After you say “I do” and celebrate the night away, be prepared for some one-on-one time with your special person. The honeymoon gives a couple time to bond as newlyweds in the ways they enjoy most. Taking time to plan an amazing trip makes this outing more fun for you and your partner, allowing you to create unforgettable memories together.
To plan the ultimate honeymoon, you’ll need to do the following tasks:
- Accommodate one another
- Establish a budget
- Decide when you’ll go
- Pick the perfect destination
- Plan romantic excursions
- Pack your bags
- Enjoy each moment
Juggling all this can be complicated, especially since you also have a wedding to plan. To keep the process simple, we’ve created this couple’s guide on how to plan a romantic honeymoon.
Create Your Plan Together
You and your partner are a team and both get a say in the vacation planning to ensure you enjoy the experience together. When creating your plan, it’s essential to consider each other’s preferences, interests, and your shared budget.
Begin by discussing ideas for destinations, activities, and accommodations. This will give you a good idea of what each person wants and helps you narrow your options. As you look at hotels or other places to stay, verify the types of accommodations each one offers, especially if you desire specific options like room service or a jacuzzi.
Establish a Budget
Going on a romantic vacation after the wedding is every couple’s dream, and keeping things on budget is as important for this trip as it is for your big day.
Your budget helps you narrow down where you can go and the types of excursions you can plan without overspending. If you have a large budget, you may enjoy the breathtaking beaches of Tahiti. Alternatively, if you have a mid-size budget, you may opt for an in-country location like San Diego, California.
Your budget can also influence the time of year you go on vacation. Many destinations become pricier when people are on spring and summer break due to increased demand.
Decide When You’ll Go
The honeymoon takes place after the wedding—noting this is important as it’s a key difference between an earlymoon, honeymoon, and minimoon.You can plan a trip before your wedding, but it would be an earlymoon, which gives you time to relax before the wedding rather than after.
Traditionally, most couples leave for their honeymoon the day after the wedding, which can get a bit stressful after a long night of partying. To start the trip off energized and ready for romance, aim to leave a few days to a week after your wedding. This way, you still have the loving energy of the big day but also have time to decompress from the celebration before embarking on your adventure.
Decide How Long You’ll Go
Knowing how long you’ll be on your honeymoon is as important as knowing when you’ll leave. The average honeymoon lasts one to two weeks. Keep in mind that a longer trip often becomes more costly due to the expenses of lodging and food. Evaluate how the time of year and length of your honeymoon impact your budget and adjust your plans as needed.
Pick the Perfect Destination
We all define romance differently. While some of us find a walk on the beach dreamy, others prefer snuggling up in a cabin, and some dream of traveling through Europe. Sit down with your partner and brainstorm where you’d most like to go based on your shared interests. Your honeymoon can be traditional and laid-back, or you can pack it with thrills and adventure.
Picking a destination for your honeymoondepends on how you and your partner define the perfect vacation. Begin by evaluating the areas that interest you and comparing that to the activities you’d like to do.
Go Somewhere Tropical
If both of you love warm weather and the ocean, begin scoping out tropical destinations. Some of the best tropical honeymoon destinations include Fiji, Tahiti, and Aruba.
Tropical vacations are ideal for couples who love spending time on the beach and being outside when it’s hot. Generally, tropical locations are among the most relaxing, but some have amazing spots to hike through.
Cozy Up in a Cabin
When you marry in winter or just love the cold weather, you may decide on a cozy spot to celebrate your honeymoon. This is ideal if you both enjoy skiing and snowboarding, and you could also decompress in hot springs or a sauna. Some great locations to check out include Iceland, Switzerland, and Canada.
All these locations are beautiful, especially in the colder times of the year when they become winter wonderlands. Plus, if you go in late fall or winter, you may catch a glimpse of the incredible Northern Lights!
Backpack Through Europe
Are you and your partner globetrotters who are passionate about history, culture, and trying new foods? Then a European honeymoon might be the right fit for you. Europe is home to some of the most romantic cities in the world, such as Paris, France, Venice, Italy, and Santorini, Greece.
Often, backpacking allows you to visit multiple countries for shorter periods than if you were to visit one location. This option works well for couples who love adventure.
