Following are some tips for the all important honeymoon which should be considered a major part of this planning and not just an afterthought.

Budget - Include your honeymoon in your wedding day budget. You may have been engaged and planning your wedding for a while but if you don't have an idea of cost you may run out of money and settle for a honeymoon that isn't really what you wanted. Whilst many holidays cannot be booked more than a year in advance a wedding/honeymoon travel specialist will be more than happy to provide some idea of what it may cost.

Use an Expert – Avoid the temptation to book an internet special to a surprise destination. Instead sit down as a couple with a travel honeymoon specialist.  Your honeymoon travel specialist will help you set the scene of your dreams and use their expertise to take away the stress involved when it comes to planning your honeymoon. They will provide information on destinations and advise specific honeymoon specials and things you need to know. If you work together as a trio your idyllic time in paradise will go off without a hitch and be everything you imagined.

Ask for a Help/Bridal Registry – Gift registries were once considered controversial or bad manners but nowadays they are perfectly acceptable. Still, it is a matter of personal preference whether you use one or not.  At the end of the day your guests are going to buy a gift; many couples these days live together before getting married and it is better to receive something you want or need rather than another toaster or coffee pot! One of the important things to remember is that the amount of the gift is never disclosed so there is no embarrassment, as in the case of gift vouchers. Two weeks prior to the wedding day the couple receives a cheque to put towards their honeymoon and their guests receive a card which they can give to the couple on their wedding day stating they have contributed to their honeymoon. A win-win situation for both guests and the happy couple!

Travel Insurance – After you've planned this once-in-a-lifetime holiday you need to make sure you are covered for any unforeseen events that stop it from being the best honeymoon ever and this comes in the form of travel insurance. It will cover you for anything unforeseen that goes wrong from 'getting cold feet' and needing to cancel (not you of course!) to the lost luggage or terrible sickness. Let's face it, as we've discussed earlier in the budget section, this holiday hasn't come cheap and you need to make sure that you are covered for anything that does not make it perfect!

Plan for extras – now is not the time to 'penny-pinch'; you want to have the most romantic memorable holiday ever and in order to do this you need to plan and perhaps pay a bit more than usual. Choose a beachfront room or overwater bungalow or even fly business class if that is what you want… Your honeymoon specialist should give you a variety of options which can often include special deals for honeymooners like room upgrades, free breakfasts, champagne and flowers, gifts and even a free candlelit dinner to name a few. You often have to supply your marriage certificate to be eligible so make sure you have a copy of it packed safely in your hand luggage. In addition to the pre-paid holiday you will need to allow for extras such as food and drink, activities, shopping, spa services, taxes and tipping which may sometimes apply. A good idea is to add 10% to the total of your budget for any unexpected costs.

Article by Anita Gatley – Travel Broker B.A. MNZITT
0508 HONEYMOON
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