Honeymoon Planning Timeline

So we all know that the last thought on the busy brides mind is planning the Honeymoon, but this major trip should not be left till the last minute.  The Honeymoon is the first trip you take as a married couple and can be very relaxing after all the stresses of wedding planning.  So just like there is a wedding planning process, there is a Honeymoon planning timeline as well that can help make the planning less stressful and more fun.


6 Months Before:
You should set your budget and pick a Honeymoon Specialist, like us at Prestige Travel.  You should start to toss around ideas with your specialist as well as with your partner and get a feel of where you want to go and what you can afford to do.

If you are planning a destination wedding, you should start looking at contracts and getting the paperwork settled.

3 Months Before:
If you are traveling internationally or going on a cruise you should start getting your passports or visas.  It is a good idea to get your passport for a cruise because if you get hurt or need to leave before the cruise gets back, you will need to have a passport to fly out.  You should also start to shop around for travel insurance.

2 Months Before:
Finalize plans for what activities you and your partner want to do on the honeymoon, whether it is scuba diving, snorkeling, or zip lining.  Your honeymoon specialist at Prestige Travel has extensive knowledge on what activities there are at the resort and how to get you the best rate.

1 Month Before:
Start to make sure you have everything you need for your trip.  You do not want to wait till the last minute for the packing, because you will have so much on your mind with the wedding and you want packing to be finished.  Your honeymoon specialist will also finalize all plans at this time.

2 Weeks Before:
This is when all of your travel documents will have come in, and you should also have a meeting with your honeymoon specialist.  The honeymoon specialist will then also discuss what kind of things to expect on your honeymoon, from transfers to hotel arrangements.

Your honeymoon specialist will let you know if there are any changes in flight or destination information.  Your honeymoon specialist will also be on call for your entire trip so you can call with any questions or concerns at any time so you can relax and enjoy your wedding and have a magical stress free honeymoon!

Honeymoon Cruises

Picking the right destination for your honeymoon is very important.  But what if you cannot figure out where you want to go.  A cruise might be the right choice for you.  A cruise offers all the amenities of a resort, but you go to multiple destinations.  You can cruise to Mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas, Alaska, and even Europe.  There are so many cruise lines to choose from that you could never go wrong!

One amazing cruise ship is Oasis of the Seas by Royal Caribbean.  It is the newest ship and it is also the largest cruise ship in the world!  There are so many things to do on this ship, like a new 3D movie theatre, fitness center, spa, surf simulators, rock climbing, and multiple dining options including a Starbucks, all right there on the ship.  The Oasis of the Seas offers Caribbean cruises that travel throughout the Caribbean and Mexico.

Another fun alternative to cruising the Caribbean and Mexico would be to cruise Alaska.  There are so many things to do in Alaska like dog sledding and glacier climbing.  These are things that most people do not do in their life, so it would be amazing to be able to do with your new partner on your honeymoon. 

A good cruise ship to travel with when cruising to Alaska would be Princess Cruises.  A lot of people do not know much about Princess, but they are an amazing company, they offer multiple cruise lengths and excursions in Alaska.  Princess also offers multiple on ship amenities that will make your cruise a relaxing and special time full of memories that will last a life time.


                                   


If you decide you do not want to cruise with Royal Caribbean or Princess Cruise, there are still plenty of other choices like Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, and even Viking River Cruises.  Which ever you choose, there is no way you could go wrong with a cruise for your honeymoon.

Destination Weddings

Destination weddings are becoming much more popular, especially since the cost of the traditional wedding is growing by leaps and bounds.  The concept behind the destination wedding is to create a more intimate and often exotic setting to exchange vows.  Occasionally, the bride and groom go alone, but more often they invite family members and close friends to join them.  The overall atmosphere is much more laidback and gives the couple the opportunity to spend time with their family and friends. Most importantly, a destination wedding typically places fewer demands on the bride and groom and provides them with more time to focus on each other and the vows they are taking.

