DeLong Photography Blog

Photographers providing authentic photographs, modern heirloom albums, and more for those who value a comfortable and fun experience 
Based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Available for travel.

6 Tips for Planning Your Honeymoon

An aerial view of an island with turqoise waters implying a honeymoon destination

Your Honeymoon

Planning your honeymoon may feel overwhelming because you’ve been hard at work planning the wedding itself. While it might seem like another task, and one you want to put off, stick with these honeymoon tips and you’ll be fine. Just remember to start early, and do your best to stay organized! You’ve already most likely been doing a great job of learning to research and plan, so this should be a breeze. Oh and not to mention, really exciting!

1) Start Saving ASAP

Budgeting is crucial for the entire wedding planning process, and that includes the honeymoon. Do your best to set aside money as soon as you can, and plan a portion to be side aside each month. Furthermore, the earlier you book your honeymoon the more you can save! We recommend booking your honeymoon 6-8 months ahead of time. This way you’ll have plenty of time to browse and get the best deals.

2) Determine Hidden Costs

The last thing anyone wants when it comes to wedding planning is an unexpected expense. Try your best to think through all requirements to your honeymoon so you don’t get surprised by a hidden cost. Examples of hidden costs are purchasing passports, airport transfers and fees, tips, extracurricular activities like jet skiing or excursions, etc.

3) Plan Together

It’s hard to plan a wedding alone. The same goes for the honeymoon! While your partner may not seem into planning be it the stress or pressure from this very important choice, make sure they are included! It’s a trip you BOTH want to enjoy so be sure to include a mix of activities you each are interested in. A good partnership is about compromise anyway. So if you aren’t excited about sunrise yoga, but your partner is, do it! They will be elated, and making them happy should make you feel good too.

4) Consider Hiring a Travel Agent

Many travel agents offer their services FOR FREE. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or you’re not really sure of good places during the time of year you are getting married, bringing a pro in can be so helpful! A travel agents job is to get you the best deals and make recommendations depending on your parameters.

5) Consider NOT Leaving Right Away

While most people want to run off the moment the reception ends, there are some benefits to waiting. You might not realize it, but although the stress of wedding planning is over, you’re exhausted after the wedding! Taking a day or two, or even longer, can help you catch up on rest and peacefully take off on your trip. You’ve looked forward to the honeymoon for so long, you don’t want to arrive grumpy due to sleep deprivation, a hangover, or the thought of potentially making plans while on the vacation. You may also want to wait for a better time of year for your chosen location (like not leaving for the Caribbean in the late summer because it’s the height of hurricane season), or any other important compromise.

6) Plan for Surprises

If you love gift giving like I do, planning some surprises can win you some bonus points with your partner and make you feel really good. These surprises don’t have to be grand or expensive. Getting a reservation at a restaurant you know they’ll love, having room service bring their favorite dessert for a late-night snack or set up a bubble bath, or having a special gift waiting for them in the room shows you put in some extra thought and effort. This is a magical time in your lives…why not make it even more so?


I hope you found this post helpful, and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out! Happy planning!

Black and white image of Tim and Shannon DeLong of DeLong Photography in Riverfront Park park smiling at the camera

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