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| Our Honeymoon at Sandals Grande Ocho Rios |
Are you beach lovers? I think this is obvious - look for something at the beach!
Adventurers? Stay at a dive resort, in the mountains, or somewhere that includes discounts or trips to the places you'll be going.
Travelers? You might get restless staying in one place for a whole week! Set up a backpacking tour around Europe or go island-hopping in the Caribbean.
Romantics? You are the ones who are okay with not going somewhere fancy, and just hole-ing up in a cabin somewhere far away from everything.
Big eaters? Your number one priority here is all-inclusive, friend.
Lazy bums? Maybe a trip to the local beach or just staying at home is more your style.
A little mix of all of the above? Go on a cruise!
Second Thing To Think About: How Much Can We Spend & How Long Will We Be Gone?
Should be an easier question to answer. You need to determine your budget before you start looking at options. Now that you know what type of trip you want to take and after you decide how much you can spend, you can decide where to go, what to do, and where to stay. When thinking about a budget, one option could be to budget it into your wedding costs. If you go under in other categories that you're less concerned about (like programs or favors), you could move some funds into the honeymoon category. Just make sure to spend the right amount on everything else (cutting back where necessary) once you budget it in. One other thing to keep in mind as you plan is where you will spend your first night after the wedding. Make sure you include that in your budget! In regards to the length of the trip, look at your vacation days. If you're going far off, staying two weeks is probably a better idea to get your money's worth and be able to feel relaxed. If you will be moving into your new place and your job allows move-in days, you could potentially use those to stay an extra day or two; on the other hand, it might force you to come back a day early so you can move in if you don't get any extra days off.
Third Thing To Think About: How Far Do We Want To Go?
No, I'm not talking about what will be going on in your honeymoon suite. I'm talking about the distance you're willing to travel to get to your destination. Basically no matter what you're looking for, you can find it at various levels:
Close by - Not willing to travel? Don't have a lot of time? Not too much cash? Find something in your hometown! Every town has its attractions - theme parks, hiking, restaurant-surfing, cute old inns, historical sites. Look a little closer at your hometown (or your wedding location) - it might have something interesting you never knew about before!
Within driving distance - You want to get there quickly, would rather spend your money on the trip than the travel, and maybe you're afraid of flying. Check out interest sites within 3-4 hours. You probably don't want to be trapped in a car for the whole first day of your marriage, but there's nothing cool within 2 hours. Go somewhere you've never been before, or if you go someplace familiar, stay in a different section of town. You may want to double check with your hotel to see what time you can check-in. It's nice to put your bags down early if you get there faster than expected.
Road trip - You love being together, you're not a type-A (okay with detours and spontaneity), and you care more about the experience than the product. Get a few ideas, look at a map, and figure out what you can squeeze in. Keep in mind - more isn't always better. You WILL want some time to rest, and having a schedule with more than one thing to do every day might stress you out, especially if there's construction on the roads.
Flight - You like traveling, the easier the better, and your dream location is further than a few hours. Don't rule this one out if you're going by price. Some airlines don't charge for luggage (especially if you can pack light) and if you're not set on one particular destination, just go with the cheapest option out of the ones you're looking at. Keep in mind that weddings are exhausting. Try to get a flight as late as possible while still arriving to your destination in a timely manner. It could be worth it to pay for a non-stop flight so there's nothing to worry about. If you've never flown before, or aren't familiar with your airport, make sure you get there about 2 hours early. Check-in and security lines can be long. You need to be checked-in an hour before your flight and at your gate 30 minutes before your boarding time. Pack light, and make sure your liquids are 3 ounces or less if they're going in your carry-on!
Out of the country - You've flown out of the country before, you have money and patience, and the US just doesn't cut it for you. Now, the sky's the limit! Be prepared to be at the airport at least 2 hours before your departure, take extra money for unforeseen country taxes, make sure you'll have the right currency (bring cash and a credit card), check into the country's visa/travel policy, and remember your passport! If you don't have a current passport, start the process six months in advance or more. It's ridiculous, but you don't want to chance it. If your travel is going to take more than a few hours, consider spending the night at the place of layover and make that a trip in itself, that way you can sleep in the morning after your wedding and not be so rushed to get to the airport.
Fourth Thing to Think About: What Do We Value?
By now you should have a good idea of what you're looking for - the theme of your trip (beach, hiking, touring), your price range, your travel dates, and the range you're willing to travel. To start narrowing down your options you need to have a good idea of what is important to you on your trip. Decide what you must have, what you would like to have, and what is less important. Look through your options and see what fits best for your price range. Don't forget to make sure they're available on the dates you're going - you can't really change that! What to look for:
Location - Are you willing to fork out big bucks to be right on the beach or in the middle of the city? Would you rather stay further away? Will you need a rental car?
Amenities - Do they offer a free shuttle from the airport? Will you have to pay $5 per megabyte if you want to check the internet on your smart phone? Continental breakfast? Free rental bikes?
All-inclusive or not - Some hotels claim to be all-inclusive, but you end up paying for drinks, etc. Or worse - there's only one restaurant you can eat at!
Quality of the hotel/villa - Do you want a room that looks like it belongs to a princess or are you just looking for a comfortable place to lay your head at night? Since it is your honeymoon, you might want this to be a higher priority than just any ol' vacation.
Pool/Hot Tub - Necessary or nay? If you're looking for a villa with a private pool all to yourself, double check on this. A lot of listings say they have a private pool, but when you read further you find out that it's actually shared with another property.
Ratings - Check out what other people have to say. Sometimes reviews are helpful, but don't let them sway you too much - a lot of times people only write reviews when they're angry.
This hopefully provided some background to your research. It can be overwhelming to think of tons of options and try to narrow it down. Make sure you get something you want but have fun in the process. And don't forget to plan with hubby-to-be!
Coming up: all about the Caribbean - differences between the islands and how to decide where & what kind of place to stay
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