Top 7 Tips for Saving Money on Your Honeymoon
May 1, 2009 by Wedding Ideas
Filed under Wedding Ideas
By Leigh Maher
Just Married Camisole and Boy Shorts Set
Honeymoons are a dreamboat of a time. You just went through months and maybe even years of planning the event of a lifetime: your wedding. Even though the day itself was probably enjoyable and everything you imagined it was going to be, you can’t discount the fact that you probably had a million and one little things stressing you out.
Honeymoons are obviously designed for your first getaway as a married couple and to celebrate your state of matrimony, but let’s face it: they are a much needed vacation from all the hard work you put into planning the wedding. You may have “sky’s the limit” in mind when getting ready to plan your honeymoon, but the reality is that weddings are costly, and economic times are tough. It is very wise to look at ways you can save money on your honeymoon. Just think: any leftover money can be spent beginning your life together when you return.
Tip #1: Create a honeymoon registry. You know how you created a gift registry so all your friends and family could buy you household items to help get your life together started on the right foot (or throw rug)? A honeymoon registry is no different. This one takes some planning advance, as you should register for and include honeymoon registry information when you’d be sending your wedding guests information about the wedding.
So those of you who have already gotten married, move into to the second tip. For those still in wedding planning mode, congratulations on thinking way ahead to the honeymoon. Honeymoon registries can cover anything from nights in a hotel, dinners, day trips-you name it, you can probably register for it.
Tip #2: Use travel deal sites-they exist for a reason. Sites like Expedia., Travelocity and Kayak are all around for one very specific purpose: to find you the most affordable flights possible. They do searches across multiple airlines at one time, looking for the lowest airfare within whatever time parameters you set. If you are looking for something that includes hotel and car rental, travel sites like the above mentioned can help find great package deals that can help you save hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars on your honeymoon travel plans.
Tip #3: Say goodbye to hotels. Most travelers assume that they will stay in a hotel whenever they travel to a new destination. After all, you get a clean room that is cleaned daily, and a little mint on your pillow every night. But if you are willing to break away from this traditional idea of travel, you can not only save money on your honeymoon but open up a new world of ways to see the world.
Consider things like a Jeep trip, a backpacking adventure, even a week of camping and river rafting. You could travel to Costa Rica and stay in straw huts on the beach or you could spent time trekking through Europe like you never got to do in college. Compared to the sky high rates of many luxury hotels, trips like these can stretch your dollar further while providing you and your new spouse the time of your life.
Tip #4: Plan your trip off-season. You can save hundreds of dollars by planning your trip in your destination’s off-season. If you are in love with Lake Tahoe, for example, try letting go of your dreams of skiing down the slopes and replace them with hiking and swimming in the clear lake. Or consider going to a place like Florida in the winter months, when hurricane season keeps most tourists away and the prices low.
Tip #5: Stay local. If you are serious about saving money but do want to escape for a little while, consider a more local, weekend trip. You can save money by driving versus flying, and hotels and merchants in your area might be thrilled about your recent wedding and the fact you decided to support local businesses, leading to comps and discounts galore.
Tip #6: Flaunt that honeymooner status. People love people in love. Do not be afraid to tell anyone and everyone in the service industry that you are on your honeymoon. This can often get your upgraded to first class on your flights, possibly get you a room upgrade in your hotel and free drinks and desserts to your table. Hey, you are out celebrating the fact that you just got married, so why not include everyone else around you on your honeymoon and try and save some money doing so?
Tip #7: Do a house swap. Some of the most relaxing vacations are those in which you can kick off your shoes in someone else’s house that is completely different than the one you live in. House swapping has grown more popular over recent years, and it simply involves getting in touch with someone who lives in an area you would like to travel to, and asking them if they would like to swap homes for a period of time, like two weeks.
To make this happen for your honeymoon, you of course need to be comfortable with the idea of strangers sleeping in your house for that period of time as well, but doing this can help you stay somewhere for free while having the complete comforts of home. You could swap your busy Manhattan apartment for a honeymoon in the Cascade mountains, or you could travel from hilly San Francisco to romantic Paris. The possibilities and money saving benefits are endless here.
Leigh Maher researches and writes about Celtic jewelry, and specialises in Celtic wedding rings, engagement rings and bridal jewelry. Click here for more information about Claddagh rings.
Affordable Honeymoon Accessories
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Tags Set
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Customizable Black Canvas Tote
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“Bride” Two Tone Tote
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Mini Flip Flop “Just Married” Key Chains
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“BRIDE” Wedding Transfer
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“It’s all about Me” Wedding Transfer
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“Just Married” Tote Bag
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Permanent Fine Point Fabric Marker
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Travel/Desk Clock
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“Mr. + Mrs.” Towels
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