Booking Your Honeymoon Tips
Booking your honeymoon tips.
After the wedding comes the honeymoon and there are a few tips to make planning this once-in-a-lifetime getaway a lot easier. We’ve rounded up a few helpful hints to ensure your first trip together is nothing but smooth sailing.
Find a unique destination. Since this isn’t just any ordinary vacation, open your minds to other possibilities for honeymoon destinations. Think about a place the two of you have always wanted to go and explore your options.
Inquire about honeymoon discounts and rates. Some resorts/hotels offer special rates or packages when you are traveling for your honeymoon. This could be a discounted rate or a package that includes airfare and hotel accommodations. Check with the hotel/resort or work with a travel agent to ensure you get the best rate you can.
Secure all necessary documentation with the correct information. Whether you’re traveling domestic or abroad, be sure you have all the proper paperwork in place. For brides changing their name, just because you said “I do” doesn’t make a name change official. Be sure you go through the process with the Social Security Administration, as well as the Division of Motor Vehicles, to legally change your name before you use it to book travel. If you’re going on your honeymoon right after your wedding, just book everything with your maiden name and finish the process once you get back.
Travel during the off-season. The most popular month to get married has shifted from June to October, which means traveling to your honeymoon could be easier and possibly cheaper since it’s during the off-season. But, if you do plan for a late spring/summer wedding right in the middle of vacation season, consider holding off on taking your honeymoon for a few months to still get a great experience at a lower rate.
Read reviews before booking. This is key! You always want to look into the place you’re staying and see what others have said about it. But keep in mind the ratio of positive to negative reviews. If a resort/hotel has a lot of positive reviews with few negative ones, you should be in good shape. And don’t just limit it to accommodations and lodging. Also, check out some of the tourist attractions and restaurants you hope to visit, too.
Get a room with a view. Wherever your destination, make sure your accommodations come with a great view and great location. After all, now is the time to immerse yourself in the honeymoon experience and if you’re going somewhere you’ve always wanted to go, you deserve the best view you can get.
Find out details about meals. A big piece of any travel budget will be for food and drinks. Look into your hotel/resort to see if it’s all-inclusive (provides all meals and drinks during your stay) or if you must purchase meals on your own. Some hotels provide breakfast as part of their rate but you always want to check and make sure you know what they cover and what you need to take care of while you’re there.
Check out what’s nearby and look into transportation. Are you looking to travel to a nearby city, want something within walking distance, or want to stay exclusively at the hotel or resort? Make a list of things you want to see/do on your honeymoon and research the best ways to get there.
Don’t wait. Wedding planning is all-consuming sometimes but you shouldn’t put off booking the honeymoon either. Start tackling this early so you have peace of mind going into your vacation without any stress or worry (or an overblown budget).
A few other honeymoon booking tips include using your registry as a way to contribute towards your honeymoon, being aware of hidden costs (like extra fees, gratuity or service charges), having fun but taking time to relax, and planning it together. After all, the honeymoon should be about the two of you celebrating your new life together (and relaxing, too) so make sure it’s fun for you both.