Your wedding day is known as the happiest day of your life. Planning a holiday to follow that amazing day can be a challenge. It will need to be one of the biggest adventures you’ve ever had to even come close to the emotion felt at your wedding. We’ve decided to give you a helping hand, and put together this guide on how to plan the perfect honeymoon.
When To Start
Is it ever too early to start planning your honeymoon? You may have been talking about a dream holiday for a while, or places you’d like to see. Depending on your destination, you may need to start booking travel & accommodation between 6 months to a year in advance, but it’s never too early to share your ideas.
Plan Together
With wedding planning you may have split the responsibilities between you. To plan the perfect the honeymoon, you’ll need to be in it together. Make sure both your opinions are heard on the destination, itinerary and dates you’ll be away.
Budget
This seems to pop up in most of our posts, but it is so important. Set a budget and stick to it. Even if this means delaying your honeymoon for a few months while you save up a little more – it’ll be worth it in the end. Make sure you look out for any hidden costs too. Transfer fees and countries own tourism tax can quickly add up.
Your Style
Do you love action and adventure, or do you prefer spending two weeks on a sun longer by the sea? This is important to consider when looking at your honeymoon destination. Some of the most beautiful places on earth can be found at the end of a mountain hike, where others are on small islands with a perfect beach. Make sure you’ll be happy with the activity level of your destination before you book.
Travel Agent
With the power of the internet planning your honeymoon has never been simpler. So why use a travel agent? Well, they’ll have inside knowledge on the best hotels, trips, and activities for your chosen destination. They’ll be able to book and plan everything you could need, and may even throw in a couple of surprises too. They’ll also be able to advise you on the best time of year to travel, the busy and quiet spots, and in some cases have people in your area available 24/7 in case of any problems.
When to Travel
Find the best times of year to travel based on your destination. There will likely be a peak and off peak season, but they may not necessarily coincide with events you’d like to see. Make sure you do your research so you won’t miss anything.
We’d also advise against traveling the day of your wedding. Having time to come down from your wedding day high, and give yourselves the additional day or two to think about packing can help to make the start of your honeymoon a non-stressful experience.
Recommendations
When you’ve chosen a destination, ask for recommendations. If someone you know has travelled there before, ask for their favourite restaurants or excursions. Getting recent information from people who’ve experienced the place first hand is one of the easiest ways to plan a perfect honeymoon itinerary with no negative experiences.
Plan
Have a plan for each day, including some down time too. If this is a once in a lifetime experience for you both, make it count. Book tickets for shows, seats at restaurants and any travel you may need in advance. It’ll make the honeymoon run smoothly, and mean all your plans have been made before you start your journey.
Social Media
We cannot stress this enough. Do not post the dates of your honeymoon to social media. Share photographs with family and friends privately, but save the public honeymoon spam for when you return.
Why? You’ll become a target. Your wedding will almost certainly have popped up on your social feed, whether it’s from your own posts or a friend congratulating you. Generally, weddings = wedding gifts. Wedding gifts cannot be taken on honeymoon. Do you see where this is going? Even if you’ve not received a single gift from your wedding, advertising that you’ll be away is never a good idea. Be safe, and wait until you’re home to post.
Say ‘Honeymoon’
Tell the checkout desk, the flight attendant, the hotel reception, restaurant staff – everyone should know it’s your honeymoon. Not only will they be excited and ask about your wedding (which you will absolutely still want to talk about!) but they may be able to give you an upgrade or freebie too. There’s no down side to mentioning it!
Next, take a look at our How To Include Your Pet In Your Wedding Day post.