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Planning the Honeymoon

Making your honeymoon the trip of a lifetime may require nearly as much advanced planning as your wedding itself. Two-career couples wanting several weeks of vacation time will find their employers more sympathetic if they know your plans early.

Prices may also be lower if you plan ahead. The earlier cruises are booked, for instance, the better the price. As cabins fill up, prices rise. Trips involving airfare and accommodations can usually be guaranteed up to 331 days in advance. Many desirable accommodations have limited space.
While cruises of the Caribbean may be abundant, cruises down the Amazon or aboard a tall ship are not; likewise, booking a seat on the Orient Express is not like making reservations on Amtrak. Rooms at Spanish castles, Irish farmhouses or Scottish bed & breakfasts fill up quickly.

Cultural and sporting events-such as Carnival in Brazil, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Wimbledon and the Olympics-attract huge crowds that can make finding a room impossible unless you plan well in advance. Even environmental events can pose lodging and transportation problems. The arrival of the Monarch butterflies or a solar eclipse attract large crowds competing for limited space. If your travel plans includes Thanksgiving, Christmas or school vacations, here or abroad, planning is crucial.

Couples often find that their work and family obligations only grow in the first few years of marriage, so it may not be wise to scrimp on your honeymoon in hopes of making up for it with a bigger trip down the road. If your dreams exceed your budget, travel agencies can “register” your trip, allowing guests to finance pieces of your honeymoon as engagement, shower or wedding gifts.

Finally, don’t underestimate the value of pacing yourself. For the first week of your honeymoon, consider taking a relaxing cruise, a train trip, or a relaxing resort getaway so you and your spouse can enjoy some recovery time. Extensive sightseeing and excursions that involve a lot of physical activity may be best left for a second or third week.

Whatever you decide, planning will ensure that your honeymoon will be the trip of a lifetime and it can stoke the fires of anticipation and imagination as you set out on your first grand adventure as husband and wife.

2 Comments on “Planning the Honeymoon”

• Jenny October 27th, 2008 4:16 pm

  Need to be at the fourseasons.com/maui

• Stacie October 27th, 2008 6:20 am

  The Ship in the photo, looks like the SeaDream-that is out of this world. Talk about being treated like royalty! The staff is wonderful, the food is heavenly-and it is perfect for a honeymoon.

  http://www.seadreamyachtclub.com

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