How much to spend during your honeymoon and where

When it comes to getting married, there are a lot of things that a couple needs to keep under control, financially speaking. Booking a venue and a catering service can be very stressful and it can end up putting a significant dent in the couple’s finances. Wedding planning is a real balancing act, which is why many couples are trying to save some money for a very important part of the wedding, perhaps even the most important one: the honeymoon trip!
Considering how difficult and stressful it can be to plan for a wedding, most couples actually look more forward to the honeymoon than the “big night” itself. That’s right, although they want their friends and loved ones to have a good time, they also want to enjoy themselves and truly celebrate the fact that they are now a couple in the most official manner. This is why many couples try to make their honeymoon trips as memorable as possible. It is by definition a trip that they will only take once in their lives, after all.
There is a problem with that philosophy, however. Unfortunately, the economy is not as good and as strong as it used to be, which means that people need to be always carefully calculating their expenses and their finances. What this means for honeymoon trips is rather simple to understand: the dreams of a grandiose honeymoon can prove to cost way more than most couples can afford, which means that they will always remain just that: dreams. Does that have to be the case though? Just how much should expect to spend on their honeymoon? Let’s find out!

Some basic things about honeymoons

A honeymoon is not like any other vacation. Not only will the couple travel to a more exotic and unique destination, but they will also stay there longer than they would, on average, stay in a place during any other vacation that they have taken alone or together. Furthermore, most couples are simply not satisfied with a regular hotel room for their honeymoon, they want their accommodation to be special, which is why most couples are looking at hotels with at least 4 stars. Finally, couples are expected to dine in fine restaurants and generally spend a lot more than they would during a regular vacation on food and drink. All in all, a honeymoon can cost between 4.000 and 10.000 US dollars! 

What defines the cost of a honeymoon?

Well, it goes without saying that the defining factor is definitely the destination. A trip to an exotic destination such as Sri Lanka or Thailand will definitely cost more than a trip to a European holiday resort. The destination will also define the cost of the accommodation and the food and drinks, as well as the cost of the various activities that the couple is likely to partake in during their honeymoon. Greece is a honeymoon destination with affordable prices.Renting a car in Europe, for example, is generally cheaper and easier than in Asia, provided that you will book one through a major car rental company, of course. 
According to travel agencies, the cost of a honeymoon trip can be divided: most of your money will be spent on accommodation, in most honeymoon trips couples spend up to a whopping 65% of their budget on accommodation. The next most expensive factor is the cost of the transportation to and from the destination. This usually eats up a good 25% percent of the couple’s budget. Finally, there’s food and drinks which is covered by a mere 10% of the budget. Having said that, let’s take a closer look at those factors in order to better understand them.

Accommodation

Hotels don’t come cheap and hotel suites for newlyweds are usually more expensive than most rooms in good hotels. That doesn’t mean of course that you will have to stay at a honeymoon suite in order to fully enjoy this unique trip. Furthermore, some hotels may even upgrade your room for free if you visit during a relatively slow time of the year, as far as tourism is concerned. With that in mind, it goes without saying that each destination has its fair share of hotels, each offering unique rates for similar rooms. The better the hotel, the more expensive the room, but you can expect them to throw in some honeymoon perks, such as breakfasts in bed and spa treatments. If for you it’s all about the destination, then you can stay in a good 4-star or even 3-star hotel. 

Transportation

Considering that most honeymoon destinations tend to be exotic, it is normal for plane tickets to cost a few hundred dollars. We are talking about transatlantic or transpacific flights, so you can expect costs to be a little steep. Also, it should be noted that those routes are rarely operated by low-cost airlines. Is there anything you can do to lower the cost of transportation as much as possible? Of course there is! You can have your wedding trip during the off-season. Not only will airline fares be cheaper, you will also get to enjoy the destination without tourists getting in the way. You can also try to book your tickets several months in advance of your trip. The earlier you book the tickets, the better.

Food and drinks

Naturally, people on vacation tend to eat out, the same goes for honeymoon trips. You can expect to eat out at restaurants or enjoy means in your hotel in a daily basis, which means that a part of your budget should be allocated towards this. How big this part will be depends on the couples habits and likes. If we are talking about daily meals and the occasional visit to a fancier restaurant, then a 10% of the budget should cover the cost of food and drinks. If on the other hand we are talking about a couple of foodies who want to enjoy the best food the destination has to offer, then the cost of food and drinks can easily exceed the aforementioned 10% and get closer to 15 or even 20%.