5 Common Honeymoon Planning Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
Your honeymoon is more than just another holiday. It's the start of your married life together. After months of planning your wedding, the last thing you want is unnecessary stress because of avoidable mistakes. After 10 years of planning tailor-made honeymoons, I can honestly say I've never planned two that were exactly the same. Every couple travels differently, which is why every honeymoon I create is completely bespoke. Here are five of the most common mistakes I see couples make and, more importantly, how to avoid them.
1. Forgetting to Check Your Passport
It might seem obvious, but this catches more people out than you'd think.
Many countries require your passport to have at least six months' validity remaining from the date you return home, not just from when you arrive.
Another thing to think about is a name change. If you're planning to change your surname after the wedding and before you travel, your honeymoon booking, flights and any visa applications must all match the name on your passport.
A quick passport check now could save weeks of stress later.
2. Not Checking the Weather (or the Season!)
Just because somewhere looks amazing on Instagram doesn't mean it's the best place to visit at the time of year you want to travel.
Some destinations have monsoon seasons, others experience hurricanes, and while we're enjoying summer, other parts of the world could be in the middle of winter!
It's also worth considering:
- High season – busier resorts, larger crowds and higher prices.
- End of season – some hotels, restaurants and excursions may be closed.
- Shoulder season – often the perfect combination of great weather, fewer crowds and better value.
Choosing the right destination at the right time of year can completely transform your honeymoon experience.
3. Trying to See Too Much
It's easy to get carried away and think, "While we're there, we might as well visit another island... and another city... and another country!"
It’s worth taking a step back. You'll probably be travelling after one of the busiest weeks of your life, possibly after very little sleep, and maybe on a long-haul flight with a significant time difference. Consider an extra night or two at your first destination to recover before you start exploring.
Constantly moving from place to place also eats into your honeymoon. Checking out of one hotel, travelling to an airport, ferry or train station, waiting around, transferring to your next destination, checking in and unpacking again can easily take up an entire day.
Sometimes less really is more. Spending longer in fewer places gives you more time to relax, soak up the destination and enjoy each other’s company.
4. Spending (and Saving) in the Wrong Places
Everyone wants to make their honeymoon budget go further, but it's important to know where it makes sense to save and where it's worth spending a little extra.
For example, choosing a six-hour bus journey instead of a one-hour flight might save some money, but you've lost most of a day of your honeymoon and arrived exhausted.
Likewise, booking a hotel miles outside the resort centre because it's cheaper can end up costing more in taxis and valuable holiday time.
This is where working with a honeymoon specialist can actually save you money.
Take the Maldives, for example. An all-inclusive package is great value because there are no local restaurants to wander into for dinner. Paying as you go for meals and drinks can quickly become very expensive.
Thailand, on the other hand, is completely different. The food is incredible, eating out is excellent value and part of the experience. In most cases, paying for all-inclusive there simply isn't worth it.
5. Not Using a Honeymoon Specialist
Your honeymoon is one of the biggest holidays you'll ever book, so why leave it to chance?
This year I'm celebrating 10 years in business, and during that time I've planned hundreds of tailor-made honeymoons for couples travelling all over the world.
Booking with a honeymoon specialist isn't just about finding the best hotel or flight. It's about having someone who gets to know you as a couple, understands what you want from your honeymoon, recommends the destinations that are right for you and takes the stress out of planning one of the most important holidays you'll ever book.
Whether you dream of island hopping in Greece, relaxing in an overwater villa in the Maldives, combining a safari with a beach escape or discovering somewhere completely different, I'll create an itinerary that's tailored entirely to you.
From the moment you get in touch until you're safely home again, I'll be on hand to guide you through every step of the journey.
If you're ready to start planning your honeymoon, I'd love to hear all about your plans. Get in touch and let's create a honeymoon that's every bit as unforgettable as your wedding day!