One perfect example of this was the destination wedding of Jebb McMillan and Jamie McLeod.  Jamie’s dream had always been to get married on the beach, and Jebb and her parents were in full agreement that they wanted to make her dreams come true.  Friends who had recently had a destination wedding of their own recommended that they contact Betsi Jordan, owner of Prestige Travel, who had assisted them with their plans.  And so they did.

 “We felt comfortable and in good hands with Betsi from our first meeting,” said Ginger McLeod, mother of the bride.  “It made us feel much more comfortable because this was something she had done many times before.  She suggested several destinations and resorts, and Jamie and Jebb decided that Dreams Riviera Cancun in the Riviera Maya of Mexico was where they wanted to have the wedding. 

“Betsi then went into action helping us secure the wedding date and rooms at the resort.  We sent out an invitation to friends and family and, to our amazement, 70 joined us for the festivities.  All we had to do was give them Betsi’s contact information, and she took care of all of the travel arrangements.  I couldn’t believe how easy it was. 

“As a matter of fact, Betsi and her husband Shep came along for the wedding.  Everybody had such a good time, and it warmed my heart to see how much fun Jamie and Jebb had.  Also, we spent much less than we would have on a traditional wedding and got a vacation at a beautiful resort to boot.  It truly was a dream come true!”

Most couples choose to honeymoon at the destination wedding resort for a few days following the wedding and some, like Jebb and Jamie, move to another resort in the same area that caters more to honeymooners, that way they still get the feel of “going on a honeymoon”.

Destination Weddings are perfect if you are looking for an intimate wedding with just close friends and family and choosing the right travel specialist will make the planning process simple and stress free.  At Prestige Travel, we make sure that your destination wedding is the dream trip you have always hoped it would be. 

The Key to the Perfect Honeymoon

 

          The Honeymoon -- probably one of the least thought about things during the wedding planning process, but definitely one of the things you look forward to most.  The honeymoon is the first time the new Mr. and Mrs. are together as a married couple.  There is a new commitment to each other and the honeymoon is the first time you are able to share that commitment with each other.  You plan and think about the wedding non stop, from the time you get engaged until the time you walk down the aisle.  But the honeymoon is the rainbow at the end of the wedding planning journey -- a time to get away, relax, be together without any pressures or timelines, and it deserves some thought as well.

          The first step to the perfect honeymoon is creating a picture in your minds of yourselves on the trip.  The second is to find a travel agency that specializes in honeymoon planning to help with the process.  While the internet is helpful in providing ideas and information, it cannot replace the personal attention and expertise you’ll receive from a good honeymoon travel specialist.  They know the questions to ask, they have been to many of the destinations and have the connections to get you a good value from reliable sources.  This is not a trip you can trust to chance (or Travelocity).   You need someone, a live person, to be there for you from the moment you first meet with them until the day you get back home from your trip.  The best part is, by using a honeymoon specialist you typically pay no more, often less, than what you find on line and the value of their services is priceless. 

          Which leads us to the next step, picking the perfect destination.  If you want to relax and not do anything but lounge by the pool, then a cruise or an exotic beach resort would be perfect. 

Or if you

 want some activities like zip-lining through a rainforest, snorkeling through caves and seeing ancient ruins, then a trip to the Riviera Maya would be a good choice.  There are so many resorts and areas to choose from and we can help fit you with the ideal destination/resort.    At Prestige Travel we make sure you do not have to worry about one detail.  We know the ins and outs of traveling and have extensive knowledge about all of the different destinations and resorts.  Our goal is to make the planning process much less overwhelming and alot more enjoyable. 

         

The final step to the perfect honeymoon is to relax and enjoy each others company because soon enough it’s back to the real world.  Really take time on the honeymoon to learn about each other in a whole new way and make memories that will last a life time! 

              The perfect ending to a beautiful wedding is an unforgettable honeymoon!

                                                ~Prestige Travel