6 tips to keep your honeymoon sweet
1.When?
You can travel anywhere, at any time of the year, and each destination will have something memorable, for sure. But please, don’t’ wait till the last minute to plan this event. Begin your honeymoon planning as soon as you’re done with the ring. Advance planning gives your travel professional the time to put it all together, and you might be able to score an upgrade or two.
2. Where? You really have to talk with each other about this one. Do you long for the romance of Paris or Tahiti, the history of Rome, the art of Barcelona, the nightlife of London, the seclusion of some remoteCaribbeanbeach, the glitter of Vegas, the charm of New Orleans? Or maybe your hearts’ desire is the Poconos in a rotating, heart-shaped bed. The point is, the decision has to be mutual. If you need some help deciding, e-mail me for a destination guide.
3. Sailing? Cruises have become very popular for honeymoons. If you both enjoy seeing a lot of sights and want to visit many destinations, a cruise might be a good choice for you. There are cruises out there to fit every style and every budget. If you’re interested in a large ship with lots of activities, take a look at Carnival, Princess or Royal Caribbean cruise lines. If you are looking for a smaller ship with a more intimate, romantic setting, think about Seabourn, Silversea or Windstar (which has four-masted sailing vessels). Prices will range from $75 per person per day to just under $300 per person per day. One caveat: If you decide on a cruise, do not scrimp on the cabin. Go with the most you can afford and never, never, never take an inside cabin.
4. Resort? Some of the all-inclusive resorts like Sandals, which has properties all over the Caribbean, are built and programmed with romance in mind. Others are a little less all-inclusive in their offerings, but are more unique, private, and exclusive. A lot of today’s honeymooners are opting to split their time between the two kinds of resorts. Yes, it involves packing up and moving midway through the honeymoon, but I recommend it. For example, try the romantic seclusion of Ladera in St. Lucia for, say, three days right after the wedding, followed by four days at Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort for some fun and partying with other couples. Pricing for all-inclusive and exclusive resorts is comparable to pricing for similar cruises.
5. Cost? This is not a time to pinch pennies. If you are planning on having children, this might be your last vacation alone together for the next 18 years! Make it count. Your travel professional will ask you about your budget. Be honest! Your agent will make it work. But you should know that it is not unusual for honeymooners to blow their budget by about 10 percent (“Hey, we only get married once, right?”), so plan for a bit of a cushion.
6. Insurance?
Buy travel insurance. You never know what will happen, and because the honeymoon is likely to be a big financial and emotional investment, you want to be covered on this trip. Some policies now have options for cancellation for any reason — which could include cold feet. (But that’s not you!)
Don’t become one of those honeymoon couples that end up in a “Funniest Travel Stories of the Year” column. Unfortunately, honeymoon disasters are all too common. Have you heard the one about the bedbugs in the honeymoon bed? Or the one where the groom went to Panama, but the bride ended up in Panama City, Florida? I could tell you more, but my lips are sealed!
Plan ahead, my friends, and plan wisely. At this important time in your life, you really do need the help of a good, qualified professional.
Honeymoon Night Romance
1.When?
You can travel anywhere, at any time of the year, and each destination will have something memorable, for sure. But please, don’t’ wait till the last minute to plan this event. Begin your honeymoon planning as soon as you’re done with the ring. Advance planning gives your travel professional the time to put it all together, and you might be able to score an upgrade or two.
2. Where? You really have to talk with each other about this one. Do you long for the romance of Paris or Tahiti, the history of Rome, the art of Barcelona, the nightlife of London, the seclusion of some remoteCaribbeanbeach, the glitter of Vegas, the charm of New Orleans? Or maybe your hearts’ desire is the Poconos in a rotating, heart-shaped bed. The point is, the decision has to be mutual. If you need some help deciding, e-mail me for a destination guide.
