4 Things to Consider Before Booking Your Honeymoon Trip

Congratulations! You’re getting married. That probably means you’re overwhelmed with planning and invitations and cake tasting and how to arrange your seating chart, but it will all be worth it once you’ve said your I Dos and can relax on your honeymoon. But first you have to decide where to go, and then you have to book it. Here are four things you should consider before committing to a trip of a lifetime.

Can I Afford It?
Wedding are expensive as you’re well aware of by now. Maybe you’re lucky and have some money saved up; maybe you’re even getting some help from your families, but it’s a big expense either way. You want to be able to enjoy your honeymoon without worrying about how you’ll pay it off. If you’re in a position to travel in luxury, go for it; chances are you’ll get bogged down by work and other responsibilities and may not have the opportunity to get away, just the two of you, for quite some time as the years go on.

Come up with a budget and stick to it, according to Captains Travel Club. This will not only help you enjoy your trip more, it will also prepare you for the financial decisions you’ll need to make as a married couple. There’s no reason not to take your honeymoon. It might mean fewer flowers at your wedding or booking your photographer for one hour less, but you can certainly come up with the funds for at least a long weekend escape, even if it’s a short drive away.

Will You Need an Umbrella?
Hopefully you and your husband- or wife-to-be agree on the type of destination you’ll choose for your honeymoon, but have you thought about where you’ll find your ideal climate and surroundings? Tropical getaways are popular among newlyweds, but depending on the time of year you’re getting married, you might be booking right in the middle of top-dollar high season, or worse: hurricane season. Do your research and find out what the average local temperatures are before you pull the trigger.

How Romantic Are You?
Maybe you and your betrothed are both adventure seekers and want a honeymoon with a full itinerary. Maybe you like cruise ships and being in the company of a few thousand people. Or maybe you’d rather spend your time somewhere that’s a little more secluded and a lot more romantic. There is a high and low season for just about any vacation destination and planning accordingly might not only mean saving some money, but also getting that island all to yourself—or mostly to yourself. Take a look at The World’s Most Romantic Cities to get some inspiration.

How Much Time Do You Have?
Like I said before, there’s no reason not to at least take a weekend to yourselves to recover from the chaos of your wedding day and focus just on each other. However, if a weekend is all you have to spare, you’ll be planning a very different trip than you’d be planning if you have a week or two (or more) to dedicate to a honeymoon. Sure, we’d all love to forget about the world and bask in the glow of our newlywed bliss for as long as possible, but reality might not be so accommodating.

If you only have a weekend, think about how much of that time you want to spend traveling. If it takes you an hour or more to get to the airport and your destination is another three hours away, you’ll spend just as much time traveling as you will relaxing. Think of a place nearby, maybe a quaint B&B or a resort a few towns away—you could even rent a house and hire a cook for the weekend just so you can avoid the mundane tasks waiting for you at home.

If you have more time, great! Take full advantage and get out there and explore the world with your new husband or wife by your side.