Your ultimate DIY honeymoon planner

5 Min Read

''Dear Prezola Experts,

Wedding admin is taking over our lives. And now we’ve got a honeymoon to plan too! We can’t afford an expensive, professional honeymoon planner. But, we’ve no idea where to start…

Please help us!

Yours Sincerely,

Damn Hot Prezola Couple''

Well, lovebirds. Honeymoon planning just got a whole lot easier.

Yay! You’ve decided to plan the big trip without using an agency or website. We think that’s a great move. You’ll save a pretty penny and have more to spend on those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Because that’s what really counts, right?

Sure, it’s a little more work for you. But with some careful attention to detail and our handy honeymoon planner at your side, you’ve everything you need to organise that trip of a century.

How do I plan the perfect honeymoon?

Planning a flawless honeymoon needn’t be stressful or daunting. That’s why we’ve broken it down into 7 easy and practical steps:

Nail your timing

Unless you’re the spontaneous, ‘turn up at the airport and hop on the next available flight’ couple, then you’ll need to leave yourself plenty of time to arrange, save and pack for the big trip.

We recommend honeymoon planning six to nine months in advance as a minimum. The earlier you book, the better bargain you’ll bag on flights and accommodation. And you’ll avoid any added stress in the midst of general ‘wed-min’ by being a last-minute Sally.

You should also consider the time of year you’d like to travel as this will hugely influence where to go. Remember different parts of the world will be enjoying different seasons at the same time.

So, double-check the weather conditions for that month to ensure the best possible honeymoon experience (and avoid being caught in too many tropical rainstorms).

Build your honeymoon fund early…

Start saving for that extra-indulgent 5-star escape to the Maldives as soon as possible. Make it happen with a simple and secure honeymoon fund with Prezola.

Research, research, research…

A little research goes a long way when it comes to honeymoon planning.

With so many distinct types of honeymoon holidays to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start.

Remind yourself of the style of holiday you usually enjoy as a couple.

Do you both share an appreciation for the finer things in life? Then perhaps a deluxe stay at Palazzo Barbarigo might be for you.

Or, do you prefer to jump out of bed and start the day with a healthy dose of adrenaline? A honeymoon spent speeding through the Atacama Desert in a 4x4 might fire up your inner explorer.

Where have you always dreamed of going? This is, after all, your only honeymoon (with the possibility of a potential post-wedding minimoon too). So, now’s your chance to overindulge, dream big and start married life with a bang (well, maybe more than one).

Need guidance in the right direction?

Connect with your inner travel hippy and get inspired with our list of the top 50 bucket-list honeymoon trips. Check out trending honeymoon hashtags on Instagram. Or create a Pinterest board and save some ideas for later.

However you decide to do your research, it’s probably the most important step for your honeymoon planner. Devote enough time to it and you won’t regret it.

Define a budget

The next big question: How much do I spend on a honeymoon?

While the average cost of a honeymoon is around £4,500, this answer will of course be unique to each individual couple.

Our number one piece of advice when it comes to your budget is to think realistically. How much can you truly afford to set aside for your honeymoon?

Are you asking for contributions from friends and family through a honeymoon fund? If so, do you have a saving goal in mind from this route?

And once you’ve got an ideal figure in mind, next you have to stick to it. The last thing you want to be worrying about while you’re sipping cocktails on a beach in Bali is that you’ve not factored in enough money for that scuba-diving excursion you’d pinned your dreams on.

Here’s a rundown of the main expenses you will need to budget for in your honeymoon planning:

Flights and transportation
Accommodation
Food and drinks
Activities
Hotel fees
Travel insurance
Any potential travel visas

Luckily, Prezola makes funding these individual expenses much easier. By adding separate contributions to your honeymoon fund, you can keep track of which costs are covered and which are still to save for.

Consider your itinerary and activities

Dreaming of embarking on one of the world’s best road trips? Defining your itinerary will be key.

If you’re planning a multi-destination style honeymoon, be sure to define how long you will stay in each place and what you’ll do there. Make a note of the key sights and attractions and give yourself enough time to really enjoy each spot.

If you’re hiring a car, decide where you will pick it up and drop it off, and how that fits into your route. And before you book your flights, consider if it’s better to fly to and from the same or different airports.

When it comes to activities, we’d recommend going full out. Remember, you may never travel to this part of the world again. Now’s the time to tick that epic skydive off your bucket list. Or splurge on a spectacular helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon.

Go big. And then go home.

an empty beach with palm trees and sunbeds

Ask for help

Top honeymoon planner hack: Use the people around you!

Why not put a social media callout asking your friends and family for their honeymoon tips and inspiration? Where have other couples you know been for their big trip? What did they wish they’d thought about before they booked? How much did they spend?

This way you’ll garner extra honeymoon planning wisdom, avoid making similar mistakes and consider places you might have missed off your list.

Plan together

Now, hopefully, this point’s a given. But do keep in mind your honeymoon should be a reflection of your joint desires and dreams.

It’s your time to reflect on the big day, decompress from all the angst of months of wedding prep and start married life as you mean to go on.

So, sit down and plan your honeymoon together (preferably over a bottle of wine). You’ll avoid any disappointments. No one person feels like the official ‘honeymoon planner’. And you’ll have organised the trip of a lifetime that truly speaks to you as a couple.