Where to start with honeymoon planning: Guest post from The Honeymoon Project

Good morning folks,

Continuing with my weekly wedding planning advice series I thought I would ask someone who is somewhat of an expert on their field, to talk today about a certain planning aspect of wedding planning that I really don’t know that much about and that is: The Honeymoon.

Quite frankly this has to be the most fun part of the wedding planning process, as heck who doesn’t love to plan a holiday? But when it’s one that’s as special as this, well I’m sure the task can seem a little daunting.

So Emma of The Honeymoon Project is kindly providing a few hints and tips today to help kickstart those plans, she will be back again over the next few weeks with some fantastic honeymoon ideas too so stay tuned. Over to you Emma…..

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Image credit: A Well Travelled Woman

So, you’re engaged – congratulations! One of the best things about getting married (aside from that whole thing of, you know, being married) is in planning your honeymoon (and, of course, going on honeymoon). Whether or not you want it to be a once-in-a-lifetime no-expenses-spared trip, or are just looking for somewhere low-key to spend a precious few days together enjoying your newly-wed status, the idea of planning your honeymoon can seem a little bit daunting, and it can be hard not to feel like the pressure’s on to get it all completely right and have the best holiday ever.

But it doesn’t have to be daunting, at all. Here’s a few tips to bear in mind when you’re first starting to think about and plan your honeymoon – for more, check out the Getting started section my website, The Honeymoon Project. You’ll find a whole host of ideas and inspiration for planning your honeymoon; or, if you’re looking something specific, give me a shout at emma@thehoneymoonproject.com.

Image Credit:  An adventurous Moroccan honeymoon and a post-wedding shoot
Andreas Holms via 100 Layer Cake

♥ Decide on a budget   Undoubtedly one of the most important factor in planning your honeymoon – the last thing you want is to have your heart set on an overwater bungalow in the Maldives and then discover that the most you can afford is a a partial sea-view in Bournemouth. Not that there’s anything wrong with Bournemouth, of course.

♥ Stick to your budget   You really don’t want to be worrying about money the whole time you’re on honeymoon, so do stick to the budget that you set yourselves.

♥ If you can’t afford the honeymoon you want then think about setting up a honeymoon gift list, which will allow guests to contribute towards your trip.

♥ Decide when you want to go   Directly after your wedding, a few days after, or maybe even a month or half a year later – you may want to go away when the weather is best for your destination.

Image credit: Sydney Beach Session Matt Johnson via 100 Layer Cake

♥ Check the weather   If you’re after a beach honeymoon and can’t face the thought of rain, then make sure you’re choosing the right destination for the time of year – our month-by-month guide is a good place to start.

♥ Pick up guidebooks  My local library is always my first port of call when thinking about our next holiday – I usually come away with a stack of guidebooks to pore over until we come up with the perfect destination. Once we’ve decided on a destination, then I’ll buy a guidebook to keep.

♥ Check out websites and chat to travel agents   There’s now a huge amount of travel information available on the internet – your first port of call should obviously be The Honeymoon Project, but I’d also recommend checking out the other resources listed here. Even if you’re planning on booking your honeymoon independently (that is, putting it together yourselves by buying your flights and accommodation separately, or through an online specialist like Expedia), it’s worthwhile chatting to a travel agent or tour operator (see the links here for our recommendations) to get some ideas about where to go and prices – plus, they might be able to suggest options you hadn’t previously thought of.

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Some really fab Honeymoon planning tips there from Emma, you can find even more on her fab website The Honeymoon Project and also on twitter and facebook.

I’d love to hear your honeymoon plans, have you started thinking about it yet, what ideas have you had, where is your ideal destination and are you a chilling on the beach kinda person or more a let’s get out and about and explore type?

I am actually a bit of both so my ideal would be to combine the two, with the first few days spent totally chilling in absolute luxury, having endless cocktails and delicious food brought to me while I laze the day away under the beating sun. Then once I felt totally zen, calm and revitalised I’d fire things up with a few days exploring a vibrant City, one that has a real party vibe to it, it would still all be about the food and drink for me but I would just HAVE  to include some dancing, somewhere along the way.

Michelle xx