3. Sailing? Cruises have become very popular for honeymoons. If you both enjoy seeing a lot of sights and want to visit many destinations, a cruise might be a good choice for you. There are cruises out there to fit every style and every budget. If you’re interested in a large ship with lots of activities, take a look at Carnival, Princess or Royal Caribbean cruise lines. If you are looking for a smaller ship with a more intimate, romantic setting, think about Seabourn, Silversea or Windstar (which has four-masted sailing vessels). Prices will range from $75 per person per day to just under $300 per person per day. One caveat: If you decide on a cruise, do not scrimp on the cabin. Go with the most you can afford and never, never, never take an inside cabin.
4. Resort? Some of the all-inclusive resorts like Sandals, which has properties all over the Caribbean, are built and programmed with romance in mind. Others are a little less all-inclusive in their offerings, but are more unique, private, and exclusive. A lot of today’s honeymooners are opting to split their time between the two kinds of resorts. Yes, it involves packing up and moving midway through the honeymoon, but I recommend it. For example, try the romantic seclusion of Ladera in St. Lucia for, say, three days right after the wedding, followed by four days at Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort for some fun and partying with other couples. Pricing for all-inclusive and exclusive resorts is comparable to pricing for similar cruises.
5. Cost? This is not a time to pinch pennies. If you are planning on having children, this might be your last vacation alone together for the next 18 years! Make it count. Your travel professional will ask you about your budget. Be honest! Your agent will make it work. But you should know that it is not unusual for honeymooners to blow their budget by about 10 percent (“Hey, we only get married once, right?”), so plan for a bit of a cushion.
6. Insurance?
Buy travel insurance. You never know what will happen, and because the honeymoon is likely to be a big financial and emotional investment, you want to be covered on this trip. Some policies now have options for cancellation for any reason — which could include cold feet. (But that’s not you!)
Don’t become one of those honeymoon couples that end up in a “Funniest Travel Stories of the Year” column. Unfortunately, honeymoon disasters are all too common. Have you heard the one about the bedbugs in the honeymoon bed? Or the one where the groom went to Panama, but the bride ended up in Panama City, Florida? I could tell you more, but my lips are sealed!
Plan ahead, my friends, and plan wisely. At this important time in your life, you really do need the help of a good, qualified professional.
Honeymoon Night Romance
If you are really interested in tips for honeymoon night romance, you must realize that it all starts with planning. Honeymoon night is to be one of the most important moments of your life. This will be the first major shared experience you and your spouse will have in your new marriage. Therefore, one of the most important tips for honeymoon night romance that we can give you is to make sure all of your arrangements are planned out in detail and ready in advance.
It is important to realize that the wedding day can be a very stressful whirlwind of events and activity. Right after the reception is not the time when you don't want to turn to your spouse and say "Where do you want to go now?" or "What do you want to do now?" Another of the important tips for honeymoon night romance is that you will be coming from a stressful event and a stressful day, so make sure everything is arranged so that your and your spouse's honeymoon night will be a time for relaxation and stress relief.
Wedding and Honeymoon Combined
One of the most popular trends in honeymoon travel is the Destination Wedding, uniting an ideal wedding with an equally romantic honeymoon locale. No longer limited to the traditional Las Vegas elopement (although Las Vegas destination weddings can be fabulous!), these convenient and often lavish wedding/travel packages can be arranged for nearly any honeymoon site, from Italian villas to tropical beaches like Cancun, not to mention elegant nautical nuptials aboard cruise ships.
A couple can pledge their vows in Riviera Maya, wearing authentic costumes and celebrating traditional romantic Maya customs, then spirit themselves away after the party to their honeymoon villa. There, they’ll be pampered for the duration of their all-inclusive honeymoon (villa, plus all food, drink and an array of activities included).
Engaged couples can arrange to celebrate their big day in Cancun, complete with exotic flowers and a fine Mexican feast.
The possibilities for personalized destination wedding package are truly exciting, and virtually endless!
Many travel agents can also help organize guests’ airline arrangements to and from the wedding/honeymoon site. Packages often include the cake, flowers and decorations, photographs--even manicures and announcement cards, not to mention reservations at their all-inclusive resort.
Destination weddings are one of the most convenient choices for busy couples, providing the special extras that wedding day dreams are made of. All you’ll need to bring is your suitcase, a spirit of adventure and your one true love.
