By Joy Cagil
Forty or more years ago, honeymoon spots were perfectly clear in people's minds, mostly as the Niagara Falls, Hawaii, or a neighborhood hotel for a few days stay. Even the stinkiest hotels had honeymoon suites, then. Only some couples belonging to the jet set had their honeymoons in Monaco or in some such place in Europe. In addition, it used to be that the groom chose the honeymoon site and surprised the bride.
With the honeymoon the new husband tacked on the lady, the bride of the olden days "acted" happy and delighted, but the trick word is "acted" here, and no one wants to start a marriage with an act. Being part of a couple deserves sincerity, and the honeymoon should be one both people will enjoy; therefore, the honeymoon would be more successful if the future bride and groom planned this important step into their marriage together.
A honeymoon is a serious event. It should be arranged with care and should be planned in advance.
As times have changed, so have the honeymoons. Nowadays, any one place in the entire world can be a honeymoon destination, and why not? If a couple have similar tastes and they both enjoy wildlife, why shouldn't they have their honeymoon with a rhinoceros peeking into their hut in Africa?
Joking aside, the decision for a honeymoon spot should start about half a year before the wedding or even earlier. The couple should decide together on the location of their honeymoon: a ski resort, a jungle, a local spot, a resort hotel, a city or town overseas, a beach, a mountaintop, or a cabin on a cruise ship.
The budget is also important, because a wedding is difficult on any family's budget as it is. The traditional way is: if the bride or the bride's parents are financing the wedding, the groom or the groom's parents finance the honeymoon. If both families are pitching in for both events, then the financial situation of the families should be the first consideration.
If a couple can come up with a budget they can work with, they should first write down the possible expenses as a list: transportation expenses including airplane or cruise tickets, car rentals, taxi rides, and sightseeing trips; lodging expenses including meals, tips, taxes, and extras; and incidentals. Incidentals depend where the couple is heading to. For example, if they are going to be trekking in the jungle, they will need boots, jungle wear, insect repellents, first aid kits, binoculars, etc.
Tour packages and all-inclusive honeymoon packages can be money and time savers if they contain everything the couple wants. If the couple is reserving a honeymoon package, they have to make sure the weather will fit their plans in the place they will go. For example, reserving a Caribbean cruise during the hurricane season could have dire results. Some promotional offers, too, may contain off-season bargains that may not fit with the couple's expectations, and the trip may not be refundable either. Key points like weather, refundability, and exchange of location possibilities should be cleared out, in writing, with the travel agent before any other arrangements are made.
A good travel agent should advise the couple in everything they need to do, like inoculations and documents for an out of the country location, and warn them of unsafe localities. Also, while perusing the colorful travel pamphlets, the couple should remember that those inviting photos are of the best-looking parts of their destination and the better rooms of the hotels.
Obtaining maps, brochures, and other details from the travel agent and the tourism bureaus is a good idea. Once everything is planned and all the information is put together in one easy-to-reach folder, double checking the reservations, packing lists, identifications and other necessities should be done again one week before the trip. Having enough knowledge and some kind of a plan will save the couple time and money and will prevent unnecessary hassles.
While a wedding is the time for a couple to take their vows, their honeymoon marks the beginning of their married life. More than where they go and what they do, a positive attitude and enjoying time together should be the goal.
May all honeymoons last a lifetime.
This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.Prye.Com/ which is a site for Wedding Invitations.
Joy Cagil is an author on http://www.Writing.Com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joy_Cagil
No comments:
Post a Comment