Bon voyage! Planning the perfect honeymoon

Whether you two are seeking an adventure or you just want to relax in the sun, travel expert Misty Ewing offers tips to creating the dream vacation that won't break the newlyweds’ bank.

What are the most important things you need to know when planning the perfect honeymoon?

1. What do you want to do on your honeymoon?

• Determine if you and your new spouse are looking for rest and relaxation to recover from the stresses of wedding planning.
• Do you both want to be busy from morning to night?
• Or do you want a combination of the two?
• Just make sure that you’re both on the same page in terms of activity level so no one feels obligated.

2. Where do you want to go?

• Are you looking for a city hotel stay, with activities right outside your door?
• Or do you want a remote resort stay, where you can completely unwind?

3. Most importantly, agree and stick to your budget.

• Most people want to splurge when they get there, thinking “I’ll only have one honeymoon.”
• A reasonable notion at the time, until you get the bill two weeks later.
  

Honeymoon registry

• A great way to achieve the honeymoon of your dreams, especially at a time when travel is becoming more expensive. Plus, with people getting married later in life, they don’t need more household items.
  
  
• Work with a honeymoon specialist to design the ideal trip, and then components are itemized online.
  
  
• Wedding guests can contribute to these honeymoon items by purchasing everything from a night’s stay to a champagne breakfast in bed, airfare or a round of golf and spa treatments. They can spend $25 or $400.
  
  
• Look for registries that are affiliated with reputable travel agencies — they provide convenience to your guests as well as expert planning guidance. (Distinctive Honeymoons (N.Y.), Casto Travel (Calif.).
  
  
• Postcards from the destination offer a fun alternative to thank-you notes and you can write them on the plane ride home.

MORE FROM WEDDINGS

Weddings Section Front

Slideshow: Brides get down and dirty Sister rivalry? How to avoid a wedding fight He wanted a big wedding — so he planned it Planning a honeymoon? 10 free VIP upgrades 7 ways to ensure your bridal party’s happiness Vampires vow till death do us part at wedding Why one woman says ‘I don’t’ to marriage Exotic — not that kind — bachelor party ideas Coping with weirdness when parents remarry 5 rules that unlock secrets to a great marriage Weddings Section Front   Add Weddings headlines to your news reader: