I Do...To a Honeymoon!

Congratulations!!!!

      You're engaged! Now all of the planning begins. Are you going the "whole 9 yards" or are you going to the JP? There are a lot of things to consider with a wedding. Believe it or not, one of the most important decisions you will make about your wedding is (drum roll, please)......

THE HONEYMOON!!!!!!

     The honeymoon is very important for many reasons. However, I believe the honeymoon is so important because this is really the only thing in your whole wedding that is strictly about and for you and your future spouse.  Believe it or not, your wedding is more about your family and your guests. But to celebrate this new nuptial, your honeymoon is a time for you to unwind, relax, and really celebrate your marriage. Here are a few tips for making your honeymoon not only a needed vacation, but a time to truly celebrate your new life. 

Hunter & I leaving from our wedding reception.

1. Plan Early!!

     Your honeymoon may be the last event in your wedding (besides writing those Thank You cards), but it needs to be in the top 5 things that you do first. Set your wedding date, book your venue, book your honeymoon, book caterers, find your dress or tux- maybe not in that exact order, but it needs to be pretty close. Now, if your wedding is over a year away, just know that you won't be able to book flights yet, but it's good to know where you are going. Just be prepared to book when the time does come. 

     By booking early, you will guarantee your reservation, get great deals, and likely be able to make payments. Especially if you are using a travel agent, if you book at least 60 days in advance (I still suggest sooner), a lot of places will allow you to pay a deposit first, then a final payment later. This all depends on the time frame in which you book and who you are booking with. However, booking early will definitely save you money and time.  

2. Go Where You & Your Fiance Want To Go!

      Now, this should go without saying, but you need to go somewhere that is not going to put you in debt or put some type of strain on you or your future spouse. What you do need to do is go somewhere that you want to go and are happy about. Honeymoons seem to be a competition these days, and that's the last thing your honeymoon is. This is a time to now connect and just have fun with your spouse. Whether you are at an all-inclusive resort or a hotel a few towns over, make the most of this time and DON'T worry about what other people think. 

    Looking back, I wish I would have answered people differently when they asked me where we were going for our honeymoon. I always said, "We're just going to Orange Beach." I said it like it was a bad thing. However, we were really excited about it. We had a great time, and for us, it was perfect. We didn't have to worry about catching a plane or being somewhere we didn't know. We went to one of our favorite places, relaxed on the beach everyday, and had a great time! I would choose it again if I had to. Not only did we save money, but we had the best time. 

Hunter & I eating at the Gulf Shores Steamer in Gulf Shores on our honeymoon. 

3. Budget For Your Honeymoon

      I'll be honest with you, I really don't understand this, but a lot of couples don't budget for their honeymoon. Again, I really don't know why, but it definitely needs to be done. And to be clear, I'm not just talking about the actual paying for the trip part. So many couples tell me, "I can't believe we spent this much money. Why didn't you tell me I was going to spend so much?" First off, I don't know your spending habits. Secondly, if you don't go to an all-inclusive resort, and even then, of course you are going to spend a lot of money! Budget for meals, snacks, drinks, activities, souvenirs. Do all of the money figuring before you go, and I promise you will enjoy your trip more. If you are in day 3 of your honeymoon, and you've spent way more than you "thought," it's going to turn into a stressful trip. 

     One of the things we did is used money that people gave us. We barely paid for anything on our honeymoon because we had saved money given to us from family and friends. We decided early on that that's what we would do with the money, and it worked great for us. Come up with some sort of budget and plan for your time there. Don't just think that you'll have plenty of money. 

4. Don't Overbook Yourself

     A friend of mine went to Disney World for her honeymoon. Even though they had a great time, they were absolutely exhausted when they got back. They really never rested or took a break the whole time they were there. That may be great for some people, but for them, it also added a lot of unnecessary stress. When you book your honeymoon, don't book tons of activities or feel like you have to be doing something every second. Trust me, you won't get many weeks like this again. Enjoy sitting there and being still in a place that you probably don't have to clean at the end of the week. You're going to be a lot more tired than you think. Be prepared for that.

     If you know me, you know that I am in love with laying out on the beach. If I am at the beach and if it isn't raining, I want to be laying on a towel or chair by the water. And I want to be on the beach before 8 A.M. On the first day of our honeymoon, Hunter and I both slept on the couch ALL DAY!! (And when I say slept, I really mean that we were sleeping.) We were so tired. I can remember lifting my head off of the couch, looking down at the beach, and saying, "I'll go down there sometime today." My feet didn't hit sand until the next day. Trust me, I was tired. Just be sure to give yourself some down time.

5. Use A Travel Agent

     I know, I know, of course I'm going to say this. But I mean it. You entrust the caterer to make your cake because that is their job. Your honeymoon is my job. I can find the resorts or places that offer honeymoon discounts or honeymoon specials. I can find the place that you want to go to, even if you don't know where you want to go. My job is also to make sure you get where you're going and that everything is just like we booked. I'm here if there are any issues that come up, or if you have any questions. I'm going to make sure that you are taken care of. Again, this is my job, and I love my job. 

      Now, I suggest that you use a travel agent for almost any trip, but if you are having to get a flight, ground transportation, and a place to stay- Please use a travel agent!! If not, most of the time you are going to have to triple check that everything matches up just right for all of this to work out. I have access to so many sources for booking all of this, and most of the time all of this together. I promise, I can do this much easier than you can, and sometimes a lot cheaper, too. Besides paying for your trip, all you'll have to worry about is printing off your itinerary and catching your plane. That sounds a lot easier than having to book it all on your own (and I'm probably going to mail you a printed copy anyway). 

     Your honeymoon should be a time that you never forget and a time you really get to enjoy. Don't let it become part of the added wedding stress. This should be something you are looking forward to and an added excitement to your wedding. Make it yours. 

Happy Traveling!