Honeymoons on a budget

The honeymoon should first and foremost be a chance to spend quality time with your new partner, and while it’s tempting to go overboard on the spending in the hopes of making it a truly memorable experience, there’s no reason you can enjoy a wonderful honeymoon in an exotic location without crippling your wallet.

With the right planning and creativity, you can experience a honeymoon you’ll remember for the rest of your lives, and we share some tips below on how you can make this happen.

• Try to avoid travel during notoriously busy seasons, including spring break, Christmas, and the summer months. Travel and accommodation prices rise dramatically during these periods, and are quite affordable otherwise.
• Don’t get stuck searching for deals through just one travel agent or outlet. The price difference between travel agencies is often quite broad for different destinations, more so than in any other industry. Agents who specialize in honeymoons may also be able to hook you up with additional deals. 
• Do research on the country you’ll be visiting. Often times they’ll have travel related expenses in the form of visas or taxes that you may not be considering, and could help determine where you’ll visit.
• If you’re planning on upgrading your seats on the plane, you may be better off flying home in business class to compensate.
• Avoid the lover’s suite. It’s always tempting to splurge on lush hotel rooms, especially when many of them have names like the one above which call out to you. The reality is that you’ll be spending much of your time outside your room, and much of your time in it sleeping. You can save a great deal of money by choosing a cheaper room option, which can better be spent on meals and activities.
• Don’t be afraid to book early. You can often get better deals by buying tickets and holiday packages well in advance, and likewise, waiting until the last second will usually cost you considerably more. By locking in to a destination early, you’ll also have plenty of time to plan excursions and other activities while there.
• Buy online. This is becoming a great option in all industries, and this is very true of the travel industry. Online purchases cut out the overhead costs that go along with running brick and mortar businesses, and those savings get passed along to you. Feel free to consult travel agents with any questions, but purchase online when you can.
• Don’t miss out on the little details, such as whether or not breakfast is included with your room. It may not seem like much, but purchasing €10-€20 breakfasts for a week or more quickly adds up.

As for which location to choose, that’s really up to you. Longer flights will naturally cost slightly more, but destinations themselves have plenty of options for honeymooners on a budget, and in fact a trip to Asia could prove to be much cheaper than a trip to Europe, despite the more expensive airfare. Ultimately the destination is one of the most important aspects of the trip, and should not be