Welcome to all of the (prospective) honeymooners! This week, we wanted to discuss a little bit about honeymoon planning, as we’re sure you guessed from the title! This usually attracts less discussion than the wedding itself, but it’s now become a trend among couples to ditch the expensive wedding and leave extra cash for a honeymoon. You could wing your entire vacation, but the main aim of this particular getaway is a romantic-filled time, balancing relaxation with excitement, while allowing some room for spontaneity; that is the ideal route, but even that is subjective! Now, without further “I do,” we’ve got some solid ideas that’ll get you from “just married” to “we’re never coming back.”
Envision the Perfect Getaway
Perhaps you’ve already pictured the perfect honeymoon (hello fellow scrapbookers), or maybe the wedding planning has taken up the bulk of your free time! In any case, we ask that you clear your mind and let your imagination take the lead. What is it you see? You’ve obviously got the who in there, so that knocks one question off the list. But what about the “where”? Do you see sand, trees, a pool, a lake, or even the ocean? What about a city destination you’ve always dreamed of visiting, like Paris, Tokyo, or Honolulu? Or you see a little bit of everything! If you’re struggling to pick (because yes, there are so many choices it can be overwhelming), sometimes, the “when” can help you decide on the “where.”
Some of the most popular choices include:
- Adventure excursion
- Beach getaway
- Luxury resort
- City break
- Wilderness/mountain retreat
- Cruise
- Island hop
- Multi-destination honeymoon.
Determine Your Honeymoon Fund
With your vision in mind, let’s consider your budget! We firmly believe that you can make anything happen, but in order to plan it out with as much accuracy as possible, you need to outline your estimated expenditures. To start off, consider the length of your honeymoon. Couples often choose to do one or two weeks, but sometimes even longer if they’re prioritizing the honeymoon over the wedding! Once you have an idea, list the important things and set a maximum spending limit for each on things like flights, accommodation, food/drink, activities/excursions, travel insurance, and a little extra on the side for emergencies. From there, you can begin your research!
There are plenty of ways you can save money, too! For starters, consider travelling during shoulder season, where prices will be lower, but tourism will still be popular. You can also look into an all-inclusive bundle. Many sites like Expedia, Trivago, Costco Travel, and JetBlue Vacations constantly have deals going on, so keep your eyes peeled! Couples also look into setting up a registry, where family and friends can contribute to a honeymoon fund instead of or alongside a wedding fund. Lastly, and probably the most obvious choice, is to book as early as possible – flight and accommodation prices tend to increase in tandem with demand, so try to gain an early foothold!
Honeymoon Packing List
This wouldn’t really be a helpful planning article without a honeymoon packing checklist! Below, we’ve grouped everything into four main categories. Depending on your plans, some things may be irrelevant, so take a note of everything you’ll need!
Travel Documents
☑ Passport or relevant ID
☑ Travel insurance documentation
☑ Boarding passes and flight information
☑ Payment cards and/or cash
☑ Hotel or relevant accommodation documents.
Clothing Essentials
☑ Daytime clothing (shorts, skirts, t-shirts)
☑ Evening wear (both formal and casual)
☑ Swimwear (a necessity)
☑ Hats
☑ Accessories (on top of your flashy new wedding rings)
☑ Cold weather and wet weather apparel (just in case)
☑ Extra underwear and socks (always).
Toiletries and Personal Hygiene
☑ Skincare products
☑ Toothbrush and toothpaste
☑ Shampoo, conditioner, and deodorant
☑ Sunscreen (or a good SPF oil/gel alternative)
☑ Perfume and cologne
☑ Hairbrush, comb, and razors.
Accessory Must-Haves
☑ Power banks
☑ Chargers
☑ Reusable water bottles
☑ Travel adapters
☑ Headphones (noise-canceling recommended)
☑ Camera
☑ Paperback book/eBook.
Honeymoon Essentials to Make it Truly Romantic
Since this is your honeymoon, you should pull out all the stops and set the stage for the most intimate few weeks of your life! All you need is a few bits which you can probably gather just about anywhere you jet off to! We’ve all seen a movie at one stage or another with a room scattered in rose petals and illuminated by countless candles. Let’s take some inspiration from that scene! Picture this: your spouse walks in, you’ve got candles lit everywhere (but not too many because that’s a fire hazard), your curated playlist of their favorite songs is humming in the background, and a few surprise gifts are laid out (which you’ll have to, very secretly, pack in your suitcase). Bring along some notebooks and some disposable cameras to capture every moment, and write down some cute quotes or memories you’ll want to keep forever!
Final Tips for a Special Honeymoon
Before we let you go, we just wanted to give some final pieces of advice! If you plan out your itinerary (leaving room for relaxation), then you’ll know what you’d like to do, and the rest of the time can be spent soaking in the peaceful air. Make sure not to overpack and keep an eye out for the weather conditions – you may have to consider changing a few things around, but let’s manifest for nothing but blissful skies. Photograph as much as you can, but don’t forget to actually enjoy your first getaway as newlyweds! Pictures might last forever, but the memories you make will be all the more valuable.
And with that, we’ve reached the end of this week’s honeymoon planning guide! The planning process may get stressful from time to time, especially pairing it with wedding planning, but we promise it’ll be worth it in the end! If you’re also in the process of planning a courthouse wedding, be sure to check out “Courthouse Weddings That Are Stylish and Stress-Free.”
Adam is a Content Specialist from Kerry, Ireland. His passions include going for long runs, video games, a love for animals, coffee, and travel!
