Honeymoon Travel Checklist

Congratulations! The big day has come to a close and all of the stresses of planning your wedding have dissipated. Hopefully, everything went smoothly and you can now focus on the final step of your wedding experience. It’s now time to kick back, relax, and enjoy the honeymoon!

Before you make a b-line to the airport and throw on your Hawaiian shirt ready to go to a beautiful destination like Amanyara Resort in Turks and Caicos, there are a few things you’ll have to take care of. Traveling is a complex task as it is, but once you throw the label of “honeymoon” on it, the need for perfection skyrockets. The best way to tackle the components of planning the honeymoon of your dreams is to take them one step at a time. Below, is the definitive checklist of what you’ll need to make the most out of your vacation:

1. Planning Your Trip

When you and your partner plan the honeymoon, there are a number of factors to consider. Location, duration, and budget will heavily dictate the final destination you choose. You both will need to decide what type of trip you’re looking for and choose a destination that fits the mold. The duration of your trip will directly correlate with the budget you place on your trip. Be sure to set aside funds specifically for the honeymoon since the average cost of a honeymoon is $4,466.

2. Travel and Accommodations

Now that you’ve selected your destination, you’ll have to get there! Most couples prefer a destination honeymoon, with 48% of couples opting for beach destinations. If you plan to take this route, you’ll most likely travel by plane. To ease your airline experience be sure to do the following:

• Travel on a Tuesday: Tuesdays are traditionally the lowest traffic days for airlines, and the price of their tickets reflects this fact. Save the money, it’s well worth it!
• Use a Travel Rewards Credit Card: There are a number of benefits you can take advantage of using one. Do your research and find the card that fits best for you both.
• Travel as light as possible: Only pack the essentials. Fewer belongings mean less to keep track of. The last thing you want is to lose a valuable item on your honeymoon!

3. Packing and Attire

As mentioned previously, the goal for any trip is to pack as light as possible. You want to be sure to pack the essentials only, and enough to be comfortable throughout the duration of your trip. An added bonus to packing light would be avoiding the airline baggage fees. Below is an outline of some of the critical items to pack when preparing for your honeymoon:

• Footwear: Now more than ever couples are opting for adventurous honeymoons versus sitting poolside for a week straight. With any adventure comes miles of walking and getting from point A to point B. Be sure to pack the proper footwear that will be conducive to your activity level.
• Clothing: Hopefully the location you choose will have comfortable weather for your trip. In order to pack appropriately, you’ll need to check the weather forecast and pack accordingly. If you’re lucky, you’ll have perfect weather and minimize the number of layers you’ll need to pack!
• Toiletries: Plan out your daily routine and determine what toiletries would be absolute necessities. Common items include a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, and deodorant. To reiterate, only pack the essentials! You want to keep your luggage as light as you can.

4. Medications and Feminine Hygiene Needs

Depending on the location you choose, there will be caveats to maintaining your level of health. Uprooting for a week and placing yourself in a tropical location could take a toll on your body. Between the changes in climate and diet, there are a number of over the counter medications you should bring with you, including sleep aid, mild laxative, antacid, antihistamine, decongestant, fever reducer, cough drops, and motion sickness medicine. Chances are, you won’t need everything you pack, but better to be safe than sorry!

In addition to packing over the counter medications, you’ll want to prepare in case it’s “that time of the month.” Obviously not ideal circumstances during a romantic getaway, but if it happens to overlap, pack appropriately. The best thing you can do is pack as if the location you’ll be staying at doesn’t have the necessary feminine hygiene products, that way you’ll be prepared!