Now that your wedding plans are all set, what about your honeymoon? How long will your trip be? Where will you go? How will you pay for it? These are questions all couples deal with so we thought we would take the time to share a few tips and ideas for honeymoon planning.
Have you considered a registry for your honeymoon? Couples today are not so interested in registering for china or towels as most couples are already living together before they are married and have acquired these items. Registries have evolved to include other possibilities and we think the honeymoon registry is one of the best! Honeymoon registry allows your family and friends to help send you on the honeymoon of your dreams! If you decide to opt for the china and towels just don’t forget to factor in the honeymoon into your budget!
We reached out to our friend Kate Frederick from Ever After Honeymoons for advice on Honeymoon planning & registry. Ever After Honeymoons is a concierge style service that specializes in creating boutique honeymoons. Our passion for one-of-a-kind locales and customized travel means we are continually on the hunt for the world’s best destinations. Whether couples seek a private island resort, a hip designer hotel, or a rustic mountaintop lodge, we offer the expertise and knowledge to create a honeymoon experience for life’s most memorable getaway.
Advice for Honeymoon Planning
{ Time } If you only have a short amount of time for your honeymoon, you don’t want to pick a destination that is extremely far, otherwise you will feel like you spent your entire vacation on an airplane, as opposed to relaxing on the beach.
{ Compromise } Discuss with your partner what you both want to do and get out of your honeymoon. If one wants to relax by the pool all day and the other wants something a little more active, I recommend splitting your trip between two destinations or taking
every other day to relax or and then doing activities. Marriage is all about compromising, and your honeymoon is a great place to start!
{ Budget } Your budget is one of the most important factors in planning your honeymoon. If you don’t have a big budget and just want to relax and enjoy each other’s company on your honeymoon, there is no reason to fly far away. By staying close to home you
can spend more of your time actually on your honeymoon, and more of your budget on a great place to stay.
{ Hire a Planner } Know where you want to go, but don’t know if it is in your budget? Contact a planner, such as myself, and you will get a better idea of what you can actually get within your budget.
{ Splurge a little! } Whatever this means to you, whether it’s a couple’s massage on the beach, a helicopter tour, or getting the ocean front suite. Do things to make your honeymoon extra special and memorable. This will be one vacation you’ll never forget, so take advantage of it!
{ Over Planning } Don’t plan too much ahead of time. Wait to schedule activities once you arrive on your honeymoon. That way if you feel like just relaxing one day you can do that, rather than already being scheduled to do an activity or tour.
Honeymoon Destinations
1. Riviera Maya in Mexico. It’s a short flight from most cities, there are great hotels and beautiful beaches. Less time traveling means more time relaxing on the beach!
2. What is more special and romantic than an over water bungalow? Tahiti & Bora Bora have a number of gorgeous hotels with over water bungalows.
3. Laying on a beach for a week isn’t for everybody, so if a couple is looking for history, culture, and a beach, I love to send them to Italy or Greece.
Advice for a Honeymoon Registry
1. In regards to honeymoon researching, always remember to check the weather!
2. In regards to honeymoon registries, always read the fine print. Some registries will deposit a donation into the couple’s account immediately, while others will deposit half before the wedding and then the remaining amount after their wedding.
3. Also, the couple should keep in mind that not all of their guests will be as timely as they might hope. Unfortunately, not everyone will give them their wedding gift until much close to their wedding date, and at that point, they have probably already paid for their honeymoon. If a couple is only able to pay for their honeymoon with the funds collected through a honeymoon registry, they might consider having a delayed honeymoon, so they are able to book a trip using the funds they are given. Otherwise, the couple will have to pay for the trip up front and hope that they get enough money through the registry to reimburse them. Just like any regular
registry, you don’t always get everything that you sign up for.
Top 3 Wedding Registry Sites
Most couples create a wedding website, when you do it is very easy to link it up to any online registries you create. There are great resources to set up your honeymoon registry. Honeyfund.com is a free honeymoon registry with no set up fees and no travel destination required. You get to register for dinners, excursions or spa retreats which your guests can individually purchase for you. You then go on your honeymoon with the total amount as extra spending money. It is a simple are registering, telling your guests and receiving gifts. The site also helps you organize and track who gave you what in order to streamline your thank you note process.
Honeymoonwishes , “when only the best honeymoon registry will do”. This trusted site is similar and offers free set up. On Honeymoon Wishes you can create your own registry items. This site is full of tools for announcement cards or to communicate your registry on your website, blog or email wizard. Guests have the convenience of using a credit card, call, mail or fax their order. With the thank you note tracker, you will have assistance in making sure you get your thank you notes to the right people.
Traveler’s Joy says, “Skip the blender, create lifelong memories with your honeymoon registry”. We could not agree more! Simply set up an account, and Traveler’s Joy will provide you with a registry page to share your honeymoon travel plans with your wedding guests. Friends and family visit your page and use their credit card to give a gift toward part or all of your trip. Collect your gifts at anytime by requesting a bank check or transfer. It’s the best of both worlds: your guests can easily give you a special wedding gift and you receive what you really want — the honeymoon of your dreams.
Happy Honeymoon Planning! For more information on Ever After Honeymoons or to talk to Katie about planning your honeymoon visit Ever After Honeymoon or contact Katie – [email protected].
Special Thanks Katie for sharing your help!
{ Photos – Excellence Riviera Cancun (top and middle), Riviera Maya, Bora Bora, Italy & Greece (bottom 3) }
