Destination: Honeymoon
By Danielle Robinson - CTW Features | posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:00am
Careful spending and early planning will have couples flying to far-off locales while staying afloat financially
A honeymoon is the once-in-a-lifetime trip that couples dream of, filled with candlelight dinners, long walks on the beach and nights in a luxe suite.
But with a survey conducted by Web-based honeymoon registry site Traveler’s Joy showing that 62 percent of couples plan to cut their honeymoon budgets due to the recession, those dreams may begin to fade. Luckily, with the right planning and a little flexibility, that dream honeymoon can still be a reality.
Getting Started
If your honeymoon will take place during a high-volume travel season, plan ahead – between six and nine months in advance, says Howard Green, co-founder and CEO of Chicago-based honeymoon travel agency MoonRings. “If you’re traveling during a shoulder season or an off-season, you may not need to plan as far in advance,” he says. “We would recommend anywhere from five to seven months in advance, as a general rule.”
To pick a destination, Brandon Warner, president and co-founder of Traveler’s Joy, advises couples to give serious thought to a few key questions:
What’s our budget?
“The average honeymoon costs $3,657 in 2011, so budgeting $4,000 is a good starting point,” he says.
What’s most important to us?
This means pinpointing your main objective: beach relaxation, cultural exploration or adrenaline-pumping adventure.
How far are we willing to travel?
Which also means considering how much time you have, says Green. “If you’ve only got five days and you live in Chicago, it’s probably not enough time to go to Australia or New Zealand,” he says.
What destinations will offer the best weather while we’re there? Off-seasons are off-seasons for a reason: Research rainy periods and average temperatures for your dates before you book.
Warner says once these questions are answered, couples should be able to narrow the options. “Once the couple has a short list, they should talk to friends who have been to those destinations and do their own research,” by reading newspapers, Web sites and travel magazines, he says.
Afford your voyage
Any destination has the potential to be costly, so careful financial planning is key. “We’ve had couples honeymoon for a month or a week and spend the same amount,” Warner says. Play your cards right and you may be surprised how far your dollar can stretch.
Warner says the simplest first steps a couple can take toward saving dough are booking early and taking advantage of any frequent flier miles or hotel points. “Most airlines start to release seats at about 330 days [in advance],” Green says.
If you don’t have your heart set on one location, traveling where the dollar is strong lets couples live large on a shoestring budget, Green says. He recommends Costa Rica and other Central and South American locales. “In terms of activities and food and beverage, you tend to get a lot for your money there,” he says.
But don’t book a trip to Argentina just yet. “In general, the farther you fly, the more expensive it is,” Green says. Stick to northerly South American spots; the flight will be cheaper and you’ll still get the warm beaches and affordable eats.
For lodging, ditch the pricey resort or hotel and consider renting a home, Warner says. You’ll be able save money by cooking instead of dining out at each meal and gain the seclusion of a private residence.
To really cut costs, both men suggest staying closer to home. “Airfare can cost almost 40 percent of a honeymoon, so by finding a place within a short flight or a daylong drive, there can be significant savings,” Warner says.
If your dream destination is non-negotiable, however, fear not.
“Consider delaying two or three months,” Green says. That way, you can get your dream spot at the lowest possible rates. Couples may also want to contemplate shortening their honeymoon by two or three days, to free up their food and lodging budget, Green says.
Whatever the final decision, your honeymoon is sure to provide you and your spouse with lifelong memories. Whether in Paris, France or Paris, Texas, this is just the embarkment of a much greater voyage together.
