Tips on Financing the Perfect Honeymoon

A wedding is the start of your new life with your husband or wife. Truly, it is a momentous occasion, and can be the most expensive party that you ever throw. For many couples, the wedding itself is what sucks up all of the attention, with little thought given to the honeymoon. After all, with the average wedding costing over $35,000 in the United States, it is little wonder that few couples put enough thought into their post-wedding vacation, let alone have money left over to pay for it.

Yet having a honeymoon can be an important bonding time, away from the stress of wedding planning and everyday life. It allows a married couple to spend their first week or longer together without anyone else — and can create memories that last a lifetime. But with the average cost of a wedding continuing to rise, it can be increasingly difficult for anyone to afford a honeymoon.

How You Can Pay for the Honeymoon of Your Dreams

There are options for couples to pay for a honeymoon, however, particularly for those who plan ahead. While it may take some work, the perfect honeymoon can be achieved with some careful strategizing, saving or other ideas. Read on to learn more about how you can be on your way to your ideal destination.

Delay Your Honeymoon

While many couples may dream of being whisked away from their reception directly to the airport, the reality is that the wedding day itself is pretty exhausting! A day filled with vows, pictures, dancing, speeches and more can make you want nothing more than a good nap — so the thought of heading out on a vacation doesn’t actually appeal to many people. That is why delaying your honeymoon may actually make sense.

Putting off your honeymoon for a while may give you enough time to save up for a great trip. Whether it takes you a few months or a year, you can save up enough money to go somewhere great — and then live it up with all of the stress of the wedding day far behind you, and without worrying about going into debt to take the vacation.

Use Miles or Points

If you plan ahead, you may be able to score yourself a honeymoon at a significantly reduced rate — or even for free. By using travel credit cards strategically, you can earn airline miles or rewards points that can be cashed in for flights, hotel stays, and more. You can also ask friends and family for donations of miles and points to get you to your preferred destination. All it requires is some smart spending and forethought to pick out a great credit card.

Search for a Special Deal

The internet is awash with sites that offer any number of vacation specials, from all-inclusive resorts to hotel and airfare bundles. If you are flexible as to locations, you can likely find a fantastic price on a honeymoon getaway — one that you can easily afford even with the high price of your wedding. Just start looking early, and you will be able to find something that fits your needs. You could even look for great destinations that are off-season. These could give you a nice discount while allowing you to enjoy a top-of-the-line destination.

Ask for Honeymoon Gifts

As more people get married later in life, they tend to need less in terms of household necessities. Registries have opened up as a result, with more people purchasing gift cards for home improvement stores or even donating money towards a honeymoon. If you already have what you need for your house, why not ask for help for your honeymoon for your wedding or shower registry? Doing so can help you make memories that last a lifetime — and it is something that you actually want, instead of a fondue pot that will gather dust in your basement. One company known as Honeyfund offers registry services for honeymoon gifts.

Side Hustle Your Way to a Honeymoon

If you have time and marketable skills, you can probably pick up a few side gigs between now and your wedding. Each little bit can help you pay for your honeymoon, particularly if your partner also picks up side gigs. Together, you can earn enough to pay for a honeymoon — without taking on any debt.