Once all the wedding craziness is over, you want to be able to enjoy a stress-free honeymoon with plenty of time to gaze into each other's eyes. To do this, it's essential to plan the trip carefully, and in advance.
The honeymoon can be an expensive outing. Yet there are ways you can keep the costs down. Look at some of our top tips for an affordable, well-planned honeymoon.
Give yourself loads of time to dream about and plan the honeymoon. There are always extra details you won't have considered. Time will allow you to deal with any issues that crop up and avoid last-minute stress. Ensure you plan and book your honeymoon at least 6 – 9 months before you depart.
Take your time researching places you would like to visit. Chat with your partner about where you'd both love to go. Is it the beach, city, jungle, game reserve, or the country?
When deciding on a destination, also consider logistical matters like:
You'll need to arrange things like passports and visas if you're going abroad. Passports can take time to renew, so make sure you do this well ahead of time if necessary. Countries often require at least six months on your passport before renewal is due. It's better to renew the passport than take a chance. You don't want to get stuck in another country on your honeymoon!
Visas can also take two to three months to process, depending on where you're going. Do not book your flights until your visas have come through. If they are declined, and you already have your tickets, you could lose a lot of money on rearranging flights.
Sometimes you can get great travel offers through agencies or airlines. Every so often they have deals such as seven nights in Zanzibar, for example, with flights, accommodation, airport transport in the destination country, breakfast, and dinner included.
While this may curb your freedom to choose a little, it makes planning much more manageable if a lot is sorted out in one go. You'll also know what the highest costs are upfront, and you only need to consider spending money.
This option is not for everyone, but if all the extra planning is overwhelming, it could make matters much more straightforward.
It can be enticing to run off and put a decadent trip on your credit card. However, this could spell financial disaster and many sleepless nights! It's best to stay within your budget, allowing for the odd splurge here and there to spoil yourselves.
While going overseas is everyone's dream, it can get costly. Consider if there is perhaps somewhere in your home country that you've always wanted to go. This way, you get to tick that off your bucket list, save money, all while supporting local businesses.
A fair percentage of your wedding gifts from family and friends is likely to be money. The honeymoon is a great way to spend some of that. It is cash that won't have come directly out of your pockets.
Placing these funds in a savings account just for honeymoon costs also helps streamline the honeymoon's financials.
Instead of a registry, or asking for material gifts, you could also ask guests to contribute to your honeymoon fund.
What people are doing more often nowadays is delaying the honeymoon to a later date. Couples tend to be exhausted after all the wedding preparation and excitement, while still juggling work and other regular commitments. Deferring the honeymoon can mean you'll be in a space to enjoy it more.
This idea also allows you more time to save up and plan your trip. It is a beautiful way to savour your nuptials, rather than having everything done and dusted in one go.
It gives you something to still look forward to. Perhaps it's a lovely way to celebrate your first six months of marriage.
If it's all feeling a bit much right now, consider this useful option.
In the end, planning your honeymoon can take almost as much planning and organisation as the wedding. Make sure you keep on top of things. Remember, delaying the honeymoon can take a lot of overwhelm off the table.
Happy travel planning!
Happly is coming soon, be the first to sign up when we launch!