Wedding Ideas

After you pick out your affordable wedding rings and plan a beautiful budget wedding, it is time to think about planning your budget honeymoon. Just like with planning a wedding on a budget, it is necessary to prioritize your honeymoon dreams in order to maximize your honeymoon dollar. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Shop around

One of the best ways to save money on your budget honeymoon is to shop around. Sometimes discount travel sites such as Expedia.com and Orbitz.com will offer the best deal on airfare, rental cars, and the like. Other times, your best bet is to purchase directly from an airline or hotel. Sometimes more generic deal sites such as Groupon.com will run great travel deals. Once you have a general idea of your budget honeymoon priorities, start searching all around for deals in your price range. In general, the sooner you book travel, the better prices you can get, although there are some last-minute travel sites that could work well for you if you are willing to wait until the last minute to make your plans.

2. Be flexible

If a beach honeymoon is your dream, you can likely save a lot of money if you are flexible about which beach you choose. A stateside beach resort or state park is likely to be less expensive than a beach honeymoon in the Caribbean, for example. You may also be able to save a great deal of money if you can be flexible with your budget honeymoon dates. It is often cheaper to fly mid-week than to purchase airline tickets for weekend flights, in case air travel is part of your honeymoon plans.

3. Travel off the beaten path

Just like with planning a wedding on a budget, it can often be cheaper to choose not to do what everyone else is doing for their honeymoon. If you are willing to consider alternate destinations or are excited about traveling to popular destinations in the off season, then you might be able to get more for your budget honeymoon buck.

What are your honeymoon dreams?

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You’re almost there. You ordered your inexpensive trio ring set many months ago. You’ve gotten a great deal on a budget wedding venue for the big day. You ordered a delicious bargain wedding cake that looks like it cost a pretty penny. The budget wedding dress of your dreams is even in the bag.

But have you started to think beyond your budget wedding? Where will you travel on an inexpensive honeymoon without blowing all the money you saved on your wedding? Here are three ideas.

1. The Caribbean

Depending on what part of the country you live in, the Caribbean may seem out of reach. But sometimes travel websites offer amazing vacation packages to the Caribbean from an airport near you, especially during the off-season. Caribbean cruise packages also sometimes go on sale, and their all-inclusive packages might be a great deal if they sail from a port near you. Tobago and Aruba are rumored to be cheaper than many other islands in the Caribbean, especially if you stay off of the beaten path. You may also wish to consider the U.S. Virgin Islands, where you will not have to pay currency exchange rates or sales tax on any of your purchases.

2. A Nearby Luxury Hotel

If you want all out decadent relaxation on your honeymoon, remove the high travel costs. Honeymoon at a luxury hotel that is within driving distance, and splurge on gourmet meals, couples massages, breakfast in bed, and a room with a hot tub or a fireplace rather than on gas or plane tickets. This nearby hotel could also be a great destination to relive your honeymoon and celebrate anniversaries in the future.

3. A State Park

If you are outdoorsy, escape from it all in a secluded state park cabin. Cabins usually run far below $100 per night, and they generally come equipped with bathrooms, kitchens, and climate control. Be certain to reserve your cabin in advance, since state park cabins are often very popular as an inexpensive getaway. Be certain to pack your own champagne, picnic supplies, and easy but romantic foods to eat. If you’re planning on doing any serious hiking, you may wish to leave your inexpensive trio ring set in a safe place in the cabin so that it doesn’t get dirty.

What are your ideas for budget honeymoon destinations?

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When most people think about honeymoons, they imagine decadence and total relaxation. But even after being practical and planning a wedding on a budget, it can be difficult to settle for anything less than a dream honeymoon. Fortunately, with a little creativity, a budget honeymoon can very closely resemble the honeymoon of your dreams. Many couples dream about honeymooning in Europe, but even airfare alone can be prohibitively expensive for such a trip. If that is your dream, keep your eye out for special airfare deals on your favorite discount travel websites, and check out books from your local library about how to see Europe on a tight budget.

But if Europe is your dream, think about ways to stay closer to home for your budget honeymoon while still recreating the European experience. If you want an experience similar to a small village or town in Europe; wandering narrow streets, peeking into tiny local shops, and eating innovative cuisine at restaurants that aren’t part of a chain, then consider finding a nice hotel or bed and breakfast in a place like Montpelier, Vermont or New Orleans, Louisiana. This is an excellent opportunity to unwind and relax with your new spouse after all the hard work you put into planning a wedding on a budget – and you don’t have to take an eight-hour flight to get there!

Or if you want something a little more action-packed, think Las Vegas for your budget honeymoon. Bellagio, Caesar’s Palace, Paris Las Vegas, and the Venetian are some of the resort hotels that offer European ambiance and experiences closer to home. Right there on the Las Vegas strip, you can take a gondola ride along a canal, visit a replica of the Eiffel Tower, enjoy luxurious suites decorated with European décor, and eat in a divine outdoor French bistro – in addition to being within walking distance of great shows, exotic animals, and a variety of nightlife. In Venice, Italy, the most luxurious hotels start at over $2000 per night for a room. For a fraction of that price, you could spend a week of luxury in Las Vegas, especially if you are able to find a package deal on your favorite travel website.

