Planning the Honeymoon of YOUR Dreams! Carolyn Waffle, Certified Travel AllInclusiveHoneymoonsandDestinationWeddings.com
Planning the Honeymoon of YOUR Dreams! Preparing for the Perfect Romantic Honeymoon of YOUR Dreams takes special planning to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible. In following this planning timeline your planning process will run smoothly, you will be able to reserve the location of your choosing and minimize last minute anxiety that comes with late planning. 9 Months to 1 Year Before Take our Honeymoon Questionnaire to determine the type of honeymoon experience you would like. Compromises are often required! Choose your honeymoon destination based on the month you wish to travel. Determine an approximate budget, but be flexible. Research your chosen destination. Work with a travel agent to get ideas of pricing and realistic views of resorts and destinations. ( All websites look beautiful.) It s best to work with someone who has been to your destination and hotel of choice. Our travel experts frequent the resorts we represent on a rotating basis to make sure that the resorts and locations we represent are up to our standard. 6 Months to 9 Months Before Determine when you will depart for your honeymoon. It is best to wait until 1 or 2 days after your wedding. Most flights to the Caribbean and Mexico depart in the early morning hours and if your reception ends late at night it can be very difficult and stress full to arrive at the airport at 6:00am the next day. Confirm the honeymoon of your choice with us! With a small deposit you can be sure that you are able to confirm the honeymoon destination and hotel of your dreams. We will take care of all of your special requests, order honeymoon packages, make your seat assignments of the airplane, inform you of passport and visa requirements, and keep up to date on any specials that become available even after you have confirmed your honeymoon! Purchase trip cancellation insurance; preferably cancel for any reason insurance. 1
3 Months to 6 Months Before Apply for passports if required. 2 ½ to 2 Months Before Pay off the balance of your honeymoon package. One Month Before Reconfirm travel reservations including hotel, air and excursions. Make sure that you have all necessary travel documents such as airline ticket receipts, hotel vouchers, transfer vouchers, excursion confirmations and any other necessary documents. Inform banks and credit card companies that you will be traveling out of the country and the dates that you will be traveling. This will prevent them from freezing your card if they suspect fraudulent activity. 2 Weeks Before Ask a friend or neighbor to check your mail, bring in your paper, watch your house, water plants, take out your trash, etc. Or register at the post office and newspaper to stop delivery. Exchange money to foreign currency, at least $50 - $100 to be prepared for any expenses immediately after debarking the plane. 1 Week Before Start packing. Some resorts and cruise lines have dress codes for dinner including collared shirts for men and close toed shoes. If you plan on hiking or climbing waterfalls be sure to pack the appropriate foot wear. Follow the TSA regulations for packing liquids and gels in your carry on luggage. Make sure that you have prescription medication available for the duration of your honeymoon. This needs to be packed in the original prescription containers. Set up out of office auto-reply for email accounts. Confirm travel reservations and flight schedules. 2
Make photocopies of your passports. Keep one copy with you separate from your passport and the second one home with a relative. 3 Days Before Provide a copy of your travel itinerary including the telephone number of the resort you are staying at just in case. Label your luggage and place resort information inside bag in case your bag is lost. Double check packing list to ensure all necessary items are in your bags. Confirm transportation for coming home from the airport. One day prior Print boarding passes for your airline tickets. Make sure all of your travel documents are together including your passports and that they are place in your carryon luggage. Check the weight of your checked luggage. 50 lbs. is the maximum weight per bag. Day of your honeymoon Arrive at the airport at least 1 ½ hours prior to your flight time for domestic flights and 2 hours for international flights. Relax and enjoy your honeymoon! 3
The Honeymoon of YOUR Dreams Questionnaire So Many Destinations, How Do You Decide? You have made so many decisions already to create the wedding of your dreams; this questionnaire will help you to narrow down some options for planning the honeymoon of your dreams. Complete this questionnaire together if you have similar interests or, separately and compare your answers! It is very important to decide as a couple where you will spend the first week in wedded bliss! If you prefer the beach and he prefers the mountains, consider a Caribbean island such as Jamaica or St. Lucia, where both are offered. All inclusive resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico are the most affordable options for a carefree and romantic honeymoon. Top Concerns of Honeymoon couples: 1. The Location Of Your Dreams 2. The Type Of Accommodations 3. The Affordability Of Honeymoon 4. What About Activities and Sight Seeing 5. The Food and Beverage Options Here is your Honeymoon Quiz to read through for some Great Ideas! Print out a copy and place a check mark by each selection. Get started today planning the Honeymoon of YOUR Dreams! Type Of Location: Beach City Cruise ship Desert Lake Mountains Several towns Approximate Budget $2,000 - $3,00 $3,000 - $4,000 $4,000 -$ 5000 $5,000 - $7,500 $7,500 + 4
When Would You Like To Take Your Honeymoon One or 2 days after the reception After several months At our wedding location Duration of Your Honeymoon 7 days 10-14 days More than 14 days What Country or Region Would You Like To Experience Africa Asia Canada Caribbean Europe Hawaii Mexico Latin America South Pacific United States Your Dream Accommodation Is: Small with a few rooms or villas Large with a lot of amenities All-inclusive Couples or adults only (no children) In the heart of the city Close to nightclubs or entertainment Vacation and Activity Interests: Art appreciation Boating Fishing Golf Hiking Jogging Kayaking Reading Resting Scuba diving Shopping Sight seeing Skiing / Snowboarding Snorkeling Spa treatments Swimming Tennis 5
Most Of Our Meals Will Be: Room service or resort food All-inclusive package with resort food Fine Dining After A Fun Day Of Activity I would Enjoy: Live entertainment Bars and clubs Take long walks in the moonlight Cuddling by an ocean front fire Stay in the room with a movie Being romantic This questionnaire can help to narrow down your honeymoon options and type. Consider making the first few days of your honeymoon as relaxing as possible. Your wedding will take more of your energy that you realize. Once you have completed the questionnaire, contact our office at 800-624-3041 to speak with a honeymoon planning expert. With the information you have collected, and the knowledge of our honeymoon experts, we can help direct you to the best honeymoon destination of your dreams, chosen just for the two of you! Carolyn Waffle CTC Certified Travel Consultant 800-624-3041 6