HONEYMOON
From the picturesque mountains of Europe to the dynamic landscapes of Australia and New Zealand, the world is at your doorstep. You can travel to a tropical beach, a world-class city, an exotic foreign land, or remote wilderness area. With all those honeymoon choices, then, how can you possibly decide where to go? In this sections we’ll explore some ideas for honeymoons and offer tips for choosing and planning.
PICKING THE IDEAL LOCAITON
If you and your fiancé are planning a honeymoon for very soon after the wedding, you’ll need to plan it as you plan the wedding. Some couples, for various reasons, postpone their honeymoon until a time past the wedding. This could be due to wanting to have some time to regroup and get organized after the flurry of wedding activity, or perhaps because of financial constraint. Regardless of when you plan to take your honeymoon, you should think about what you want from the trip, and what you’re able to afford.
As a couple, do you see yourselves being pampered at a resort and spa, relaxing on a beach chair on a tropical island in the Caribbean, or strolling through England’s countryside? Your answers to these questions, along with how much money you have for the trip, will ultimately decide the type of destination you’ll choose. Some tips for narrowing your search and identifying desirable locations are listed below.
* Explore… Browse travel blogs and travel articles. Learn from others who have visited destinations you’re considering
* Create a List… Separately, create a list of five ideal locations to visit and then compare ideas.
* Share… Talk together about what you hope to experience on your honeymoon.
* Staying Home or Going Abroad… Decide if you’ll stay in the United States or travel to a different country. If planning to travel out of the country, check the weather. Some countries experience rainy seasons, intense heat, or other conditions during certain seasons.
* Look for Bargains… Offered through travel sites such as Travelocity, Priceline, or Orbitz and compare with your local travel agent.
* Budget… Consider whether your destination fits your budget.
While many people enjoy researching, planning and booking travel online, a full-service travel agency can be a huge help in locating activities, flights, rental vehicles and hotels that fit within your budget. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by wedding planning, you might consider using the services of a travel agency to help you plan your honeymoon. Alternatively, the person who is less extensively involved in the wedding plans could pick up most of the honeymoon planning.
PREPARING FOR TRAVEL
Once you decide where you’ll be traveling, make sure you make the necessary preparations to avoid being disappointed or inconvenienced. As you know, travel has become more difficult within the past decade. You’ll want to be sure you have everything in order before embarking.
* Book plane and hotel reservations well in advance, especially if you’re planning on traveling to top honeymoon spots such as the Bahamas, Jamaica or Cancun.
* If you’re planning to travel out of the country, including Canada or Mexico, you’ll need to have a passport. Routine passport applications take four to six weeks to fill. Expedited service was taking two to three weeks, with extra fees applying. For more information about obtaining a passport, go to http://travel.state.gov.
* Even if you’re planning to assume your husband’s last name once you’re married, be sure you reserve plane tickets in your maiden name, as it will take several months after your wedding for name change paperwork to be filed. You’ll want the name on your plane ticket to exactly match that on your passport or driver’s license.
* Once you’ve booked your trip --- especially if you book well in advance --- look into purchasing travel insurance. Compare costs on a site such as InsureMyTrip.com, purchase and enjoy the peace of mind you’ll experience.
* Look tin cell phone international plans if you feel like you’ll need a phone and you’re traveling abroad. Or, consider leaving phones at home and using Facebook or Skype to stay in touch.
* Give a family member a complete travel itinerary, especially if you won’t be able to be reached by phone. Provide card numbers of the credit cards you’re taking along and photocopies of passports, if you’re traveling abroad.
* Make copies of all reservation confirmations --- from your hotel and rental car to the swimming with the dolphins excursion. Also, copy phone numbers for credit card companies and photocopy your passports and driver licenses and store them in safe place.
WHAT AND WHEN TO PACK
Unless you’re headed for the wilds of Greenland or some other remote area, you’ll be able to purchase toiletries or other items you might forget to bring along. That means you don’t have to obsess about taking everything you might possibly have a need for.
There are some things, however, that your definitely do want to stash in your suitcase. In addition to copies of identification, reservations, receipts and so forth, be sure to pack battery charges for cameras, phones, iPads, and other electronics; adapters and converters if the electrical system will require them; and a travel alarm if you’re not sure you cell phone will be in service.
Travel guides and foreign language dictionaries are good ideas, and don’t forget to take ample supplies of any medications you take. Zip-lock bags in various sizes come in handy. Once you’ve got these essentials, you can pack up your favorite outfits and other items.
