Who plans honeymoons

When it comes to weddings a couple sure has a lot on their hands. They have to plan for the ceremony itself as well as the reception and then they also have to make sure that everyone has a good and unforgettable time. It can be a very stressful and overall difficult period in a couple’s life, which is why most newlyweds are really looking forward to their honeymoon trips. This once in a lifetime trip is not only the first time that the bride and groom will travel together as husband and wife, but it’s also the perfect opportunity for some fun and relaxation after the wedding.

The problem however is that planning for a honeymoon trip can prove to be as stressful as planning for the wedding itself. This is because the couple will want this trip to be as unique and unforgettable as possible. This means that they will have to decide on a budget for it and based on that, choose the perfect destination and the perfect place to stay. Remember, planning for a honeymoon is not the same as planning for a vacation because honeymoons tend to last longer and people usually stay in much better hotels than the ones they stay in during their vacations.

So, with that being said, a lot of couples are left wondering if they could "outsource" the entire honeymoon planning process to someone else, like they do with the wedding ceremony or certain aspects of it. The reason for that is simple to understand: couples are already stressed by planning for their wedding, they would gladly welcome having one stressful thing less to worry and plan about. So, once again this begs the question: who plans honeymoons? Let's find out.

The couple!

Yes, while a lot of couples are looking to "outsource" their honeymoon trip, there are still a lot of them that would rather handle this whole affair themselves. They are the couples that either prefer a hands-on approach to everything, or they just don’t want or can’t afford to essentially pay someone else to handle this rather important and unique trip for them. Is it possible to plan a honeymoon trip by yourselves? Absolutely! One just needs some time and a lot of patience. Sure, travel agencies might have more connections (more on that later) but even a layman can book a honeymoon trip and get a deal provided that he or she is serious about it and is prepared to dedicate quite a lot of time and effort on the task.

So, before you decide on planning the honeymoon trip on your own, you and your partner should first ask yourselves whether or not you have the time to do all the research that this task requires – you’ll have to look for everything from destinations to hotels and hotel rooms and activities – and the patience since it can get quite difficult. If your answer to both those questions is "yes", then by all means, go for it! But who can you turn to if the answer is "no"? Well, the first choice is rather obvious!

Travel agencies

Since honeymoons are a huge and very profitable industry, it goes without saying that travel agencies are the first businesses for a couple that can’t plan their wedding trip to turn to. Travel agencies usually have ready-made honeymoon packages for all the popular honeymoon destinations in the world, including the most exotic ones. They are also well connected in the tourism industry which means that they can secure some very good deals for their clients. But what happens if a couple wants a more "custom made" experience, if for example they want to visit a destination not covered by the agency’s various package deals? Well in that case, the agency will do everything in their power to make the couple’s dream come true. It’s not sure that they will succeed, but they will try.

When it comes to downsides, travel agencies charge for their services. This charge may be insignificant when compared to other wedding related costs, but it is still a charge and money that will have to be deducted from the couple’s budget. Furthermore, like we said earlier, not all destinations are "covered" by all travel agencies. We highly recommend that you visit an agency that specializes in honeymoons in order to have a wide variety of destinations and accommodations to choose from.  

Wedding planners

Yes, you read that right! Wedding planners can be a godsend in most weddings, especially if the couple is not very experienced when it comes to planning events. A wedding planner's job is essentially to take the load of wedding planning off of the couple’s shoulders and for some planners, the honeymoon planning is part of the wedding planning process. This is why many wedding planners are also well connected with travel agencies and other people in the tourism industry. They are essentially looking to “sell” the most complete wedding planning package possible.

The downsides to choosing a wedding planner to plan a honeymoon trip is the fact that they are simply not as connected as travel agencies. Also, they tend to not offer a large variety of destinations to choose from and usually their selection of packages is limited to the most traditional or trendy destinations at the time. If you are looking for something more unique, then perhaps you should look elsewhere.

What's the couple’s part in all this?

The couple should never give carte blanche to the agency or the people that they will hire to plan their honeymoon for them. They should provide some clear guidelines as well as explain their likes and dislikes and what they would like to get out of this experience. It goes without saying that they should check and approve absolutely everything and that they should also be the ones to define the budget and the destination. The agencies can offer suggestions, like honeymoon packages in Greece, but they should never make choices without consulting the couple first.