What A Realistic Budget For A Honeymoon Typically Looks Like
According to figures from Zola, which offers wedding planning tools, the average wedding in the United States in 2024 costs $33,000, a whopping $4,000 bump compared to 2023. With the cost of saying "I do" getting steeper by the year, the dream of splurging on a lavish honeymoon seems more like a fantasy for many couples. If you don't go on your honeymoon right after the wedding, going on the trip months or even years later may seem unjustifiable, especially if you're juggling other expenses, like paying for a mortgage or loans. But if going on a trip of a lifetime with your newly-minted spouse is non-negotiable for you and your partner, there are strategies to fund your vacation without accruing even more debt.
Financial savvy is vital when it comes to planning a honeymoon that doesn't put you in the red. In the U.S., The Knot notes that couples who exchanged vows in 2023 spent an average of $5,700 on their respective post-wedding getaways, but your honeymoon budget doesn't necessarily have to mirror that. To land on a number that both you and your partner are comfortable with, it's important to take into account where you want to go, where you want to stay, what you want to do, and how long your honeymoon should last. Through careful planning and a mutual agreement on what matters most, you can craft a honeymoon that is both enjoyable and financially feasible.
The cost largely hinges on the location and season
Just like any other vacation, a huge chunk of your honeymoon budget will likely go to your airfare and accommodations. Obviously, the farther you want to travel and the more luxurious you want your hotel or resort to be, the more expensive your honeymoon will be. The price tag of your trip is heavily influenced by the destination's popularity and the timing of your visit, too. Opting for sought-after spots like Bali, the Caribbean Islands, Hawaii, Greece, and Italy during peak seasons like summer means paying a premium.
The Honeymoon Edit advises setting aside $5,000 for a week-long trip to the Caribbean, around $7,500 to $25,000 for an excursion in Europe, anywhere between $3,000 and $15,000 for an Asian adventure, and roughly $3,000 per week if you want to explore Africa. If these estimates seem daunting, you can always adjust your budget accordingly by cutting corners on some things, like choosing a budget hotel over a luxury resort, opting for a shorter getaway, and scaling back on activities. And, of course, you may also want to keep the honeymoon close to home. You don't necessarily have to jet off to some exotic destination for a meaningful experience.
For significant savings, schedule your trip in the off-season when fewer people are traveling. "If you are flexible with your travel dates, consider traveling during the off-peak season. In addition to saving some money, you might like the less crowded vibe," Sara Margulis, CEO of honeymoon registry site Honeyfund, shared with Brides.
Define your priorities from the get-go
Do you want to eat your heart out in as many restaurants as possible? Fancy being one with nature and go camping instead? Then again, your idea of a good time might involve lazing around by the beach with indulgent spa treatments waiting at the end of the day. Whatever it is, deciding on the mix of activities that excite you — or perhaps doesn't — is crucial in coming up with a realistic budget, as it dictates how you should allocate your funds. Plus, it also helps determine the best place to spend your honeymoon. If you want your vacation to be adventure-packed, it might not make sense to go on a remote island where the most exciting thing to do is sip on sangrias. Similarly, if you want to immerse yourself in culture, a destination whose main highlight is the local mall will definitely not meet your expectations.
"The more honest a couple can be about their wishes, the easier it is to create just the right recipe," advised travel expert Melissa Biggs Bradley in an interview with Vogue. "They should ask what is most important to each of them in a hotel, a location, and a great day and then compromise so they both get those things every day or in a portion of the trip." While budgeting is important, it's equally crucial to ensure that your honeymoon is mutually enjoyable. It is the trip that marks the start of your life, after all.
Book early if you want to minimize your expenses
If you're a frequent traveler, you likely already know the virtue of planning a honeymoon early. Considering that your honeymoon stands as one of the most important trips you'll ever take, it's all the more vital to get the ball rolling ASAP, not only to snag the best deals but also to secure your ideal lodging. "That boutique, locally-run B&B that's based in the Tuscan hills only has eight rooms. It's going to book up if you don't book early enough," Craig Zapatka, co-founder of a honeymoon planning company, told The Knot. "We always recommend booking six months in advance."
When it comes to flights, you also probably know by now that booking ahead, especially for those far-flung destinations, is key to ensuring the best rates. Self-proclaimed chief flight expert Scott Keyes told CNBC that the likelihood of scoring cheaper flights is higher if you book months ahead instead of buying them at the last minute. "For domestic flights, if you're talking peak season, it's about three to seven months in advance," he advised. "For international flights — [it's] four to 10 months." The added bonus of booking early? You can cross a major task off your checklist. If you're planning your wedding and honeymoon simultaneously, securing your flights and accommodations well in advance means one less thing to worry about, allowing you to focus on the big day.
Consider opening a honeymoon registry
Traditionally, it's the groom or his family who are expected to shoulder the expenses for the honeymoon, but those days are long over. More and more couples are now opting to fund their trips themselves. To stretch their budget further, many are swapping the traditional wedding registry for a honeymoon registry, allowing the people closest to them to contribute to their dream vacation.
You may want to consider this approach, too. Instead of asking your friends and family to gift you an Instant Pot or an at-home treadmill that, face it, will only gather dust down the line, starting a honeymoon fund lets you invite your loved ones to play a part in creating unforgettable memories for your dream trip.
For those who might balk at the idea of soliciting contributions towards a vacation, fret not. You just have to be intentional with your approach, said luxury destination wedding planner Suzanne Reinhard. "Taking the time to craft your Honeyfund to be specific about the experiences you would like to participate in on your honeymoon, versus just asking for cash, is a classier way of handling the fund," she explained to Vogue. "Your guests would rather buy your dinner at the resort's Italian restaurant than send money. It's the similar preference many people have in purchasing a gift card instead of giving cash."
Don't forget to make room for unplanned expenses
Unexpected expenses are part and parcel of nearly any trip, and honeymoons are no exception. Whether it's transportation costs being higher than your initial estimates, your resort imposing unforeseen fees, or a local experience that you simply can't pass up, unplanned expenditures have a knack for popping up and putting a damper on your budget. It's almost inevitable to spend on something you did not initially plan for, so when finetuning your budget, ensure that there's enough cushion to accommodate these surprise costs.
"When anticipating all of their honeymoon spending and creating their budgets, [couple's should] add about 15 to 20 percent wiggle room for unexpected costs," wedding expert Emily Forrest Skurnik told Brides. "Just like with the wedding, there are bound to be expenses that pop up while planning that couples may want to make room for, or splurge on because it's such a special trip." While you're at it, take into account pre-departure costs as well. Think visas, travel insurance, baggage fees, and more. All these can quickly snowball and significantly impact your overall budget, so it's wise to factor them into your plan early on.