Visit Romantic Cities in the US
The United States has some of the most beautiful cities with scenic views. Some ideas include a road trip along Route 66 or wine tasting in Napa Valley. Alternatively, you could spend a week in a quaint cabin nestled in the Rocky Mountains. Other ideas include visiting the Florida Keys, the Hawaiian Islands, or Martha’s Vinyard.
A bonus of traveling within the US is that you won’t have to worry about a passport or obtaining foreign currency.
Everyday Bride Tip
Martha’s Vinyard is just off the coast of Massachusetts and is a popular spot for newly married couples. Aside from wine tasting, some of the most romantic things to do in Martha’s Vinyardinclude watching the sunset or enjoying a picnic by the shore.
Check out the Outback
Australia won’t disappoint couples who love the outdoors and want to see unique wildlife. This continent and country offer beautiful beaches and magnificent cities. Some of the best honeymoon destinations in Australia include Sydney, Melbourne, and the Great Barrier Reef Islands.
If you go to Australia, you can plan days for hiking, snorkeling, and lounging on the beach; this
is ideal if you want your honeymoon to be a mix of exploring and lounging.
Plan Your Itinerary
Once you decide where you’ll go, the next tip for planning a romantic honeymoon is to create an itinerary. As you make your honeymoon timeline, avoid overscheduling, as this may lead to a stressful trip when you jump from one activity to the next. Below, we’ve detailed a few ideas to keep your trip fun and romantic.
Enjoy Candlelit Dinners
A candlelit dinner is an important romantic excursion to include in your honeymoon plans. Many resorts offer private dinners for two on the beach or in a secluded location with breathtaking views and delicious food. This intimate setting creates the perfect opportunity for you and your partner to connect and reflect on your relationship.
Lounge Together
Scheduling time to relax may sound counterintuitive, but fitting lounge time into your schedule ensures you follow through with it. Nothing beats cuddle time with your favorite person, and a bit of relaxation may be just what you two need.
How you go about lounging depends on where you go for the honeymoon. If you go somewhere tropical, you may spend your day lying on the sand or holding hands as you walk along the shore. Alternatively, you may need to snuggle up by the fireplace if you plan an icy adventure.
Get Massages
If lounging around your hotel room, condo, or cabin room isn’t ideal, consider booking couples massages. A masseuse can work their magic to loosen up any tight muscles and help you decompress after the stress of wedding planning.
Be Flexible With Plans
While you should schedule some activities and relaxation time, you should also set aside days for spontaneity. Once you arrive at your honeymoon spot, new ideas may arise for things you want to do based on the location.
Don’t be afraid to change your plans if something fun comes up; this may lead to even more unforgettable memories. The most important thing is that you’re spending time together and enjoying each other’s company.
Prepare for Departure
As you plan your wedding and honeymoon, ensure you mark the calendar to verify all key reservations for your vacation. It’s easy to get carried away with wedding planning, especially if you already booked parts of your honeymoon.
Always verify your vacation reservations—specifically your airfare, lodging, and dining—to ensure nothing changed or got canceled. Check your email to ensure there are no modifications to your honeymoon itinerary. You can also call the company you booked with to verify your services.
Pack Your Bags
Once you know when and where you’ll go for your honeymoon, you can start packing. Begin by creating a list of things you’ll want to bring with you, including essentials such as:
- Boarding pass
- Passport (if needed)
- Toiletries
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Money
You may also need specific apparel or gear for excursions. Knowing exactly what you need to pack for your honeymoonand what to leave at home helps eliminate the stress as you prepare for your trip. While the above items are some of the key things you’ll need, you can leave other items, such as sentimental jewelry, at home.
Everyday Bride Tip
Some couples buy silicone wedding rings to wear on their honeymoon so they can leave the real jewelry at home. This lets them show off their new relationship status without worrying about their precious rings.
Enjoy Each Moment
The most important part of planning a romantic honeymoon is to enjoy the moment. Don’t get caught up in trying to have the perfect trip or stressing over every detail. Remember that this is a special time for you and your partner to relax and enjoy each other’s company as newlyweds. Embrace any unexpected moments and make memories that will last a lifetime.
A Final Note
The perfect honeymoon is different for every couple since the trip revolves around the activities you two enjoy doing most. You and your partner can separately select activities for the two of you to try, and you can pick some as a team.
Your honeymoon is about celebrating your love and creating unforgettable memories with the person you’ve chosen to spend forever with. Begin your love story with a truly romantic getaway!
