The “Honeymoon” you and your new spouses celebration, and probably the most important holiday of your entire life. It’s a reminder that all of the stresses of wedding planning are behind you – just pure delight! Of course your honeymoon should be part of your wedding plans, not put to the side, but “where should we go?” that incurs a whole set of new challenges! Luckily I am here to help – I have compiled a list of commonly asked questions when it comes to booking the perfect honeymoon.
When should you start planning your honeymoon?
When should I start planning?
Your honeymoon should be on the list with your guests and wedding cake, your honeymoon planning should be as early as possible, not at the last minute! The general rule of thumb is about 10 – 11 months in advance this is when you had really want to book your honeymoon. It’s simply a case of supply and demand, if you book early you have a better chance of securing exactly what you want; the later you leave it, the less chance of securing that perfect suite or worse, destination!
What are the most common complications when booking a honeymoon?
As with most things in the world, the most common problem with booking a honeymoon is not enough time and not enough money!
Honeymoons are generally quite expensive, especially if you want to go abroad, but of course, moving back to my point about booking early – booking early gives you plenty of opportunity to save!
Budget of course is another constraint to think about, and remember you get what you pay for. If budget is a problem, why not take 10 nights instead of 14, this can cut costs by at least a few hundred pounds! You wouldn’t want to take your second choice just because you can’t afford the full 14 nights! Also, you don’t always need the top room in the hotel – although it is nice too! Paradise is what you make it, don’t get caught up in what room, or how long for, it’s about you, you as a couple being together.
Should we go somewhere new, or somewhere we love?
I would always encourage a couple to try somewhere new, I like to think of it as a new journey, new memories that can be cherished together. Of course, if you have your heart set on where you were engaged, or possibly you met on holiday, then go for it – whatever makes you happy! At the end of the day, it’s your choice, but make it wisely!
One or multiple destinations?
Twin honeymoons are fantastic for some, others not so much. It depends on your budget and the length of time that you have planned to go away for. If your honeymoon is a relatively short break (7 – 14 days) then one destination usually works out to be far more relaxing and enjoyable. When we start to encroach the 21 days territory, then yeah, twin destinations are a fantastic idea. There are many beautiful combinations available to couples, such as Hong Kong and Fiji, or South Africa and Mauritius – my personal favourite combination. Just remember that this is supposed to be a holiday, traveling is tiring so think carefully about trying to go to too many destinations in the one trip.
What’s your best tip to planning a honeymoon?
My best advice is choose something that is right for you! A Safari holiday may be ones idea of hell, but another’s idea of paradise – we are all individuals after all.
Read reviews, go into to forums and speak with peers, learn all you can about where you are thinking about heading. The internet is the information superhighway, there is no excuse! But there is one thing that you should always keep in mind, paradise is not about where you are, it’s about who you are with!
