First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the honeymoon. After months of wedding planning, a vacation for two is the perfect way to destress and bask in your newlywed bliss.
Every couple dreams about their honeymoon — but sometimes, the honeymoon of your dreams can be a financial nightmare. The good news? You don’t have to stay at The White Lotus to have a memorable vacation! Keep reading for budget-friendly tips and affordable destinations to consider as you plan your romantic getaway.
Honeymoon Budget Trends
Before you start planning your trip, it’s important to set a honeymoon budget. While your honeymoon typically happens soon after your wedding, it’s not usually considered part of your wedding budget. Be mindful of this and make sure you’re setting enough aside for this additional expense!
Honeymoon registry website Honeyfund reports that the average honeymoon budget is around $5,000. Interestingly, couples are spending more money on their honeymoon in recent years compared to before the pandemic. Coupled with the rise in micro weddings and elopements, this suggests a strong desire to prioritize travel, experiences, and close relationships over a large wedding celebration.
Affordable Honeymoon Destinations
Once you’ve established your honeymoon budget, you can start mapping out your trip (literally). Your honeymoon can be whatever you want — relaxing, adventurous, hot, cold, you name it. Use this list of affordable honeymoon destinations to start your search.
Itching for a European adventure? Consider more affordable destinations like Portugal and Croatia over costly countries like Italy and Switzerland. Portugal’s Algarve and Azores areas are known for being affordable, easy to travel to, and offer a variety of things to do. Dubrovnik, Croatia was ranked the number one honeymoon destination in the world in 2022 thanks to its picturesque views and affordability.
Dreaming of beach days? Don’t underestimate all-inclusive resorts! They get a bad rap, but you can usually find cheap honeymoon packages in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, or Nicaragua. These locations are easy to get to from the States and offer endless sun, salt, and sand.
Love to travel in style? Take your honeymoon to the open sea with a cruise for two. With packages for every price point, you can choose the destination and time frame that fits your honeymoon budget best. Most cruise lines offer an all-inclusive package so you can maximize your budget.
Explorers at heart? Swap your sleeping bags and camping gear for a romantic glamping experience. Companies like Postcard Cabins provide privacy and basic essentials (like a shower) all over the United States with rates starting at $90 per night, depending on your location.
Surprise Honeymoon Savings
Location aside, there are other ways to save money on your honeymoon. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Book during the week. Flights and lodging are always more expensive on weekends versus weekdays. Plan your trip for Monday through Friday and enjoy cheaper airfare and hotel rates. You’ll have the weekend to unwind at home before settling back into your routine — win-win!
- Ask ChatGPT for advice. Not sure where to start in your search for an affordable honeymoon destination? Use a prompt like “Give me ten ideas for an affordable honeymoon for two people with a strict budget of $3,500” to get inspiration.
- Open a travel rewards credit card. Put your wedding expenses to good use and get rewarded for purchases on your travel card! Use a site like The Points Guy or Bankrate to compare credit cards and find the best incentives.
- Stay local. If traveling is out of the question, change your perspective and plan a staycation for two. Take the week off work, turn your phone off, and spend the week visiting your favorite restaurants, museums, and shops around town without a care in the world. If you can afford it, spend one or two nights at a boutique hotel in your city for a change of scenery.
Wherever you end up going, we hope these tips help you plan the budget-friendly honeymoon of your dreams!
Rachel Kauffman is a Detroit-based content writer, bookworm, and cat mom to two feisty felines.
