Each year, about 2 million couples get married in the US. Leading up to this marriage, those couples will be engaged for approximately 14 months. For a newly engaged couple, thoughts of planning a wedding and subsequent honeymoon are exciting. Sure, you know the newness will wear off eventually, but right now, you want to take advantage of all that energy. And you wish the best.
It’s not easy to plan the perfect honeymoon, but it is possible. More than anything, you want to make sure you have everything planned out in advance and that you avoid the few common mistakes anyone can make during the planning stage.
Plan Ahead and Avoid the Most Common Pitfall
When you’re planning your perfect honeymoon, the last thing on your mind is work. However, 88% of couples have to cut trips short or spend time arguing about work, while on vacation together (and this trend can start on your honeymoon.)
This means that to have a worry-free honeymoon, you must make sure that you tie up whatever projects you have going at work. Make sure people know that you’ll be unavailable for X amount of time after your special day.
In fact, this problem is so wide-spread that as a couple, you and your beloved may want to consider going device-free for the duration of your trip, or at least the first few days. While smartphones do beautiful things for our work and day-to-day lives, they can increase social stress and anxiety over time. Your honeymoon should be a time to relax, make the most of that.
Make Sure You Get What You Really Want
If you’re trying to stick to a budget while making all of your greatest honeymoon fantasies come true for both you and your partner, things can get rough. You don’t want your ultimate honeymoon to turn into an endurance test.
No matter if you’re on a budget or not, cut down your activities to one thing you each absolutely have to do. Plan that. Add another. Leave plenty of time for other things. And remember, you have the rest of your lives to do everything on your wishlist, and this being your honeymoon means that you have that many anniversary trips to plan for, too. Besides, your honeymoon should be about the two of you enjoying time together and focusing entirely on each other so, while things like one of these transformational summits at the Aerial BVI may sound great, it might not be the most appropriate option for this particular trip, so put it on the shelf for now until the opportune moment presents itself.
Plan for Downtime
The last thing you want is for your honeymoon to feel rushed. If you’re like most couples, your wedding was only a few days ago. Though that day was no-doubt magical and will be one of your fondest memories for the rest of your life, you’re probably a little tired, if not close to exhausted.
A honeymoon isn’t just a time to connect with your new spouse, it’s also a recovery period from your wedding. It’s your reward for all of that hard work of planning. So head to somewhere that can facilitate your needs, like the Montage Los Cabos Resort, and relax! Book yourself a spa treatment or a day of lounging around on a warm beach. Whatever your ideal, lazy, recovery day is. Then, once you’re rested up, you can do any wishlisted activities starting on day two, or day three.
Budget Wisely
While work can be a significant pain point for any vacationing couple, no couple wants to start out their newly-married life in complete financial ruin. Don’t clear out both of your bank accounts for any wedding or vacation, no matter how “once in a lifetime.”
If you budget down to the last cent, something will go wrong. Murphy’s Law, remember? With this in mind, consider adding a bit of “just in case” to your budget. Don’t forget that you might want to bring home some souvenirs. Or, while you’re visiting an exotic location, you may find a few things you want to try that you hadn’t even heard of before, no matter how much time you’d spent researching. This added room allows you to be a little spontaneous and not feel guilty about it.
You Don’t Have to Plan Alone
Last but not least, it’s helpful to remember that millions of people have been on honeymoons before. Getting their perspective can be beneficial. What do they wish they had done? If they went to the same destination you’re planning to visit, was there anything they wish they had known?
When talking to friends and family, it’s also good to keep in mind that you are not obligated to follow up on all recommendations. Your ideal honeymoon itinerary should be catered to you and your new spouse. Getting the honeymoon you want should be the top priority.
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Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.