HOW TO PICK A HONEYMOON DESTINATION

Choosing a honeymoon destination is one of the hardest decisions you will make during your engagement. Not very many couples have the same dream honeymoon destination. Your honeymoon is the first vacation you’ll take with your spouse as a married couple, so no matter where you decide, it will be wonderful and memorable. 

There is one thing I have learned working with engaged couples planning their honeymoon that choosing where to go is the hardest part so  I have put together 5 Easy Steps to Choosing a Honeymoon Destination to stop the arguments and check one thing off your wedding to-do list.

DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF HONEYMOON YOU WANT

With the whole world at your fingertips, you have a lot of options when it comes to honeymooning. To start to narrow down your list it is important to figure out what type of trip you are looking for.

Do you love to sit by a pool and have someone continuously refresh your drink or do you yearn for adventure?  My husband and I love exploring cultural epi-centers, exploring historical sites, learning about new cultures and tasting local cuisine. Knowing this narrowed our search to Europe. 

If you aren’t sure what type of vacation you are looking for, use the quiz below to help you narrow your focus. 

In my suitcase you’ll find…

1. Several new bathing suits & lots of sunscreen

2. Pocket translator & comfortable shoes

3. Hiking boots & a GPS device

What’s your ideal date night?

1. A candlelit meal by the sea

2. A romantic meal at a restaurant where you can people watch.

3. Something you have never done before 

Describe the perfect view outside your room.

1. White sand & blue water for miles

2. City streets, sidewalks & unique architecture

3. Lush rainforests & majestic mountains

What’s most likely to be in the background of your photos?

1. A beautiful beach sunset

2. A famous architectural landmark

3. The view from the top of a mountain 

Your friends describe you as…

1. Friendly

2. Adventurous

3. Laidback

If You Selected Mostly 1s you should consider a cultural holiday. 

You are like me! You want to learn, explore and embrace the local culture whilst on your honeymoon. 

If You Selected Mostly 2s get ready for an adrenaline-fuelled adventure 

From climbing mountains in the snow to skydiving and paragliding, you are extreme adrenaline junky! 

If You Selected Mostly 3s you are ready for a relaxing beach escape 

After weeks of wedding planning, you just want to sit back and soak up the sun and enjoy each other’s company. 

Of course, it is HIGHLY unlikely that you and your future spouse are looking for the same type of vacation. This is where you get to first practice the skill that is most important for a long marriage: compromise. For example, although you might love lounging on the beach, your fiance may want something more adventurous. If that’s the case, find a way to combine the two like an African Safari that culminates in a private villa on a beach in Mauritius or a luxury resort in Hawaii minutes away from epic hikes up Diamond Head. 

MAKe a list of destinations

Dream Big! Do not worry about budget or timing. Think of all the places on your bucket list. Grab a globe, open up Google or head to the library to pick up some guide books. Make a list of 10-15 destinations you would love to visit. You should do this separately. 
If you need some inspiration some of my favorite destinations are:

Cultural
South of France, Italy, Napa
Adventure
South Africa, Peru, Australia 
Beach
Grenada, Cancun, Belize 
Cultural/Beach
Portugal, Greek Islands, Columbia
Cultural/Adventure
Croatia, Thailand, Iceland
Adventure/Beach
Hawaii, St. Lucia, Costa Rica

Plan a date night to compare lists. Grab a bottle of wine and discuss all of your options. Make it fun! You may want to start by crossing off any destinations that either one of you have previously visited if it is important for you to explore a new place together. Or maybe you go in with a set veto number.

PICK WHEN

Once you have narrowed down your list you will want to consider when you will be going on your honeymoon. Are you leaving right after the wedding? Or waiting to bank some more vacation days or optimal weather at your dream destination. Not sure? Martha Stewart has some great advice to help you decide. We waited for about a month between our wedding and honeymoon. I loved that I had something to look forward to after months and months of planning had culminated in our special day. It is a nice way to ease out of planning mode. I think we were able to enjoy our honeymoon so much more. 

If you want to leave right after the wedding or have a certain time you need to travel look up the weather in the destinations left on your list and cross out anything that may not have the weather you are looking for.

SET A BUDGET

Now it is time to get more realistic. Come up with a budget for your honeymoon and make a commitment to stick to it. Here is a great article from Forbes with how 5 couples determined their wedding budget.

With more and more couples living together before they are officially hitched it is not as important to fill the home with more dishes, towels, and vases. More and more couples are leaning towards a honeymoon registry. Even though Mitch and I lived together before the wedding we found it helpful to still register for a few items. We knew we would be buying a house within the next few years so we asked for things like new small appliances and cookware. We put everything in storage and when it was time to move threw replaced all the cruddy items from our college apartments with our ‘new’ gifts.

  I definitely recommend a hybrid registry like Blueprint where you can add gifts from your favorite stores for more traditional guests as well as monetary contributions. If you solely ask for money for a honeymoon you are going to end up with 12 crystal dishes from all of your great aunts.  Here are 6 honeymoon registry sites for you to check out. This is much easier if you decide to wait to take your honeymoon. Otherwise it is very difficult to plan without knowing how much you are working with. 

Now look at your list again. Start crossing off anything that does not fit within your budget. You should also look at how much time you are able to take off and eliminate places that are further away or need more time to get the full experience. Not sure whether your destination fits within your budget?

Here is a quick guide :

$3,000 – $5,000: HONEYMOON IN MEXICO, THE CARIBBEAN OR A CRUISE (4-7 DAYS)

At this price point you should be able to go island hopping on a cruise or stay at an all-inclusive resort in popular honeymoon hotspots such as Cancun, the Bahamas or Aruba. 

$5,000 – $7,000: HONEYMOON IN HAWAII or ONE EUROPEAN CITY (7-10 DAYS)

Hawaii is the quintessential honeymoon destination for newlyweds. Postcard-perfect scenery, beautiful beaches and the palpable “Aloha culture” will quickly put a couple in “chill” mode. If you are looking for more of a cultural experience you can easily spend a week in Rome, Paris or London in this price range. 

$7,000 – $15,000: HONEYMOONS IN EUROPE, ASIA, FRENCH POLYNESIA, NEW ZEALAND OR AUSTRALIA (10-12 DAYS)

These are popular destinations for honeymooners looking for something exotic, out of the ordinary, and in some cases, places that offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences. From popular destinations like the Almafi Coast or Greek Islands to a once in a lifetime African safari. At this price point, you have incredible options.

DO SOME RESEARCH

Hopefully you are still left with 2-3 destinations you both want to visit, that works with your timeline and budget. Start following the locations on social media. Start looking at hotels or activities to see if anything gets you leaning towards one destination or the other.

This is also the perfect time to contact me and I can provide a complimentary quote for up to 3 destinations for you. Maybe we will find a great deal that you can’t pass up!

I am here to help you through the whole process. Feel free to click the button below to schedule a call at any time and I can help guide and serve as a neutral party.

Need a vacation but the idea of planning-it-all is overwhelming?

If you are ready to have the family vacation you’ve been dreaming of, without spending time researching, planning and making it happen, schedule a call today. I’m here to help busy working Moms plan, organize and book the perfect family vacation. With me, all you have to worry about is enjoying your well-earned time away with your family. If you are ready to stop trying to do everything on your own and see how I can help you schedule a complimentary trip planning session now.