Budgeting for Your Honeymoon

Planning a wedding is full of budgeting. You have to consider venues, food, music, clothing, and so much more. But it doesn’t stop there. You also have to prepare for your honeymoon after your big day. There’s some important aspects to remember when planning your costs for this, but there are also some tricks to help your budget go farther and prepare as well as you can so that you can sit back and enjoy the vacation. Use these tips to make sure your honeymoon is the least stressful part of your wedding planning.

Costs to plan For

Transportation

Depending on where you’re going, you’re going to have to figure out a way to get there. Whether it be by airplane, car, train, boat, or more, this can be the most costly part of your trip. If you’re looking to be cost efficient, you’ll want to pick something as close to home as possible. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t go somewhere amazing. Do some thorough research to see if there’s some hidden treasures in your backyard, and you may be surprised what you may find. Additionally, if you’re finding this cost to be too high, consider a different mode of transportation. For example, if you can’t afford the plane ticket, maybe consider a train ride to your destination. Do the math for each method and see which one is going to be the least costly.

For flights, don’t forget to calculate the price to check bags, rent a car or cab fare, travel insurance, and anything else you may run into. If you’re driving, be sure to figure out the average price of gas in the places you’ll be traveling to and determine how much it will cost. You’re also going to need to plan for food on the trip and possibly even a hotel to spend the night in if your drive is long enough. Also, consider budgeting for any car emergencies you may encounter. Train rides are relatively cheap, but again, you may have to stay in a hotel depending on how far you’re going. If it’s by boat, or perhaps a cruise, you’ll definitely need to factor in food costs as well.

Hotels

This is going to be another major part. Don’t forget to plan for any stays you may make on the way there. You have quite a few options these days for where you want to stay. Chances are, it’s going to be easy on your wallet to find an Airbnb, especially if you’re going to be there for a while. You can also look into resorts and other more tourist-y places to stay. Aim to travel somewhere that you have family or friends to stay with, and you’ll save a fortune. Factor room service and tips in that budget as well. Try to be realistic about your budget, but don’t sacrifice your comfort too terribly. If you’re not wanting to choose between comfort and price, see if you can find any deals on hotels in the area, Groupons, or other coupons.  Finally, it can’t hurt to mention that you’re on your honeymoon, as they may be have special deals for newlyweds, or a little upgrade at the very least.

Food

This may not seem like a big deal, but it can get pretty costly when you’re on vacation, especially if you’re in a place where they up-charge for the sake of tourists. Try to find the more local places that will have more authentic food, most likely at better prices. You can also consider packing lunches each day, or buying groceries and cooking where you’re staying if possible, if you’re really looking to cut down on expenses. It’s possible to budget for a couple of more expensive meals and then try to be more frugal with the rest. Figure out what kinds of costs will work best with your budget and how much you can spend at each place. You can even look for restaurants close to the place(s) you’ll be staying, see if you can find their menu online, and budget that way. If you’re a planner, this is a great way to do it, especially because it’ll cut down on spending time trying to find a place to eat, time you could be spending relaxing with your new spouse.

Momentos

You’re going to want to bring home memories of one of the best vacations of your life. Think of something meaningful you can purchase that will remind you of the trip without being too costly. Chances are, the more tourists in the area, the more you’ll be paying at a shop, so try to steer clear of the gift shops at attractions. It’s just as easy to find something much cheaper and perhaps even start a tradition out of it. Also, consider making purchases that you’ll need for your home together, as it makes your purchases much more practical and those items in your home much more special. Just be sure to stick with the budget and not go over, no matter how tempting.

Attractions

Are any of the places you’re going to visit while you’re there going to cost you? This is another place where checking for prices ahead is really going to help. Plus, it never hurts to be over-prepared, so you may find it useful to plan your trip and what you want to check out before even leaving. This will make sure that you’re going to know exactly how much you need to budget for each visit you make and to ensure you don’t miss out on something you really want to do because you’ve already blown your budget.

Tips and tricks

Ask for money or start a honeymoon registry

This can be something you ask people to help fund as their wedding present for you. If you’re really wanting to just have extra cash to burn while you’re there, you can always just ask for cash in lieu of actual gifts.

Do your research

Look into what you want to do, eat, see, and where to stay before even budgeting. This will allow you to get the inside scoop on what is and isn’t really worth your money. Hopefully, this will keep you from leaving a place wishing you had spent it elsewhere. It’ll also help you learn how to make compromises on things you want to do together.

Plan for off-season

Aim to go places when they aren’t as busy, and it’s cheaper. Flying to Hawaii in the summer probably isn’t going to be the cheapest, so figure out when it’s going to be the best deal to go.

Try not to take too much time off

You don’t want to lose more money by going on your vacation by not working for too long. Be reasonable about how long you can afford to take off and plan for that. Even if the temptation is there to take a long honeymoon, just know you may regret it at the end of the month when bills need to be paid.

Don’t get suckered into spending too much

Places that get a lot of tourists know how to get the most money out of your pockets before you leave. The average couple spends about $4,500 on their honeymoon. If you can afford this comfortably, then go right ahead. However, if you’re wanting to stay on the frugal side of a honeymoon, look for ways to avoid tourist traps.

Consider a “mini-moon”

If you’re anxious to get married but not to foot the bill of an expensive location, then just know that you don’t have to go all out. You can always take a small getaway, and then save up for something more exciting after you’re married. There’s no shame in this, and you technically get two honeymoons!

Your time to get married in a special one, and we want it to be as painless as possible for you. Planning a honeymoon (and especially going on one) should be fun! You’re going on the trip of your life, but you don’t need to spend your life savings. Plan out a budget that you know you can stick to, and use these tips and tricks to save big on your big day.