Hello fabulous couples!

I love providing tips that can help you in making some of the biggest decisions for your wedding day. I’ll cover all things wedding photography but from time to time I reach out to my friends who specialize in other categories … like what comes after your wedding day.

Up this week … tips for planning your honeymoon from Tammy O’Hara, the owner of Million Miles Travel Agency. Trust me, contact her for your honeymoon needs.

And when you book a honeymoon or romantic getaway with Tammy, you’ll get a 25% discount off your engagement or wedding photo package.

Happy planning!

Top 5 Tips for Planning Your Honeymoon

You’ve got the ring, taken the perfect photos from an awesome photographer (wink! wink!), and the wedding plans are fully on track, but while you are making color choices and saying yes to the perfect dress don’t let your honeymoon plans fall by the wayside.

I’ve heard horror stories about couples who go all out on the wedding only to end up spending their honeymoon at a Days Inn across town, because they run out of time (and money) to plan the real thing.

Nothing against Days Inn—but it doesn’t exactly say “romance,” does it?

That’s an extreme example, but too many couples experience something similar. Their first steps into their new lives, with their new spouse by their side, just fall flat.

Either they end up at a resort that was far from their first choice or they’re forced to shorten their honeymoon to a long weekend getaway because they prioritized their wedding over the honeymoon itself.

They treat the honeymoon as just another vacation—when it’s anything but!

I have also seen and helped plan the opposite. I have been able to plan spectacular honeymoons for couples and I was able to check every box on their wishlist. Those honeymoons range from two week luxury vacation in Bali, safaris in South Africa, villas and all inclusives in the Caribbean, adventures in Central and South America, and explorations and romance in Europe.

During my years planning honeymoons, there are a few tips I have picked up along with the way that usually Here are my top 5 tips for planning your honeymoon.

1) Plan (Way) In Advance:

Time is your friend when booking travel especially your honeymoon. Contrary to popular belief, the best deals come not with last minute deal but with early booking bonuses. Cruise schedules come out two years in advance. Hotel rooms usually become available 1-1.5 years in advance. 

Planning in advance allows you to get the lowest prices and allows for your pick of rooms like those honeymoon suites that are snatched up sometimes a year or two in advance.

For example, I have booked a 7 days/6 nights Southern Caribbean cruise for $600 per person when initially booked 1.5 years ago when the schedule initially came out. The same cruise cabin is currently selling for $950-$1000 per person. The price almost doubled!

2) Looking to Travel To The Caribbean? Don’t book your flights just yet!

You don’t want to wait too long to book your flights but conversely you don’t want to book too early. If you are planning a vacation to a destination serviced by a low cost airline like Jetblue or Southwest it is best to wait until you are within six months of your travel time. Low cost airlines usually announce their airline schedules six months in advance so while you can reserve your hotel room earlier if you want to save a bit of money on your flights, hold off on booking the flights until the schedules for the low-cost carriers are out.

3) Upgrade your honeymoon:

If there is one time that you want to feel special is when you have been feted by family and friends and you are off to honor your brand-new bond with a travel experience full of romance. You don’t need to be an influencer or have scads of money to do it either. Here are three simple ways to upgrade your honeymoon:

1. Get private transfers: Arranging for a private transfer starts your honeymoon on the right stress-free foot, giving you friendly plane-to-door service.
2. A just-for-two dinner: A quiet evening spent just in one another’s company will surely spark romance. Some resorts can arrange a private dinner on the beach, where it’s just the two of you, your white-gloved waiter, and the stars above. If you’re staying in a posh boutique hotel, see if you can order a gourmet meal up to your balcony—or better yet, ask for a gourmet picnic to go and dine together in a vineyard or nearby park.
3. One splurge-worthy excursion. Elevate your honeymoon to “unforgettable” status with an excursion or activity you might not spring for on a typical trip. I’m thinking above and beyond a couples’ massage, like … a chartered helicopter ride over the cliffs, a night out at a Michelin-starred chef’s table, or a champagne sunset cruise.

4) Take Time For Your Honeymoon

Now this is more about relaxing. You have probably spent the last 1-2 years planning your wedding. Now is not the time for a quickie getaway. Take the time to really get away. I’m able to build incredible itineraries for clients who have enough time to truly connect with their destination and unwind together, and my past experiences with clients shows me you need at least 5 days (Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean) or 7 days (1-2 European city destinations) to do that! If you are looking for an even more immersive experience, no worries, we can put together as long an itinerary as you desire.

5) Don’t DIY your honeymoon:

I understand that a travel agent is not right for everyone, maybe you can only get away for a weekend or you are just looking for a simple hotel experience. If you are looking for a more special experience then hiring a travel agent is one of the best things that you can do. A travel agent can save you time by doing all the research and bookings for you (which a lot of couples welcome, since they’re already busy planning the wedding!). More than that, though, good agents will craft your honeymoon or destination wedding with an eye toward value; we can tap into our network of travel contacts to pair you up with perfect-fit accommodations, tours, and more—all while ensuring your hard-earned honeymoon dollars stretch far. You’ll get fewer surprises too (I’m talking the bad kinds of surprises) because your vacation has been vetted. No more relying on sketchy resort reviews online.