s paradise is a different experience - remember to take both of your ideas of the perfect getaway into mind when planning. If one of you likes the beach and the other likes museums head to a neutral location where you can spend a day or two doing an activity the other one likes.
6. Insure your trip – this tip is coming from me. After spending a lot of money on hotels, plane tickets, and excursions you don’t want to lose everything you’ve saved for and planned for, so plan for the unexpected and insure yourself!
Hopefully, each of these tips will help you plan your perfect getaway!
