Honeymoon is not just another vacation. This is your first joint trip in the new status of a husband and wife. This trip may not last for a month, but in your memory it should remain as the most romantic, luxurious and comfortable one. If you want this to happen, you need to carefully plan your honeymoon. Here are some tips on how to make your honeymoon perfect.
Start planning in advance
While getting ready for the wedding, do not forget about such an important component of your happiest day as the honeymoon. The situation with the honeymoon is the same as with wedding: it is better to start planning the trip in advance. Study the proposals of tour operators independently, go to a travel agency and consult with experts, but do not rush to get the first tour you see – it is important to have a reasonable approach.
Booking a tour early can give you such an advantage as discounts on the tour itself and air tickets, as well as the opportunity to choose and book a chic hotel room for newlyweds. As a rule, such rooms are few, and in some small hotels there can be only one, so if you want to live in special conditions, it’s better to hurry up and make a reservation.
Take into account that you will need to collect a package of necessary documents for obtaining a visa to one of the visa countries. The process of obtaining a visa will take some time, so you should not wait until the last minute.
Think about the location
A great role will be played by the amount of time you have for the honeymoon. If you have only a week left and you want to spend it in exotic countries, it will take you about a day to travel to this destination. So, think twice if you are ready to spend two days of your precious rest to just get there.
Long-distance flights and a long process of transfer to a place of rest can only be afforded by those happy newlyweds who have plenty of spare time. For a week-long rest or a weekend trip, choose the nearest locations and short flights. Avoid low-cost flights. After all, in case of a strike or flight cancellation for other reasons, which happens quite often with cheap airlines like Ryanair, you risk to fail your honeymoon and not get anywhere.
Decide on the budget
The amount of money that you are willing to spend on a honeymoon is better to be discussed in advance. It is difficult to plan anything, if the budget is unknown. To make the process of paying for the trip easier, specify the advance payment and when the remaining amount should be paid. A honeymoon is not cheap, so the ability to divide payments into several parts can be very useful for newlyweds.
Professionals and former newlyweds advise to take 15-20% more money than you are planning to spend because usually people do not fit into the allotted limit. Even if you have a plastic card, it is better to have a small cash reserve in case of an emergency.
Do not take a bank loan for your honeymoon
You really should not take a bank loan for this trip. A week or two in a heavenly place will pass quickly, and it will take a long time to pay for them. As a result, you will remember the need to pay for the trip rather than the impression it made on you.
If you cannot afford a trip right after the wedding, postpone the honeymoon for a year or two. Having saved enough money, you can afford a kind of romantic trip which will be remembered for the rest of your life.
Choose the type of rest that both of you will like
Discuss in advance what each of you expects from the honeymoon. Will it be a beach holiday or an intense excursion program, unity with nature or urban chic, or maybe a little bit of everything? You can even write lists of how each of you sees the perfect honeymoon without consulting each other, and then find a middle ground taking into account your preferences. It will not be very romantic if one of you has to suffer from boredom or feel under pressure after a tough period of preparation for the wedding.
Think about what type of resort you need
You can choose to have an all-inclusive rest without worrying about additional expenses. All you need to do is to pay for the tour. You will not take a lot of extra money, since all-inclusive packages sometimes even provide excursions and other forms of entertainment with the tour. Alternatively, you can pay only for accommodation, and then you will choose where to go and what to do every day.
Pay attention to the time of departure
Season is important here because many resorts offer seasonal vacation. Find out beforehand if your destination is suitable for a comfortable holiday in the current period or whether there is a period of tropical showers or hurricanes. Departure time is another key factor.
Think about whether you want to go on a trip right after the wedding or you want to recover your senses and have a rest for a couple of days.
The option of leaving in a few days is also good because you will not need to pack a suitcase before the wedding party or hurry and do this at night after it. This is a great stress, in addition to the one you are going to experience on the day of the wedding. Do you need it? Again, if your vacation is limited in time and you need to go immediately, you will have to solve the problem of fees in advance.
Take care of the insurance
Many couples are sure that they are not going to cancel their honeymoon. Still, the circumstances are different, and you cannot foresee everything. Make your trip safer and take care of full insurance in case of tour cancellation. This way you will get 100% of the money back. After all, a honeymoon usually costs a tidy sum, and you would not want to lose such money because of an unforeseen situation.
The same is true about health insurance for the duration of your stay in another country. What if anything can happen, and you will need medical help? You should be sure that you will get it.
Find out if there are special offers for newlyweds
Many resorts and hotels offer special conditions for newlyweds. It will be a pleasant bonus to your already perfect honeymoon. Do not reject this opportunity because you will not be lucky to go on vacation in the status of newlyweds one more time. A fruit basket and champagne in the hotel room, a romantic dinner on the beach or a special excursion – who knows what the hotel will offer you?
Be prudent
Nothing should overshadow your special trip, so it is better to anticipate possible troubles and be ready for them. Do not forget to take sunscreen with a high sun protection factor. You will not forgive yourself if you spend a few days in the hotel room with sunburns. By the way, it’s better to take a remedy for burns, as well as other items from the first aid kit to treat any health problems: a painkiller, remedies for colds, indigestion, heartburn, allergies, blood pressure, eye and nasal drops, and a band-aid if you plan to walk a lot.
Travel agents also advise to add the necessary personal care products and a set of change clothes to your hand luggage in case your baggage is lost or delayed.
We wish you a happy honeymoon and an excellent holiday, which will be remembered for a long time!