Congratulations, you’re engaged!
It’s such a crazy, beautiful, exciting time as a newly engaged couple, and wedding planning can be a lot of fun, but it can get overwhelming (trust me, I’ve been there). But once you’ve set the wheels in motion for the day itself, it’s time to get excited, because what we know from experience, is that the honeymoon is one part of planning process that every couple loves.
It can be a tough decision process for couples to decide on where to honeymoon or know where to start. It may be your first big trip together or your twentieth, but there is no doubt that you will want to make it special, and unforgettable (for all the right reasons).
So, where to start?
The options are literally endless, but planning the perfect honeymoon can be dependent on so many variables. From agreeing on a budget, to knowing which destinations will work for the month you want to travel… it can be tricky, so we thought we’d put together some of our own tips to help you navigate the honeymoon planning process.
1) Couples that plan together, stay together (or will at least have a blissful honeymoon)
Work with your new Fiancé to come up with a list of your ‘dream’ honeymoon destinations and a list of activities that you both enjoy doing.
Planning your honeymoon should definitely be a 50/50 effort so that the trip is tailored to exactly what you both want. There is such a range of wonderful destinations around the world that are great for combining all of your interests, so no one really needs to compromise too much. (But guys, remember the saying ‘happy wife, happy life’….. It could come in handy).
Once you have a general list of things you are looking to do and ideas for places you would like to go, you compare notes and see where the overlap happens That will help narrow things down, and give you a great place to get the ball rolling.
Discussing your budget is also a great idea from the get go. Speak about what you’re comfortable with, and make sure you communicate this from the beginning to your travel advisor.
Regardless of your budget, there is something out there for you, but I can assure you that nothing disappoints honeymooners faster than visions of an overwater villa, in peak season,on a shoestring budget. It’s not going to happen.
As a travel advisor, it’s my job to help balance your budget and your expectations, to come up with the perfect honeymoon that will tick all your boxes. If you communicate your budget with be from the beginning, I’ll be able to tell you if what you’re dreaming of, will be do-able with your budget (or not).
2) Think outside the box
Honeymoons can be anywhere from 1 week to 1 month in length, so choosing a destination that works well with your time frame is vital, but there are ways to get creative and do something that is a little different to what everyone else is doing.
I also love paring different combinations. From cities and beaches, to mountains and jungle, or perhaps paring different countries altogether! There are some great combinations that work really well together, so I can definitely help you get more out of your honeymoon by mixing things up.
One popular combination is Sri Lanka and the Maldives (talk about exotic), or another one that we have been working on is Japan and Thailand (how cool is that!). The options are endless!
Who wants to have the exact same honeymoon, as your best friend or neighbour has had. I dare you to be original.
3) You can Mini-moon now, Honeymoon later
We’ve noticed a big trend with our couples for MINI-MOONS and we really LOVE this idea. Especially if you’ve decided on a destination that may not be ideal to travel to, in the dates surrounding your wedding.
For Australians, summer weddings are popular, but if you’re looking to travel to Europe for your honeymoon, you may want to hold off until it warms up (unless you’re a snow bunny), or vice versa for my North American clients. You may get married in your spring, summer or fall, but that may not be the optimum time to travel to the Caribbean, Australia or the South Pacific.
Having a mini-moon straight after your wedding, somewhere close to home, where you can luxe it up for a few days is perfect, and then we can plan your Honeymoon for when it’s the perfect time to travel to your dream destination.
Another idea is a Buddymoon!! This is such a FUN idea (and one that I can personally resonate with, because I did it!). Buddymoon’s are great if you’re having a destination wedding, as it allows you the opportunity to keep the party going, and to celebrate further with your closest friends and family.
My husband and I got married in Palm Springs, and ‘Buddymooned’ in Lake Tahoe with about 25 of our closest friends, and it was seriously awesome!
4) Remember, it’s all about balance
When planning a honeymoon itinerary for our clients we always (always!) make sure that there is the perfect balance of activity/culture or adventure, and lots of time to relax, unwind and just… be.
Trust us. Wedding day emotions are real and if you’re heading off on your honeymoon straight after your wedding, YOU WILL BE EXHAUSTED!
Make sure you plan for some chill time on your honeymoon so that you have time to feel all the feels after your wedding, and not feel like you’re running around ticking boxes. You want to use this time to come together, reflect on all the wedding magic and relax.
5) Don’t wing it!
To truly make the most of your honeymoon and the time you have away with your new hubby or wifey, we recommend planning the whole thing. Not just a flight and a hotel, but really think about the big picture, and use a travel professional to help you pull together ALL the elements of the trip. From transfers, sightseeing, dining reservations… everything!
Trust us, the last thing you want to be doing on your honeymoon, is planning your honeymoon.
You want to wake up each morning, blissfully refreshed, knowing what’s on your agenda for the day. Bickering over where to have dinner or trying to find a driver to take you on a private tour at the last minute can be stressful! And no one wants that on their honeymoon.
A great full service travel professional will help you fine tune the perfect itinerary, so that the hardest decision you’ll need to make is what to wear.
6) Use a professional
As I mentioned above, using a travel professional will not only allow you to have a fully tailored package, but it will save you time, offer you more value and you’ll have access to their expertise.
Instagram and Google are the perfect tools for your preliminary research, but trying to pull together your dream honeymoon online can be tricky. Photos can be misleading, reviews can be fake, and descriptions could leave out key pieces of information.
Would you really trust all of that when you’re trying to come up with the trip of a life time?
Using a great travel professional will not only give you piece of mind, and have someone there along the way to look out for you (or answer the phone at 2am if your bags don’t show up, and you need a new transfer to your hotel…. that is 2hrs away). But you’ll also have access to their little black book of contacts, preferred hotel deals and their personal recommendations, so you know you won’t be disappointed.
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Ultimately, your honeymoon should be a reflection of you as a couple and allow you that time to reflect on the stunning commitment you’ve just made to one another.
Whether it’s an extravagant multi-destination journey, or a more simple luxe staycation, the options are limitless, and I wish you all the very best in planning your perfect journey.
If you need that guiding hand, I’d love to work with you, so reach out to me, and let’s get planning!
Kate xx
NOTE – The stunning cover photo for this post is by Photogerson.com , of the gorgeous Sammy & Tim in Ravello, Italy