If you’re leaving for your honeymoon on the day of your wedding or the day after, do not, under any circumstances, put off packing until after the reception. Have everything ready in advance so it doesn’t add any stress to your wedding day.
PICKING THE IDEAL LOCAITON
If you and your fiancé are planning a honeymoon for very soon after the wedding, you’ll need to plan it as you plan the wedding. Some couples, for various reasons, postpone their honeymoon until a time past the wedding. This could be due to wanting to have some time to regroup and get organized after the flurry of wedding activity, or perhaps because of financial constraint. Regardless of when you plan to take your honeymoon, you should think about what you want from the trip, and what you’re able to afford.
As a couple, do you see yourselves being pampered at a resort and spa, relaxing on a beach chair on a tropical island in the Caribbean, or strolling through England’s countryside? Your answers to these questions, along with how much money you have for the trip, will ultimately decide the type of destination you’ll choose. Some tips for narrowing your search and identifying desirable locations are listed below.
* Explore… Browse travel blogs and travel articles. Learn from others who have visited destinations you’re considering
* Create a List… Separately, create a list of five ideal locations to visit and then compare ideas.
* Share… Talk together about what you hope to experience on your honeymoon.
* Staying Home or Going Abroad… Decide if you’ll stay in the United States or travel to a different country. If planning to travel out of the country, check the weather. Some countries experience rainy seasons, intense heat, or other conditions during certain seasons.
* Look for Bargains… Offered through travel sites such as Travelocity, Priceline, or Orbitz and compare with your local travel agent.
* Budget… Consider whether your destination fits your budget.
While many people enjoy researching, planning and booking travel online, a full-service travel agency can be a huge help in locating activities, flights, rental vehicles and hotels that fit within your budget. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by wedding planning, you might consider using the services of a travel agency to help you plan your honeymoon. Alternatively, the person who is less extensively involved in the wedding plans could pick up most of the honeymoon planning.
PREPARING FOR TRAVEL
Once you decide where you’ll be traveling, make sure you make the necessary preparations to avoid being disappointed or inconvenienced. As you know, travel has become more difficult within the past decade. You’ll want to be sure you have everything in order before embarking.
* Book plane and hotel reservations well in advance, especially if you’re planning on traveling to top honeymoon spots such as the Bahamas, Jamaica or Cancun.
* If you’re planning to travel out of the country, including Canada or Mexico, you’ll need to have a passport. Routine passport applications take four to six weeks to fill. Expedited service was taking two to three weeks, with extra fees applying. For more information about obtaining a passport, go to http://travel.state.gov.
* Even if you’re planning to assume your husband’s last name once you’re married, be sure you reserve plane tickets in your maiden name, as it will take several months after your wedding for name change paperwork to be filed. You’ll want the name on your plane ticket to exactly match that on your passport or driver’s license.
* Once you’ve booked your trip --- especially if you book well in advance --- look into purchasing travel insurance. Compare costs on a site such as InsureMyTrip.com, purchase and enjoy the peace of mind you’ll experience.
* Look tin cell phone international plans if you feel like you’ll need a phone and you’re traveling abroad. Or, consider leaving phones at home and using Facebook or Skype to stay in touch.
* Give a family member a complete travel itinerary, especially if you won’t be able to be reached by phone. Provide card numbers of the credit cards you’re taking along and photocopies of passports, if you’re traveling abroad.
* Make copies of all reservation confirmations --- from your hotel and rental car to the swimming with the dolphins excursion. Also, copy phone numbers for credit card companies and photocopy your passports and driver licenses and store them in safe place.
WHAT AND WHEN TO PACK
Unless you’re headed for the wilds of Greenland or some other remote area, you’ll be able to purchase toiletries or other items you might forget to bring along. That means you don’t have to obsess about taking everything you might possibly have a need for.
There are some things, however, that your definitely do want to stash in your suitcase. In addition to copies of identification, reservations, receipts and so forth, be sure to pack battery charges for cameras, phones, iPads, and other electronics; adapters and converters if the electrical system will require them; and a travel alarm if you’re not sure you cell phone will be in service.
Travel guides and foreign language dictionaries are good ideas, and don’t forget to take ample supplies of any medications you take. Zip-lock bags in various sizes come in handy. Once you’ve got these essentials, you can pack up your favorite outfits and other items.
If you’re leaving for your honeymoon on the day of your wedding or the day after, do not, under any circumstances, put off packing until after the reception. Have everything ready in advance so it doesn’t add any stress to your wedding day.