The title of this article might seem a bit like an oxymoron – I mean, honeymoons by default are super expensive, right? Well, yes and no. In general honeymoons are expensive because they (hopefully) represent a once-in-a-lifetime celebration with your partner. Thus, it probably makes sense to pay a little more for this than you would for a ‘regular’ vacation. That said, there’s no need to blow your entire wedding budget on this. There are some things you can do to relieve some of the cost.
One idea is to reduce the duration of the honeymoon. In other words, does it really need to stretch out for an entire week or two? Or could you get away with an extended weekend stay? Really, from what I’ve been seeing recently, honeymoons are getting shorter and shorter so don’t feel bad if you need to shorten your own. No you won’t get to ‘do it all’ but you’ll certainly do a lot.
Another important tip is to plan ahead. Yes this sounds like something that every mother of the bride preaches, but it is absolutely critical. Planning ahead will give you enough time to shop around and truly find the best deals because, for example, hotels generally run specials periodically throughout the year. Additionally, some airlines might offer early bird discounts. Plus an early planning schedule will give you extra time to save up for it.
Another winning tip is to work with a travel agent who specializes in honeymoon planning. The reason is that these people usually have the inside track to the best deals, and they have the experience necessary to plan your trip so that you get the most for the least.
Last but not least, consider a honeymoon registry which will allow your wedding guests to financially contribute to your trip. You can set this up so that the hotel, food, airfare, etc., is there waiting to be paid for. And this benefits you as well as your guests – wedding gift giving is not the most cut and dry thing in the world, and anything you can do to make it easier for people to buy your gift is usually a great idea.
In the final analysis, if you’re getting married, you deserve a honeymoon. But just think about whether or not it’s worth it to spend your life savings on this (or at least, what’s left of it after the wedding expense!). A two-week trip is not necessary. You can still have the honeymoon experience even if you go away for only 3 or 4 days. So lower those expectations and have fun – YOU deserve it!
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