How to Plan the Perfect Honeymoon

The Complete Guide for booking a worry-free Honeymoon

Top Honeymoon Travel Expert Renee Meyer Shares 28+ Years Honeymoon Planning Experience

Thank you for visiting The Unforgettable Honeymoons blog – my team and I have been planning honeymoons for nearly three decades and want to share with couples who are planning their honeymoons some of top tips for ensuring your honeymoon is worry and stress free.

Planning and booking a honeymoon is not as simple as it may seems

Most couples start out thinking it won’t take nearly as much time as planning a wedding, but quickly realize it can be overwhelming and confusing once they begin to do the research.  There are tens of thousands of websites,  blogs, and articles on honeymoons that offer different opinions and advice. 

What couples do not realize is that many of those ” top ten honeymoon” resort lists are benefiting advertisers on those blogs and websites.  We remind our client’s that there is a lot of mis-information on the internet when it comes to travel advice and you cannot trust or believe everything you read, even if it comes up first on Google!

Booking your honeymoon on  your own would be similar to doing your own taxes, or being your own real estate agent, there are hundreds of things that can go wrong, and for your once in a lifetime trip, you want to have the best experience possible as you’ll remember your honeymoon the rest of your lives.  It takes years of trial and error to  gain the knowledge and expertise that is necessary to plan and book a successful honeymoon.  There are quite a few glitches and snags that can turn into a major crisis that are easily preventable but you would not know them without years of experience planning travel.

Second,  The travel industry is a tricky one, and recently has become more difficult to navigate. 

What is alarming is that just about anyone can start promoting travel with just a catchy name and website filled with pretty pictures.  There is very little regulation and licensing in the industry.  Most self proclaimed experts have never booked anyone’s travel but their own, and lack the experience to plan travel for others.   They do not understand that planning your own trips vs others is an entirely different ballgame.   Planning and booking a honeymoon that will turn out to be unforgettable ( in a wonderful way)  takes years of hands on experience in the romance/ honeymoon industry.

Your Honeymoon is a once in a lifetime trip, an investment in a lifetime of memories, you don’t want to have any regrets. Hire the right professional to plan it,  my #1 tip for how to plan a perfect honeymoon is to locate an expert who is experienced, has a great reputation online,  and has first hand travel knowledge of hundreds of resorts and destinations.

Choose carefully, and please read our list below to get a head start on your honeymoon planning journey.

Here are our some of my top tips for planning the Perfect Honeymoon:

1. Research and choose use a reputable experienced Honeymoon Travel Agency/ Agent, and avoid booking with an online booking engine, Blogger, or writer turned part time travel agent

I have watched numerous travel companies, as well as honeymoon and romance travel agents and agencies come and go, some of them going out of business leaving couples stranded with no hotel reservations and no way to get a refund. I have personally helped many of these couples rebook their entire honeymoons start to finish.

An experienced honeymoon specific travel professional will anticipate the potential snags and challenges and go the extra mile for your honeymoon:

  • Choose a reputable agency that has been in business for at least 10 years, and specializes in honeymoons. There are hundreds of things that can go wrong on a honeymoon, and you want a professional who knows and anticipates challenges before they happen.
  • Check the Better Business Bureau’s website to make sure they are a member in good standing and read their reviews.
  • Check to make sure they have a business license –  Every state has a name check web site to confirm a business has a license to conduct business and how long they have been around.
  • Do not book with any travel agency unless they are a member of Iatan www.iatan.org. Iatan requires 3-5 years verifiable experience, references from wholesalers, client trust bank account verification and errors and omissions insurance
  • Ask for first-hand honeymoon travel knowledge. If an agent has been to the location she or he can share the important information you will need to know beforehand to maximize your experience.
  • Check online for honeymoon travel agent reviews at Google, Yelp, Wedding Wire, etc.. but make sure all the reviews are not all uploaded within the last few months but show reviews going back many years, consistently.
  • Check website longevity website longevity here to see how long their website has been up on the internet. Again, anyone can upload a website and start a business now and be gone tomorrow

2. Don’t always rely on advice from friends and family or online review web sites for your honeymoon plans- your honeymoon is a personal choice.

