The average engaged couple books their honeymoon 4 months before the wedding.

If you’re in the midst of wedding planning, you might wonder how they find the time. Between dress fittings and touring venues, planning a wedding is very time-consuming.

The good news is, planning a honeymoon doesn’t have to add to your already full plate. After all, it should be a special trip you look forward to, not another item on your mile-long to-do list.

Read on to learn what you should know about planning a honeymoon.

1. You Should Feel Comfortable with Your Honeymoon Budget

When you’re in the midst of planning your wedding, watching the expenses add up can feel overwhelming. That’s why having a budget for the honeymoon in mind can ease some stress. Think about your overall wedding budget and choose an amount that you can afford or feel comfortable spending.

If you want to go on your dream honeymoon, but you don’t quite have the budget, you can get creative. Instead of wedding gifts, you can register with a website like Honeyfund. Your guests can contribute to your trip instead of gifting that toaster you don’t need.

2. Changing Your Name Can Impact Your Honeymoon Plans

If you plan to change your name when you get married, you might be tempted to book your trip in your married name. But, this can actually cause a ton of trouble at the airport.

If you’re going on your honeymoon shortly after you get married, it’s easiest to wait and change your name when you get back. A name change can be a lengthy legal process and it can take a while for all your information to update.

Completing your marriage name change after the honeymoon can save you a major headache. In fact, you can be denied a plane ticket if your passport and airline booking don’t match.

 Once you return from your trip, you can start the name change process (which can be a bit complicated). The great news is that nowadays a name change kit can streamline the whole process so you’ll be able to enjoy wedded bliss and focus on building a life with your new partner.

3. You Can Hire a Travel Agent

You might feel like you need to do everything yourself, but you don’t have to. Between the wedding and honeymoon planning, you have a lot to do. That’s why you shouldn’t feel guilty about asking for help.

An experienced travel agent can handle the details of your trip while you focus on your wedding plans.

After the emotions and stress of the big day has passed, you can look forward to a planned getaway. It’s your time to relax and enjoy your honeymoon.

Plus, if you run into any problems during your trip, you’ll have a knowledgeable person you can call.

4. You Don’t Have to Go on Your Honeymoon Right Away

In so many romantic comedies, the happy couple drives away with their luggage en route to their honeymoon. While that can be the right decision for some couples, don’t feel like you need to follow that tradition.

If it’s a busy time at work or you have a lot of out-of-town family that’s visiting, you might want to delay your trip. It gives you a chance to open gifts and enjoy time with your friends and loved ones. Plus, you’ll have time to recover if you overindulged at your reception.

Whether you want to leave for your trip right away or you’d like to delay it by a few days (or even months), do what feels right for you.

5. You Can Get Discounts for Being on Your Honeymoon

While it will depend on your hotel or the type of trip you go on, you could get some free perks for being on your honeymoon. Some resorts or hotels offer free room upgrades, couples massages, turndown service, or dinners to their newlywed guests.

If you decide to use a travel agent, they might be able to get you some special deals for your honeymoon. Even if hotels don’t advertise honeymoon packages, a travel agent’s connections can often give you special perks.

Even if your accommodation doesn’t offer any perks and upgrades, it can’t hurt to mention that you’re on your honeymoon. If nothing else, you’ll get kind well-wishes.

6. You Should Choose the Destination Together

This is the first trip you’ll take as a married couple, so you should design your trip together. It’s an exciting first step, and you should celebrate the chance to experience one of the many firsts in your marriage!

Think about both of your preferences and hobbies and create a trip that both of you will enjoy.

Have you and your fiance always wanted to go to Thailand? Do you both love trying new foods? Are you an adventurous couple? Do you prefer to relax on the beach?

Decide what you want most out of the trip and go from there. This is another case where a travel agent can be a big help.

 

7. You Might Run Into Hidden Fees

As with most travel, you might end up paying a bit more than you expected. From exchange rates and travel insurance to hotel taxes and car rental fees, going on a trip of any kind can mean paying extra fees.

Luckily, some of these fees are avoidable. For example, if you need to do a currency exchange, avoid doing it at the airport. In fact, you can expect to pay 7 to 15% more at airport exchanges.

Another good way to avoid extra fees is to check your credit card benefits. Some credit cards come with free international transaction fees, which can save a lot of money when you’re traveling abroad for your honeymoon.

Enjoy Your Honeymoon Adventure

Planning a honeymoon should be exciting! It’s your first vacation as a married couple, after all. So don’t let the planning process overwhelm you. With the right knowledge, you’ll be able to design a trip with memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime.

Photos are courtesy of Perfect Moment Photography.

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BIO: Wedding photography expert Jeffrey Wang has his own wedding photography studio in Sydney Perfect Moment Photography. He helped hundreds of couples to capture their love stories and the raw emotions and spirit behinds the weddings. In his free time, he writes about love stories, venues and photography tips for known wedding blogs around the globe.