Getting engaged is one of the happiest days of your life, but as most brides will quickly realize, the bill that comes with planning a wedding can add up in a hurry. Managing the budget for your wedding can seem like an incredible task.. Everywhere you turn there seems to be a price hike just because you put the word “wedding” in front of whatever it is you’re buying.
On top of all the costs that pile up many soon to be newlyweds feel completely overwhelmed with paying for their honeymoon. Sure, the wedding is important but the soon to be newlyweds hope to escape after the wedding to unwind and start their journey as Mr & Mrs. Here are 5 tips that can help you actually afford a honeymoon while paying for your wedding!
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Prioritize. First things first, you have to decide what is most important in your wedding. You can’t afford it all so it’s important to decide if you’re willing to use budget decorations so that you can afford your dream honeymoon. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to what’s important to you as a couple. What is important is to sit down as a couple and prioritize.
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Price it out. So you’ve landed on a destination you want to jet off to after your wedding, that’s great! Now it’s time to get real with the numbers. Research how much this trip is going to cost you. What does the average flight cost? Are you willing to stay in an Airbnb or VBRO as opposed to a hotel? Will you cook in or eat out? All of these questions will help you price out your honeymoon which is incredibly important so that you know where you have to cut to afford your dream, honeymoon.
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Set Up an Automatic Transfer. Now that you’ve determined how much your dream honeymoon is going to cost, it’s time to diligently save. Take the total cost of your honeymoon and divide it by how many months you have until your trip. Automatically move that money over so you don’t have to think about it. Before you know it you’ll be able to pay for your honeymoon without breaking the bank.
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Ask for Experiences. Gone are the days where the first time a couple lives together is once they are wed. Many couples move in years before their engaged and because of this, they have a lot of household items that they don’t have to put on their registry. If this sounds like you think of asking your guests to contribute to your honeymoon instead of buying you a gift. Websites such as Honeyfund are great ways to “ask for cash” to pay for your trip without explicitly writing it on the invitation. Guests will happily purchase you an elephant ride in Bali without batting an eye.
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Don’t be afraid to delay your trip. Tradition is the couple heads off on their honeymoon the day after the wedding. While that sounds nice, sometimes it just doesn’t make sense financially. If you’re okay with holding off a few months you might be able to save up even more for your honeymoon and make the trip that much more exquisite. Consider taking a mini-moon a couple days after the wedding for some quality time with your new husband or wife.
