Do you want
your dream honeymoon
and your perfect
wedding in the same
place?
This is called a
destination wedding.
If you wanted a big
wedding, you will
have to scale back a
lot to do this, but
on the other hand,
how wonderful to
share your honeymoon
with the people you
love best in the
world! For older
couples, sometimes a
destination wedding,
without tons of
guests but with lots
of time to focus on
one another, is
ideal.
If you do this, you
won't have to rush
off to the airport,
pack twice, or even
take off your
wedding dress that
day.
Near or far
– how much travel do
you want to do for
the honeymoon?
This is both a
budget and a
personal preference
question. A
honeymoon isn't
about visiting
exotic locations
around the world;
it's about spending
time on the two of
you. There are
wonderful places
you've never seen
within two hundred
miles of your home
if you just think
about it. If this is
what the decision
comes down to, opt
for a longer
honeymoon close to
home as opposed to a
short one far away.
Give yourselves the
gifts of one
another.
Save or
splurge – should we
go into debt for our
honeymoon?
This is up to you.
Obviously, entering
debt before marriage
(especially after a
big wedding
ceremony) is not the
greatest idea; but
if the debt is
manageable and it
makes the difference
between an adequate
resort and a
fantastic dream
honeymoon, you
should go for it.
You'll only have one
honeymoon. Make the
most of it.
Sun and
sand, or whitewater
rafting?
You and your fiancé
are different people
and may have
different tastes -
he prefers the
excitement of a
8-hour trip down a
class 4 rapids,
while you want to
lie on a white table
with cucumbers over
your eyes getting a
super-deep massage.
They're not mutually
exclusive.
One of the delights
of marriage is that
you each get to try
what the other
loves. Look for a
resort that serves
both of you. A ski
lodge with a luxury
spa. An
all-inclusive cruise
with destinations in
the whitewater
heaven of Costa
Rica. And then you
both need to try the
fun the other has
chosen.
What about
learning something
new together?
Approach this with
caution. Your first
lesson may convince
one or both of you
that you hate skiing
or snorkeling.
Trying something new
together is great
when it works, but
you should hedge
your bets by making
it part of a larger
vacation. Don't plan
every second out,
either. No more than
20% of your time
should be rigidly
structured; the
rest, for your
honeymoon, should be
malleable to suit
your moods of the
moment.
What if he
wants a cruise, and
I want a resort? I
hate the water!
You know, you can
blend it. He may
like cruises, but
you can do a three
day cruise ending in
a nice stay at an
all-inclusive
resort. Why do you
hate the water? If
it's a genuine
phobia, you need to
discuss this with
your fiancé. If,
however, it's just
an aversion, give it
a chance. Perhaps
you had a rotten
cruise a few years
back, or it makes
you think of an ex.
A great experience
this time can revive
your enthusiasm for
the water.
You can find more
ideas on planning
your ideal honeymoon
in our
Complete Wedding
Planning Package.
At less than $25 and
packed with ideas,
checklists,
worksheets, and
quick and accessible
information, our
Wedding Toolkit is
the easiest thing
you can do to make
your wedding day
perfect.
