First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage, Then Comes... The Honeymoon
So much time, money, and planning goes into the wedding that oftentimes the honeymoon isn't given as much consideration as it should. Setting aside uninterrupted time as newlyweds shortly after the wedding is so important for several reasons:
Celebrate your marriage
Quality time together
Create unique memories
Stress relief
Taking a honeymoon is not always an option for couples due to work, money, and family reasons. It is still important to set aside the time together in some way:
Mini-moon: weekend getaway
Plan a honeymoon for a couple months later
Get creative: who do you know that has a place within a day's drive that you could borrow (as their wedding gift to you)
Search Groupon for deals
Tip: Open a credit card with travel rewards after getting engaged. Charge (and don't carry a balance) everything for the wedding on this and then use the points to pay for the honeymoon.
The honeymoon is the couple's time to relax, have fun together, and leave "real life" behind for a few days.
Take in the cheesy cliches
Buy the "Just Married" matching t-shirts
Take an obsessive amount of photos together
Ask someone to take a photo for you
Pack a selfie stick
Search for local photographers before your trip and set up a short session
Tell people it's your honeymoon
Restaurants may give you complimentary champagne or dessert
Airlines may upgrade your seating
Hotels may upgrade your room to a luxury suite
Turn off your phones
Seriously- turn them off!
No conversation or social media post is important enough to interrupt the honeymoon
This is the time away from reality for the new couple to enjoy together
No one else should be third-wheeling it through social media updates
It's one thing to call family when you land to say you're safe and they don't need to worry, but then put it away.
Share all the stories, photos, and updates with everyone when you get back home
Do not log into work
Try something new
The honeymoon should be treated differently than any other vacation the couple would take together
Don't go somewhere that either or both have been before
Step out of your comfort zone and try a new activity
Pick something each person wants to do
Both people should enjoy the trip to its fullest
Learn more about compromise in a marriage
Learn more about each other- never stop growing
Treat yourself
Go out for a nice, romantic meal
Splurge on something relaxing to do together
How to decide where to go?
Look at what the location options have to offer
How far would you be willing to go? For how long? How much time are you willing to spend getting there?
Think outside of the box
AirBnB or VRBO
Most people pick tropical locations, but don't limit yourself to traditional options
Price compare
All-Inclusive and cruises sound like you're money ahead, but make sure you weigh that against the cost of planning something on your own outside of a resort/cruise-line destination.
At the end of the day, the most important part is to spend quality time together as newlyweds and create memories together.
Don't hesitate to ask for help. I am not specific to just wedding planning, but all aspects of the wedding planning process including the honeymoon. I can help you plan a memorable and unique honeymoon as well as create a customized photo book after you return from the trip with your photos.