Honeymoons: 3 Things to Know Before You Go!
Your honeymoon is one of the most memorable - and necessary! - trips you will ever take. Not only is this your opportunity to relax and unwind after planning and attending your wedding, this trip will also give you and your honey and opportunity to bask in and enjoy your newly wedded bliss, and can even set a positive tone for your life together!
In this post, we’ve put together 3 honeymoon planning tips that will provide a smooth planning process helping you make the most of your travels with your new spouse!
1. Figure out if you want to leave the day after the wedding!
Traditionally, couples would leave their wedding and head straight to the airport to leave for their honeymoon. Exciting, yes, but this can leave a lot of headache and stress for your loved ones who may end up turning into the clean-up crew after your big celebration. Many couples are now waiting at least until the day after their wedding to leave for their honeymoon, and some are even putting a few days, weeks, or even months between their wedding and their honeymoon trip.
Skipping the trip straight from the reception allows you to enjoy the reception in full. You can even grab a honeymoon suite in the same hotel your guests are staying which lets you have a relaxing day-after brunch with the loved ones who have traveled to celebrate with you. Waiting a few days can also give you time to regroup, getting your wedding gifts opened and even starting or sending thank-you cards before leaving for your trip, meaning you come home to less stress!
One possible downside of waiting a few days to leave is getting back to reality, only to turn around and leave again. This can be a hectic time, and can feel like you’re in a bit of a “limbo”. Leaving the day after your wedding still gives you the opportunity to spend the morning with your wedding guests, yet leaving for the honeymoon while still on the “wedding high” of your initial celebration.
One tip is to list the pros and cons of leaving at certain times. You can also cross-reference travel possibilities based on your desired honeymoon location to figure out what makes sense. Maybe the flights are cheaper 3 days out, a week out, etc. Working with a travel consultant can make it easier to figure out what makes sense for you!
2. Consider booking everything at once!
Between flights, hotel accommodations, shuttles, check-ins, excursions, and more, it can be very overwhelming to piece together the perfect trip. Booking your entire honeymoon together will alleviate some of that stress and pressure, and ensure that you don’t have to worry about anything other than packing and getting on the plane when it comes time to leave.
The potential con here is that most flights only open up a year in advance. For example, if you’re getting married in October, you can start checking flights the November prior (and hey, you might catch a Black Friday deal in the process!).
Figuring out all the details, down to the excursions and events throughout your week-long honeymoon, will make it easier to plan ahead for packing purposes as well. Also, many resorts and hotels offer excursion packages that you can add to your wedding registry, so you may get a bonus from a friend or family member!
Working with a travel consultant will ensure that no detail is overlooked for your big trip, and when the time comes, all you have to do is pack and jet off to enjoy your time with your honey!
3. Always purchase travel insurance!
This is my TOP piece of advice for every traveler on every trip - I cannot stress the importance of travel insurance enough! One of the most obvious benefits of travel insurance is cancellation protection for your trip. This means you could even get reimbursed for prepaid and non-refundable trips, provided you’re canceling for a covered reason. Once you get your money back, you can reschedule your trip!
Medical benefits are also a great feature of travel insurance. Oftentimes, US medical insurance isn’t accepted at international providers, and if you get seriously sick or injured, a medical evacuation can be extremely expensive.
Other unexpected occurrences such as delayed flights or missing luggage could wreak havoc on your trip, which travel insurance can prevent or fix. You’ll want to talk to your travel consultant or insurance provider to figure out the fine print regarding what is covered and how to take advantage of your benefits, but the peace of mind you’ll get from having the insurance far surpasses the nominal fees associated with it.
These three tips, while small, can make a BIG impact on your honeymoon experience! Keep them in mind when planning your trip, and consider working with a travel consultant to help alleviate additional stresses or missteps.
You already know Social Butterfly Express would be honored to help you plan the destination wedding, honeymoon, or trip of your dreams! Consultations are always complimentary and obligation-free. Click here to request a quote/book a consultation today, and hit the road with your honey and Social Butterfly Express!
Rosalyn Cooper,
Founder + Lead Travel Consultant, Social Butterfly Express
