Planning the honeymoon doesn’t have to be as nightmarish as planning the wedding. We hope not even planning the wedding is a stressful experience.
After all, it’s supposed to be a time you enjoy because it implies getting everything ready for one of the most important days of your life. However, weddings are complex events, to say the least, and they often overwhelm the couple. On the other hand, the honeymoon should be when you relieve all the stress you gathered the months before your wedding. No matter if you plan the vacation last minute or months in advance, the trick is to try to make it feel less stressful than the other things in your life.
When to start planning for your honeymoon?
The honeymoon is a well-deserved reward you should get at the end of the marathon that ends with a wedding. And while people might think it’s too early to start planning your honeymoon at the same time you start planning your wedding, we tell you that it’s the ideal moment to do it, especially if you have no idea what your destination should be. You might be that couple who doesn’t know what place they would like to visit during their first vacation as a family, and it’s all right. You have plenty of time to research and figure it out together.
This is why we recommend engaged couples start planning their honeymoon a year in advance to have plenty of time to pick a destination, book travel, find accommodation, and even get Heathrow parking if you decide to drive your car to the airport. And in case the entire process is too overwhelming, you can always hire a travel agent to help you.
Where should you go?
If you could go anywhere, which destination would you choose for your honeymoon? You could pick a place neither of you has been, where you could engage in activities you both enjoy. In case you want to relax and relieve all the stress gathered while planning the wedding, you could travel to a beach destination like Turks and Caicos, the British Virgin Islands, Belize, Thailand, or Bali. On the other hand, as a couple of adrenaline junkies, destinations like New Zealand, Australia, Patagonia, Costa Rica, and Antarctica are ideal.
We also recommend destinations like Africa and Japan for those who don’t mind travelling from one place to another and transforming their holidays into discovery journeys.
Regardless of the destination you choose, ensure the holiday dates work for it because some European restaurants and hotels are closed during the off-season, and February during the rainy season in Asia is pretty uncomfortable. For example, the Southern Hemisphere has opposite seasons from Europe and the USA, so if you want to travel to Australia or New Zealand during their summer, you must plan your honeymoon during the European winter. It’s also best to avoid monsoon seasons in tropical destinations and be aware of local holidays and events because they can disrupt your honeymoon.
How to prepare for an unforgettable honeymoon
Getting ready for the vacation is paramount. Create a checklist with everything you have to do to ensure you won’t forget to book something important like parking; suppose you travel by car to the airport. You can use Google Drive or another app to organise everything and have access to your schedule on all your devices.
Six months before the honeymoon
Suppose you picked an overseas honeymoon destination; now it’s the moment to ensure you have a valid passport and visa if necessary. Research if the country has specific limitations you should be aware of, so you won’t have to deal with problems that might ruin your vacation. This is also the best time to get travel insurance to cover your health, trip, and luggage. It’s best not to travel abroad without insurance because it’s an investment that brings peace of mind. Suppose you deal with health problems or the weather wreaks havoc on your vacation; you won’t lose money.
Two months before the honeymoon
The honeymoon is getting close, so make sure you book parking Heathrow for your car, buy a camera, and get an extra memory card because you’ll definitely take a lot of photos while visiting an exotic destination. It’s also best to look at and book honeymoon tours to treat yourself to something special during your holiday. You’ll definitely find some good deals if you start looking early. The same goes for theatre, concert, or other event tickets, usually booked months in advance.
One month before the honeymoon
Most of the planning should be ready by now. One month ahead is the time to create a packing list and determine what things you need for the trip. Don’t make the same mistake most people do to thinking they can buy everything while travelling because this could prove quite expensive, especially if you’re travelling to an exotic destination. Prepare a detailed packing list, especially because you’ll be away from home for a longer period, and shop online for the things you need.
Two weeks before the honeymoon
Reconfirm your reservations and print them or save the documents on your phone because you might need to show them when arriving at your destination. Suppose you want to have cash in your wallet; make sure to exchange it for the currency of the country you’ll be visiting and if possible, get small bills. And last but not least, get a couple of photocopies of your important paperwork like your credit card, driving licence, and passport.
You could also leave a copy of your itinerary with your family at home so they know where you are in case they can’t reach you due to poor internet or phone signal. If one of you needs to bring meds like asthma inhalers or allergy pills, also bring the original prescription bottles because you’ll definitely be questioned at customs.
Are you ready for your honeymoon? We hope the above recommendations proved useful and relieved some of the stress associated with planning this vacation.