Your dream honeymoon should be a personal decision based on your desires, expectations, and personal travel style. Your friends’ advice for your honeymoon plans may or may not be helpful to you depending on their base of comparison of where they have traveled before, and what they may think is terrific might be a let down from what your idea of a perfect honeymoon might be.

One of the first honeymoons that I booked was a couple who were dead set on a particular hotel in Mexico that a friend of theirs raved about.  Unfortunately, their friends standards were far below theirs, and they called from their honeymoon asking me to please move them to a nicer hotel.  Thankfully, I was able to change their honeymoon plans on a short notice, but this is not always the case.

Should you trust Trip Advisor for honeymoon planning advice

Online review sites such as Trip Advisor are a great place to check, however, many reviews are written by individuals who do not have the same base of comparison as you do, something amazing and fabulous to them might be average to you.

Check who authored the reviews.  I always advise my client’s to look for reviews written by those who live in large US cities such an NYC and Los Angeles, Miami, SFO.   Travelers from these cities often have high standards for hotels and a good base of comparison.

3. Set a honeymoon package budget- and prepare to be flexible.

Set a honeymoon budget first  Before you can plan your ideal honeymoon,  you need to plan for what you can afford to spend.  Set your budget, but also have some parameters and prepare to be a little flexible.  Since the pandemic pricing has greatly increased for many destinations, what may have been in budget in 2019 might exceed your budget in 2023.  The average honeymoon package will cost anywhere from $5000-10,000 for two for a week long honeymoon to most of the major honeymoon destinations.

How to set a Honeymoon Package budget: 

Steps to help you determine the honeymoon budget for your dream honeymoon destinations:  First, price out flights first to the honeymoon destinations you are most interested in first, then take a look at some resorts and honeymoon packages in the same locations.

If the hotels are not all inclusive (the more popular resort types)  you’ll need to factor in the cost for food/drink/activities.   Expect these expenses to exceed local pricing, often tourist destinations are 20-40% higher than back home. ( Hawaii and Tahiti are among the highest priced honeymoon destinations in terms of food/drink and activity costs)

Often family members will promise to help or offer to give you points for airline miles towards your Honeymoon Package.  Make sure you check availability for flights with the points before booking your land arrangements , as miles are not always available.

Be careful and watchful of the special deals online that require you book upfront with full payment:  We do not recommend booking a resort or hotel online that requires upfront payment in full that is nonrefundable.  Too many couples make this mistake and end up getting locked into a package they cannot cancel due to what appeared to be a great unbeatable price for their honeymoon package.

Many couples opt for an all-inclusive resort for their honeymoon  which includes all your expenses ( meals/ drinks/ tips/ watersports) With this option, an all-inclusive honeymoon, your honeymoon budget can be very specific, and you will know upfront what you are going to spend on the entire honeymoon package.

Caution about timeshare resorts for your honeymoon:    There are time share hotels throughout Mexico and the Caribbean,  even Hawaii.  It is best to never attend a time share meeting even if you are offered a free Dolphin swim,  you will regret it later.  Most Time share meetings bring in their top closers and use tricky sales tactics.

4. Next, discuss your dream  honeymoon wish list & identify your top “must” haves

Plan your honeymoon together, and have a goal to choose a spot that suits both of your preferences. Prepare to compromise as well.

  • Start with your top dream honeymoon destinations list that you’ve both always wanted to visit.
  • Make a list of a few honeymoon must-haves and narrow down at least 3 each that you don’t want to live without on your honeymoon.
  • These will also include activities, room amenities, excursions, etc.

