Don't just close your eyes and stick your finger on a map hoping to come up with a great honeymoon destination at random. It’s worth the extra effort to put some thought and time into deciding on the perfect honeymoon destination for you and your fiancé. Here are five steps to help you do it:
Don't just close your eyes and stick your finger on a map hoping
to come up with a great honeymoon destination at random. It’s worth the extra
effort to put some thought and time into deciding on the perfect honeymoon
destination for you and your fiancé. Here are five steps to help you do it:
1. Talk
about what you want your honeymoon to be like. Do you want to relax on a warm
tropical beach, take a cruise with non-stop activities to participate in, visit
a historical European city with many sight-seeing opportunities, or climb a scenic
mountain together? Most people think that taking a honeymoon involves a
tropical island. While this is a great option for many couples, it may just not
be right for you.
Remember, you can take lots of trips
together after you're married, but you only take one honeymoon. Make it
something you'll both love and remember! Consider activities that involve
romance, adventure, excitement, natural beauty, and relaxation. It’s best to start
talking about honeymoon options soon after you’ve set a wedding date so you can
start planning early!
2. Talk
about a budget. It’s important to have limits on your budget, but it’s also
important to know that most honeymoon experiences can be tailored to fit most
any budget, both large and small. This includes cruises, tropical resorts, and
mountain getaways. You just have to think creatively and do some research! For
instance, if you're on a tight budget, you can travel in the shoulder or the
low season, when everything will be cheaper. You can stay at all-inclusive
resorts which tend to be less expensive and often have special rates. You also
have the benefit of knowing what your total bill will be at the beginning of
your honeymoon, which makes planning on a budget easier.
Planning is crucial, as you don’t
want to find yourself having money arguments during your honeymoon. Instead,
during the planning process, you can decide which aspects of your honeymoon are
a “must have” and which can be cut. With a budget guideline, you are less
likely to max out your credit cards. Instead of savoring memories of your honeymoon
when you return home, you'll have to worry about new credit card payments, and
that's never a good thing!
3. Narrow
down your list. Based on what you'd like to do on your honeymoon and what
your budget looks like, narrow down a list of possible honeymoon destinations.
It's best to have two or three destinations on your list before you start doing
more extensive research. Even if you think a place might be a little beyond
your budget, put it on your list because you may be able to find ways to make
the most exotic location affordable.
Once your list is narrowed down,
it's time to research what each location has to offer. What sets one destination
apart from another? Which location has the best amenities and scenery? Are the
specific activities (that you want to) available at these locations? Are there
any package deals available? Can you take advantage of lower shoulder-season
rates?
4. Make a
mock honeymoon registry. Making up a honeymoon registry can actually
be a great way to simplify your honeymoon planning and
to help you narrow down your final destination. Honeymoon registries can be a
treasure trove of travel and honeymoon information. You can evaluate different
destinations, dining, fun activities and excursions. We highly recommend using HoneymoonPixie.com as there is no cost to
set-up a honeymoon registry, you receive 100% of your gift money, and they
receive 5-Star ratings from brides and the wedding industry.
The great thing is that you can do
this exercise for multiple honeymoon destinations that you are considering. And
when you’ve made your final selection, your honeymoon registry will be ready to
publish.
5. Now
decide! After performing the research described above, you should have a
clear picture of what each location has to offer. Based on your preferences and
budget, you can select the honeymoon destination that is best for you. Don’t
agonize over the details. What’s important is that you will be together with
your spouse and enjoying each moment on your honeymoon!
Once you’ve made your final choice
for your honeymoon destination, you can publish your honeymoon registry. The
great part about your honeymoon registry is that you'll often get gifts ahead
of your wedding, which can help you prepay for airfare and accommodations.
Other guests may gift you a fun excursion, which you otherwise might not have
taken – if it wasn’t factored into your budget. Overall, a honeymoon registry
is a win-win for all parties.
About the Author: Andrew Marino is the CEO of HoneymoonPixie.com, an industry
leader in providing honeymoon
gift registries for engaged couples.
Couples create their free honeymoon registry website and receive honeymoon planning
advice and travel tips. Andrew also
serves as a contributing Senior Travel Editor.
Sara says
Great tips!