Planning your honeymoon is one of the more enjoyable aspects of wedding planning, I’m sure you’ll agree. However, just like planning the wedding itself, it can get quite costly. Some of the best honeymoon destinations offer specific newlywed packages, and it can be tempting to go straight ahead with them just for the sake of making things easier. So is it possible for a budget honeymoon? Of course, it is! With some careful planning, a close eye on the purse strings, and these helpful hints, you can still enjoy a fabulous honeymoon without the hefty price tag.
1. Set a Budget
Rule number one for a budget honeymoon. You will have done this for your wedding, so why wouldn’t you do it for your honeymoon too? Work out exactly what you’ll be able to spend and stick to it. Remember to factor in extras such as spending money, and meals and drinks too. Creating a budget will mean that you don’t go overboard with your spending. Whether or not you use a travel agent or book through a website, you can factor it in straight away by bringing it up or filtering your results, meaning that you won’t be tempted by those incredibly lavish destinations and hotels!
2. Don’t Assume All Inclusive is Cheapest
Yes, it very may well be the easiest option, but that doesn’t mean to say that an all-inclusive package is the cheapest way to go. One option is to shop around for the best deal, but you could go a step further if you’re a dab hand at organising. One way to honeymoon on a budget could be to book your trip as if it’s just any other holiday – of course, certain honeymoon packages may offer extra benefits for newlyweds, but if you’re working to a strict budget, consider booking each thing separately and you may just save a fair few pennies.
3. Travel Insurance
Your travel insurance is one of the most important aspects of your holiday, yet so many people still don’t bother! We don’t like to think of the worst happening when you’re setting off on what’s supposed to be the most romantic trip yet, but should it happen, you want to make sure you’re covered. Getting an adequate policy will cover you for every eventuality, whether that’s illness, lost luggage or flight cancellations, saving you heaps of money in the long run. For a number of companies, you can get cover starting from as little as £5 too. Worth doing, right?
4. The Name Game
Picture this – you arrive at the airport to check-in for your honeymoon, but there’s a problem. You booked the trip in your married name, but your passport still has your maiden name. A complete nightmare that throws a spanner in the works of the entire trip. Okay, so that’s the worst-case scenario – but the key thing to take from this is to make sure the name on your travel documents matches. If you’re setting off straight after your wedding, you’ll be needing to book everything in your maiden name, as your booking and travel documents will need to match your passport. However, if there’s a generous period of time between your wedding and your honeymoon, you’ll be able to change your name on your passport if you want to. As long as your name on your tickets, reservations, and everything else matches your passport, you’ll be absolutely fine.
5. Discuss What’s Most Important
One way to honeymoon on a budget is to prioritise what’s most important to you and your partner. This is particularly useful if you’re booking the different aspects of your trip separately because you’re immediately filtering out what you don’t really want. For example, if you want to indulge in a five-star luxury hotel, but your budget won’t stretch that far, could you cut back on any excursions you might have booked? Realistically, it might be nice to have a couple of chill days booked in as well as a few trips. However, if you’re looking at a painstakingly long flight, you might want to consider investing a little more in the travel element itself and treating yourself to an upgrade!
6. Don’t Set the Bar Too High
Before you roll your eyes at me being a downer, hear me out! Remember that episode of Friends where Monica and Chandler go on their honeymoon, expecting flight upgrades and fancy hotel extras, but they end up being disappointed? I’m sorry to say it’s a thing. While the top honeymoon destinations will most likely have packages for newlyweds with a few extras in, don’t go dropping the H bomb hoping that you’ll get even more freebies as you may end up disappointed. By all means, you can drop it in here and there, but don’t expect too much!
YouTube Video – Monica & Chandler
7. Time it Carefully
While a lot of couples love to jet off straight after the wedding, it’s always nice to have a few days aside to settle down and get ready. Not only that, but look at the time of year you’re planning to go on your trip too. For example, if you’re looking at a honeymoon immediately after your wedding, make sure your destination won’t be in its rainy season at this time. This is a classic example of when it’s a good idea to leave a few months in between your wedding and your honeymoon! This is also a good tip for saving money too, as going out of peak-season is likely to be a lot cheaper – just make sure you’ll still be guaranteed some decent weather!
Amy Jackson is a content writer for Parking at Airports. She writes for a number of different money-saving websites and has a special interest in wedding planning, lifestyle, and wellbeing.