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Planning weddings is hard work. Once you’ve said your vows, the last thing you want to do is be worried about your honeymoon going as planned. Your honeymoon is your chance to kick back, relax, and spend some time with your partner as a newly married couple. It’s definitely not a time for stress.

That’s why we can’t recommend highly enough that you book your honeymoon through an experienced destination travel agent, like Mileta Foster of Protravel International.

Mileta has planned hundreds of dream honeymoons and destination weddings over the years, and she knows all the things to consider before you dive in and start planning. Mileta is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, is a LGBTQ+ friendly agent, and has planned trips for couples all over the world.

Based on her expert knowledge, here are the 10 things you need to consider before you book your trip!

1. Don’t Plan to Leave for Your Honeymoon the Next Day

Mileta urges couples to give themselves at least one day of recovery time before hopping on a plane to their honeymoon. The days leading up to your wedding are bound to be stressful. Why add the stress of packing and preparing for your honeymoon to an already stressful situation. Instead, plan to give yourself at least one day post-wedding to relax, de-stress, and pack. You’re also less likely to forget important items if you pack with a clear head.

2. Likewise, It’s Never Too Late to Go on Your Honeymoon

If you and your partner are paying for all of your own wedding expenses, a honeymoon immediately after your wedding day simply may not be in your budget, and that’s okay! Mileta wants to remind you that there is no rule set in stone that says you have to go on your honeymoon immediately following your wedding day. Planning your honeymoon for weeks, months, or years later is totally fine. Do whatever works best for you, your schedule, and your budget, and you will ultimately have a much more enjoyable experience.

3. Don’t Forget About Off-Seasons!

Do some research into the location of your choice and determine the dates for off- and on-season tourism. In some cases, you could stand to save big by only changing your travel dates by a week or two. By hiring Mileta, you can let someone else take over. She’ll do all the price comparing necessary to make sure you’re getting the best value possible.

4. Wait Until After Your Honeymoon to Change Your Names

Whether or not you or your partner decide to change your name after you get married is totally up to you. If you do make this choice, Mileta suggests that you may want to wait to do so until after your honeymoon. It is very important that your passport names match when you’re traveling internationally. If your plane ticket was booked under one name, but you attempt to travel with an ID that has a different name, you may encounter trouble at the airport or when going through customs. Hold off on that name change paperwork until a time when you know you won’t be traveling for awhile.

5. Don’t Sacrifice Experience to Save on Budget

Of course, you don’t want to spend more than you can reasonably afford on your honeymoon, but giving up on comfort and the experiences you have been dreaming about is not the way to go. You might save money, but you may also leave your honeymoon feeling like it was not the best that it could be.

That’s why working with an agent like Mileta is so important. She can help you plan the honeymoon of your dreams while sticking within your budget.

6. Book Your Honeymoon in Advance to Avoid Fluctuations in Exchange Rates

This tip from Mileta is a little like watching the stock market. At some point you have to decide to buy, but it’s important to monitor the exchange rate between the U.S. and your destination you’re traveling to and see the direction that the exchange rate is moving in. Book during a time when the dollar is strong, and if you can book an all-inclusive package, that’s even better. Booking flights and hotels in advance is common, but booking experiences and food in advance, when possible, can help you better determine your overall costs. Remember, hotels and experiences often sell out.

7. Know Your Flight Time!

Okay, this might seem like a no-brainer, but Mileta wants you to remember that you have a LOT going on in that brain of yours, and it’s easy for small pieces of information to fall through the cracks. You might think you’ll never forget something like your flight time, but believe us, it happens. And don’t just double check the time, also double check the date. We’ve heard stories of couples who accidentally showed up a whole day early for their flight, and others who have shown up a whole day late. Make sure you know the date and time, or else you might end up trapped in the airport overnight or may have to pay a fee to get your flight changed. Those 12:30am flights are notoriously tricky!

8. Make Sure Your Honeymoon Destination Is LGBTQ+ Friendly

Whether or not you and your partner are a LGBTQ+ couple, you definitely shouldn’t be financially supporting businesses that are not welcoming to queer folks.

Additionally, Mileta wants to remind all LGBTQ+ couples that choosing where you want to travel for your honeymoon can be an issue of safety. There are still many countries in the world that criminalize same-sex relationships, and queer couples should avoid those locations when planning their honeymoon.

Even if you are traveling to a country where there are no laws against same-sex relationships, be sure to check whether or not they will recognize your marriage or your civil union. If not, there could be consequences. For example, if you or your partner should become sick or injured, your rights may not be recognized at a hospital. If you or your partner are trans, you will likely want to be even more cautious when selecting your honeymoon location.

Working with a LGBTQ+ friendly agent like Mileta is key in these situations. She can help you plan a honeymoon where safety will never need to be a concern.

9. If You Have a Blended Family, Make Sure You Have Your Paperwork in Order If You Plan to Bring the Kids

If you or your partner have children from a previous relationship, especially if those children are very young, you might choose to bring your kids with you on your honeymoon. With a blended family of small children, a honeymoon can easily become your first real family vacation.

Mileta wants you to remember, however, that there are rules in place about traveling with your child out of the country. If the child is traveling with only one of their parents, they usually need the written notarized permission of the other parent or legal guardian for all travel so you aren’t suspected of kidnapping your child for custody. All children and infants need passports for any international travel. For most domestic travel, children should have a certified copy of each child’s birth certificate. No matter what, always discuss your family travel plans with your child’s other parents or legal guardians. Get their written consent to travel before you attempt to leave the country with your kids.

10. Don’t Worry, a Skilled Agent Like Mileta is Here to Help

An agent like Mileta is going to have all of these concerns in her head the entire time she is working with you to plan your dream honeymoon, and she will make sure that your trip is a complete success. By hiring Mileta to plan your honeymoon, you can save money, and cross one more item off of your wedding planning to do list.

Contact Mileta now to start planning your dream honeymoon today!

MILETA FOSTER

My personal mission statement is to make sure you have the most fun, safe travel that meets your travel needs and desires. I want you to come home ready to leave again! Now based in San Francisco I've lived across the United States. I have many clients, colleagues and friends everywhere doing everything!