Examples on your honeymoon dream wish list:

  • Private Bungalow, Villa or Honeymoon Cottage
  • All Inclusive Experience- all meals, drinks, tips ( some resorts are meals only ideal for non drinkers)
  • First Class air ( round trip or one way)
  • Jacuzzi or private pool room/ suite
  • Private butler  ( easy to find in the Caribbean, many of the All Inclusive Honeymoon Resorts offer butler service)
  • Overwater bungalow
  • Beautiful View from the room- most asked for view, Oceanfront
  • Spa – couples massage/ day spa experience
  • Swim-up pool bar
  • Great Snorkeling on site or nearby
  • Hiking/ day trips to explore
  • Zip lining
  • Kayaking trip
  • Swimming with dolphins  (one of our favorites, The Kahala Resort in Oahu has it’s own Dolphin Lagoon)
  • Short Flight less than #  hours
  • Sport fishing, Golfing, scuba diving

5. Don’t book your airline reservations under your married name!

It takes several weeks to get your name changed to your married name and we advise that you use your current passport name for all honeymoon package reservations.

6. Don’t Skimp – It’s your honeymoon, and it’s once in a lifetime experience.

The honeymoon is just as important as all the other elements of your wedding and quality is key.

What I advise my clients:  If what you really desire and what you can afford is only a few hundred dollars apart then consider staying one less night, I have always found this plan can work quite well

If your dream honeymoon destination is the high season when you are traveling and unaffordable but less expensive another time of year and affordable consider a “mini-moon” right after the wedding and then head to your dream honeymoon a few weeks or months later

Once you find the right package do not skimp by booking with a cheap online booking engine that only cares about your credit card number and will never speak to you. Just pinpointing your honeymoon location and booking it is only the beginning of the honeymoon planning. We strongly advise you choose an experienced professional to help you with your plans, it will save you time, money and stress.

7. Consider a Honeymoon Registry to assist financially- but don’t rely on it to pay your final payment.

Instead of a typical bridal registry, try a honeymoon registry? Guests can contribute towards your honeymoon and you choose how to spend the funds.  I caution my clients not to rely on bridal registry to pay for their honeymoon,  most gifts come in later, the wedding week or a few days after.  You have to pay for your honeymoon about a month in advance.  ( Honeymoon Registry- Honeymoon Wishes)

8.  Don’t take off immediately after the Wedding

Your wedding day is one of the most incredible days of your life,  and most likely the next day you will feel exhausted.  Months of planning lead up to the big day,  so give yourself a rest the next day and enjoy time alone to reflect on your wedding day instead of rushing off on a plane to your honeymoon destination.  It is always a great idea to wait a couple of days if possible before heading out to your dream honeymoon destination!

9. Make a last minute checklist, you’ll need it!

I started sending our honeymooners an extensive last minute checklist years ago which has grown longer and longer.  The checklist has saved many of our client’s from potential disasters on their honeymoon and they were so thankful for our tips.   Some of the items on the list seem simple but are easily forgotten due to the wedding planning, such as double checking your passport expiry date and making sure you know exactly where your documents are located that you need for your trip.   Checking in online 24 hours before  your trip,  and if that is during your wedding, asking a friend or family member to help you with this task.

10. Buy Honeymoon Package Cancellation Travel Insurance – must be purchased within one week of making an initial deposit

Life is uncertain, and we all know the unexpected can happen and change our plans without notice.  Travel insurance is often overlooked, many couples do not want to anticipate challenges and emergencies on their honeymoon but also do not think anything will or can interfere with their honeymoon plans and skip this important step.   There is an endless list of obstacles that can come up before and during your honeymoon that can be covered by travel insurance, this includes injury, sickness, family illness, weather disasters, strikes, flight cancellations, etc.  When you purchase travel insurance you have taken an extra step to cover  many of these unforeseeable events.

 

copyright 2023 Renee Meyer  Unforgettable Honeymoons

About the Author

Renee Meyer

“Romantic Travel Specialist” Renee Meyer first started assisting couples in planning their Honeymoon in 1994, while she was working for a very successful nationwide singles organization. Her love of Travel and Romance was the inspiration behind Unforgettable Honeymoons – which Renee opened in 1994.