Each year, about 1.4 million US couples take a honeymoon. The average spends close to $4,500 for their vacation. 15% of those couples take a “luxury honeymoon” which averages at close to $10,000 for 11 days. No matter where your honeymoon falls, I think we all agree, you deserve the perfect honeymoon. After all, you have a one time shot to get it right.
Your honeymoon is meant to celebrate your love and marriage. Every couple I meet has different expectations when it comes to their vacation. Personally, I believe it is super important that those are met. If you are anything like me, you want everything to be perfect.

First off, you need to be aware that many things can go wrong during a honeymoon and I bet you have at least one couple in your circle that doesn’t have the best memory when it comes to their vacation. There are a lot of potential traps, like for example:

• Arriving in a country where no one speaks English, and you realize you forgot to pre-arrange your transfer to the resort.
• Booking that cheap flight with a 45 minute layover in Chicago. Chances are, you are not making that connection and might get to your destination a day late.
• Booking an oceanfront room not realizing that this not necessarily means you will see the ocean as the view can be obstructed.
• Wishing for a wonderful, peaceful stretch of beach not realizing that your resort sits on a public beach.
• Being deceived by a resort’s marketing. Trust me, even the biggest and best are guilty of altering their photos.
• And there are many more.

These are some of my tips on how to make sure you have the best honeymoon possible:

1. Decide whether or not you want to work with a honeymoon specialist
   Planning the perfect honeymoon takes a lot of time and research. Some people prefer to do it on their own and that is fine. But if you choose to do so, your research must go way beyond TripAdvisor and a couple of reviews from strangers you don’t know. Personally, I love working with experts. I have long learned that the time they can save is priceless. After all, they know the ins and outs which can save you countless hours of research. If you want to make your honeymoon planning easy and stress-free, I suggest you contact a honeymoon specialist. Not every travel agent will do, you need someone that cares and specializes in honeymoons. That being said, do your due diligence:- How many honeymoons have they planned?- Have you heard of them before?- Do they travel regularly and know what they are talking about?

   – Do they have good reviews?

   A great honeymoon planner gets to know you, learns what it is you are looking for and works with your budget.

2. Create your honeymoon dream!
   Cuddle up and talk about your honeymoon. These are a few topics you should discuss:- What does your perfect honeymoon day look like?- What do your surroundings look like?

   – Do you want to be very active or are you looking to mainly relax?

   – Any fun things or new things you would absolutely like to try?

   – What kind of romantic experiences are you looking for?

   The clearer your vision becomes, the easier it will be to find your perfect place!
   

3. Should you stay or should you go?
   Many couples want to leave for their honeymoon the day after their wedding. The idea is most certainly very romantic but in reality you should consider this:- Many flights leave very early in the morning, meaning you are likely not going to get much sleep, if any at all.- It also means that you have to be ready for your trip before you get married. And what if, in all the hustle and bustle, you actually forgot something important, e.g. your passport, or who will be feeding your fish?- It is always nice to check-in 24 hours prior to the flight. Chances are, you won’t have the time to do so on your wedding day.All this being said and done, doesn’t sleeping in the day after your wedding, enjoying each other for a bit, sound much better? I suggest to wait a day or two as your honeymoon departure will be much less stressful. You will have some extra time to take care of things and you will get to your destination relaxed and ready. Extra perk, you will be much calmer should something go wrong on your day of departure.
   
4. Surprise, surprise!
   Who doesn’t like to be surprised? When talking about your honeymoon, listen to what your significant other reveals. The more you know, the easier it will be to come up with a surprise. Something unexpected. Maybe it is deep sea fishing, maybe it is chartering a private yacht, maybe it is a romantic, secluded pic-nic on the beach. Whatever it is, plan it in secret. It will be extra special and truly show how much you care. You will both treasure that memory forever!

Written by STEFANIE PICHONNAT
Stefanie Pichonnat has been specializing in planning honeymoons for over 8 years. She is the owner of Cumar Gold Travel, a boutique travel firm specialized in creating and customizing personalized travel itineraries. You can contact her at stefanie@aav-travel.com