Once the wedding is over, the guests are tipsy, your feet are tired and you’re ready to relax, it’s time to go on honeymoon. Never has a holiday been so well deserved, so it makes sense to make it a holiday of a lifetime!

Planning your honeymoon is about much more than planning a holiday because it is much more than a holiday. You only get one honeymoon (hopefully), so you have to make it a good one. A holiday of a lifetime, somewhere special or meaningful.

As we do everything we can to help you plan the perfect wedding, it’s only right that we help you with your honeymoon too.

Planning Your Honeymoon

Like every aspect of your wedding, your honeymoon will be dictated by your budget and time of year. It’s important to factor in honeymoon budgeting into the overall wedding plan from the very beginning and to do as much research into where and when to go as you would your wedding dress or venue.

Budgeting

Budgeting for your honeymoon is just the same as budgeting for any holiday, except more expensive. You will need to factor in flights, taxes, transfers, car rental, meals, trips, activities, clothes, sunblock and all the usual, depending on where you’re going.

Consider flight and room upgrades, a limo transfer instead of bus or cab and extra dinners out. All these things make your honeymoon that little more special if you can afford it.

Don’t forget to book your tickets using your maiden name as your passport will have to match!

Destination

Where to go on your honeymoon is a huge decision. Much will depend on the kind of holiday you both like and the time of year. For beach or tropical holidays, the season is vitally important. You want to enjoy the sunshine and relax, not have to contend with monsoons or hurricanes!

The same for skiing, snowboarding or any activity holiday. You have to match the time of year with the likely conditions at your destination. Alternatively, book something special in the UK. There are castles to rent, stately homes to holiday in and a huge range of boutique hotels in some very nice places.

Once you begin booking, make copies of everything and keep them safe. You never know when you might need them.

Documentation

For some countries, you may need vaccinations and visas. It should go without saying that you should address both of these as soon as you make bookings. Also check your passports to ensure they won’t expire before, or while, you’re away.

If you’re planning to travel to the U.S., don’t forget they now require pre-registration online. Some African countries require extra documentation and many tropical destinations will necessitate vaccinations. The earlier you manage all these things, the smoother your honeymoon will be.

Honeymoon Preparations

Nearer your wedding day, you should make final preparations for your honeymoon. You will need luggage, travel essentials, clothes, a good camera, adapters, batteries, sunscreen and anything else you’re likely to want at your destination.

You should get everything together at least a couple of weeks before your wedding to ensure you are ready and to set your mind at ease about the honeymoon at least.

Arrange travel money or travellers cheques and put some money onto your credit card, or at least ensure you have some credit limit left to spend while you’re away. Make sure you have a couple of hundred pounds in local currency too. You’re always going to need it for taxis, tips and small items. It’s better and cheaper to arrange it beforehand than get it at the airport or locally.

Also recheck or confirm all your flights, reservations, visas and documentation. Keep everything together and keep copies of everything somewhere safe. You could always scan copies of everything and keep them online as a safety precaution. It’s usually a good idea to give a copy of your itinerary to someone too so they know where you are and how to contact you.

Depending on how long you’re honeymooning for, have someone check on your house, feed the animals and water your plants while you’re away. Depending on the kind of area you live, it may be worth investing in some timer switches to turn lights on and off randomly while you’re away. You’re less likely to get burgled if it looks like someone is home.

We often say that planning a wedding and honeymoon is like planning a military operation. The more planning you do, the better things will go on the day. However daunting it may look in advance, putting the effort in early is much easier and less stressful than leaving it all to the last minute!