No matter how frugal you try to be, weddings usually turn out to be expensive affairs. The combined cost of the venue, the caterers, the decorators etc. can drill a huge hole in your pocket. In fact, after walking down the aisle, you might suddenly realise that you can’t afford the luxury honeymoon you has always dreamed of.
Luckily for you, it is possible to have the perfect honeymoon even when you are working with a tight budget.
Five Affordable Honeymoon Ideas
Just because you are looking for affordable ideas doesn’t mean that you will have to compromise on the quality of this romantic holiday. Every couple deserves a special honeymoon to celebrate their marriage and de-stress themselves following the wedding festivities. If you are willing to try new ideas, you can have an exciting honeymoon without breaking the bank. Here is a list of some affordable honeymoon ideas:
1. Plan a camping trip – The kind of honeymoon you wish to have will depend on your personal travel preferences among other things. If you and your loved one have a knack for adventure, you can plan a camping trip to a beach, a national park or among the mountains. These might not sound like traditional honeymoon destinations but they can be just as exciting and romantic. You can take a long walk along the mountains and end your day by cuddling with your partner in the midst of overwhelming natural beauty. The major costs involved will be limited to transportation, camping equipment and the money spent on meals.
2. Look for cruise deals – A cruise ship is quite like an island unto itself. Away from the world, you can spend quality time with your spouse as you watch the sun go down into the pristine water. Besides, you can try different cuisines, attend parties at bars and nightclubs aboard the ship and visit several places along the way. While some cruises are quite expensive, you can find an affordable deal if you start looking well in advance. Plenty of sites specialise in listing cruise deals from multiple providers or you can look directly on the websites of cruise providers like Celebrity Cruises who list their own deals to direct customers (those who don’t book through an agent)
3. Rent a home instead of a hotel – Thanks to websites like AirBnb.com, you can rent houses in any part of the world. When it comes to honeymoons, most of the money is spent on hotel accommodations. While one can’t deny that a room in a five-star hotel comes with its perks, spending time in a cosy, little home can be just as rewarding. More importantly, renting a house will be significantly cheaper, allowing you to spend money on other things.
4. Plan your honeymoon during the off-season – If you are really keen on travelling to a particularly fancy location, you can cut down on the costs by planning your honeymoon during the off-season. During these months, everything becomes cheaper including lodging, food and other fares. Every destination has a different off-season when the number of tourists are considerably lower. The off-season for some tourist destination will coincide with the dates of your wedding. Make a list of such places and plan your honeymoon accordingly. As an added benefit, places will be less crowded and you can enjoy a quiet and romantic honeymoon.
5. Plan your honeymoon early – The golden rule of travelling says that you can save a lot of money by planning your holiday well in advance. The same goes for honeymoons. Quite understandably, there is a lot to be done during weddings and in the middle of all the chaos, your honeymoon might often take backseat. However, you must devote some time to your honeymoon and zero in on the dates. Once this is done, you can book your flight tickets and hotels. If you get lucky, you can also avail some seasonal discounts on your bookings.
Finally, let people know that you are on your honeymoon. You will be amazed at the difference such a simple element will make to your honeymoon. The airline company might upgrade your flight tickets and the hotel administration might offer you a honeymoon suite as a complementary gesture. When you finally reach your honeymoon destination, don’t fret over money and enjoy this special holiday to the hilt!
I have really been stressing out about my upcoming wedding and honey moon! Money is so tight right now and we’ve really had to cut a lot of corners. Your tips here are awesome, I’m especially interested in you tip to rent a home instead of a hotel. That might just be the answer that I’ve been searching for! I also think that checking out your tips about a cruise might also be another possibility for us. Thank you so much, Amy, for this helpful article!
These ideas are great. I especially love renting a home. The others aren’t too surprising as ideas, but I would have never thought of home renting. Especially a cozy, beautiful home in New England (or anywhere near the shore). Gosh, that sounds perfect.