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Friday, February 4, 2011

Tips on How To Save on your Honeymoon!

The honeymoon is an important aspect in every wedding plan no matter how tight the budget is. Your wedding day is your dream day, but every couple also looks forward to their honeymoon. Often the honeymoon is the first big getaway of your life together.

Your honeymoon is a time to rest after your wedding; but it's also the time to really enjoy being together before you return to reality.

All couples want their honeymoon to be wonderful - whether it's a big budget 10 night stay in na over the water bungalow in Bora Bora or a romantic stay in a cozy cabin the mountains. Many couples forget to include their honeymoon in their overall wedding planning budget -- or, as the cost of the wedding escalates, there are fewer dollars to spend on the honeymoon.


However, you can still have a wonderful honeymoon, even if you do not have a large budget!


First of all, plan what you CAN afford so that you are not adding the "oh my God how to we pay for this" stress to your list. You also don't want to start your new life together in credit card debt so DON'T use a credit card to finance your honeymoon.

Here are a few tips to help you save money for your honeymoon:


1) Use http://www.honeyluna.com/ for your wedding honeymoon registry. Honeymoon registries have been popular since HoneyLuna launched in 1995 -- and are now an acceptable form of bridal registry according to the Emily Post Insitute of Etiquette.


HoneyLuna's honeymoon registry is a great way to ask for gifts toward your honeymoon rather than another towel or toaster or "stuff" you don't want. Use HoneyLuna to register the items and activities of your honeymoon as your wedding gifts -- your family and friends can view the fun and experiential things you'd like to enjoy on your honeymoon and buy you things like a night in your hotel, a romantic dinner for two on the beach, spa treatments, contribute toward air fare... whatever!!!


Many couples who use a honeymoon registry get their honeymoons fully paid for by their friends and family and don't have to worry about returning 5 of the same "things" when they get home!


2. Plan your honeymoon ahead of time to take advantage of the best air fares and early booking discounts and promotions offered by resorts. You can book a honeymoon package with your air up to one year in advance.


3. Do consider a vacation rental or condo rather than a ritzy resort. Many condo resorts or vacation rentals ARE beautiful and luxurious -- and some do offer amenities and services. You can save a lot of money on the room rate -- but you can also save by buying snacks, breakfast foods, wines, etc. and stock them in your kitchen. Many brides say "I don't want to cook on my honeymoon" Well, you don't have too -- but you can save a ton of money by making your own coffee, having cereal and fruit for breakfast and and packing sandwiches for lunch. You can still treat yourself to a nice dinner - but will save by not having to eat out every meal.

4. Go to a national park or go camping on your honeymoon! This could be the best and the most romantic idea for an affordable honeymoon. Instead of paying hundreds of dollars for hotel accommodations save the money for other important matters. Check out our previous blog about Honeymooning in National Parks (and yes, you can still use HoneyLuna's honeymoon registry!)


5. If you can, choose a honeymoon spot that is "off season". This is another great way to save money -- Hawaii is the MOST expensive June - August. Can you go before June 1 or after Labor Day? Is so you'll save hundreds on air fare and hundreds on room rates. And yes, it's hurricane season in the Caribbean during our summer months, but if not hurricaning, the weather can still be wonderful and room rates low....


be flexible.....be creative and have fun!!!