If you’re still working on planning a wedding on a budget, you might also want to consider Las Vegas as an excellent option for saving money with a wedding and honeymoon in one, since there are so many different places to get married in Las Vegas. Especially in the off season, Las Vegas resorts sometimes offer amazing deals.

Photo Credit: Jim G

Once you plan the budget honeymoon (http://www.mytriorings.com/6-budget-honeymoon-tips.html) of your dreams, you will need to start thinking about what to pack. In general, it is a good idea to pack light, so that your new husband still has the energy to carry you over the threshold after carrying your luggage up to your hotel room. Here are a few simple tips for packing smart on your honeymoon.

Clothing

Check the weather forecast for your destination before you decide what to bring. Choose clothing items that are comfortable, versatile, and easily dressed up or down with simple accessories. Plan to bring light layers, even in the summer months when you may wish to put on a lightweight sweater over your sundress or shorts in the evening. If you decide to bring new clothing or new shoes on your budget honeymoon, be certain to wash new clothing and break in new shoes before you go. Most importantly, pack a change of clothes in your carry on luggage, just in case your checked bags are misdirected and you want to freshen up before they arrive. If swimming is in your honeymoon plans, consider bringing an extra bathing suit so that you don’t have to put on a wet bathing suit if yours has not fully dried from the beach the day before.

Jewelry

It is a good idea to leave expensive jewelry at home when you travel. Even if you purchased an inexpensive wedding ring set, you may not wish to risk loss, theft, or damage to your wedding jewelry. Some couples choose to leave their real diamond jewelry safely at home and purchase inexpensive fake cubic zirconia rings for travel. If you choose to take your wedding ring set with you, be certain to care for it properly.

Toiletries

Whether you are travelling to a strange city, a foreign country, or just a quiet bed and breakfast a few hours away, it is a good idea to prepare a small medical kit to take on your budget honeymoon that includes all of the prescriptions you need (or might need) to take, as well as your preferred over-the-counter remedies for common ailments such as upset stomachs or headaches. Depending on your destination, you may also need such items as sunscreen and bug spray.

Treats

If you don’t already have a good quality digital camera, this is the perfect time to get one so that you can start recording your memories of your new life together. Consider putting a camera on your wedding registry or buying one as a gift for your soon-to-be spouse so that you can record your honeymoon memories in photographs. Besides a camera, consider packing special treats to share with your spouse on the trip, such as gourmet chocolates, special champagne, or other favorite treats to share, in case you can’t purchase them at your budget honeymoon destination. You may also wish to prepare your own kit of pampering supplies in order to save money on spa treatments. Think about buying special lotion, bubble bath, or massage oil to surprise your new spouse.

What other helpful travel tips can you share?

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So far you’ve been a savvy bride and groom. You saved a lot of money by purchasing an inexpensive wedding ring set online. You planned and executed a romantic proposal. You are in the middle of planning a wedding on a budget. Now it is time to start thinking about taking a trip that will get you away from it all. How can you save money on a honeymoon? Here are some budget honeymoon tips to get you started.

1. Stay close to home.

Purchasing domestic airfare or driving your own car can be much cheaper than finding international flights. If you do decide to fly, investigate discount airlines and alternative airport possibilities. Instead of Paris, think New York City or Chicago. Instead of the Caribbean, consider North Carolina’s Outer Banks or the Florida Keys.

2. Get outdoors.

Many state parks offer cabin rentals. Find a park with secluded cabins and beautiful scenery. Bring your own champagne and picnic blanket. Many cabins even offer a kitchen to prepare meals together. Look into Vermont’s Button Bay State Park, Virginia’s First Landing State Park, or Mississippi’s Tishomingo State Park to get you started on planning your budget honeymoon.

3. Ask your friends.

Find out if any of your family or friends own a vacation home such as a beach house or a cabin on a lake or a condo in a nearby city. They may be willing to offer you a steep discount on lodging, or perhaps they will let you stay in their place for a week for free. You might also be able to find a friend of a friend who is hoping to sublease their big city apartment for a short time, which can be cheaper than a hotel stay.

4. Buy a package.

Search for all-inclusive vacation packages at an off-season resort. At certain times of year, it is easy to find a heavily discounted cruise, a Hawaii hotel steal, or an inexpensive Las Vegas vacation package. Online travel sites also sometimes have excellent last-minute budget honeymoon getaways.

5. Find an adventure.

Instead of picking a typical honeymoon destination at a high-cost resort, look for alternative activities at different locations. Consider renting a houseboat on the St. Johns river in Florida. Find a luxury spa in a lower cost destination, such as Hot Springs, Arkansas. Stay in a tree house bed and breakfast in a cedar tree in Washington State or a wilderness lodge in Alaska.

6. Register for a honeymoon.

If you are not prepared to pay for your dream honeymoon on your own, consider setting up a honeymoon registry through a site such as HoneyLuna.com or Honeyfund. Your guests can choose to give you the gift of a one-night hotel stay, a gourmet dinner, breakfast in bed, a couples massage, and whatever other luxuries you hope to indulge in.

Photo Credit: Steve Dunleavy