7 Mistakes to Avoid on Your Honeymoon

1. Don't sweat it. It's your honeymoon, not a Broadway production and certainly not the Normandy invasion. Yes, you're going to need to do some planning to have a fun and safe trip, but more than one honeymoon has been killed by an overzealous planner. Even if the whole honeymoon is a disaster, you've still got each other...not to mention the rest of your lives to travel together, and to laugh about your honeymoon mishaps. 2. Don't blow off planning. Life's all about balance, isn't it? So you don't want to make your honeymoon into a do-or-die production, but a reasonable amount of planning can save you a lot of money—and a lot of trouble—in the long run. First, if you aren't experienced travelers, get some general travel advice from good travel guides, either in your local library or online. (You can begin at our Travel Guides page.) Next, read up about your destination in professionally written guides. (See our Destination Guidespage.) Finally, find out as much as you can from others who have actually been to your destination—either friends or family, or people who have posted their honeymoon stories online. 3. Don't go into debt. Yes, it's your honeymoon, and it should be memorable and romantic...but you don't have to spend anything (or at least not much) to create memories and romance. So resist the temptation to splurge on the ultimate honeymoon, especially if it means you'll be going into debt to do so—double especially if it means racking up credit card debt. Money issues are one of the leading causes of tension for married couples, and you don't want to start out your married life worrying about how to pay off your $10,000 credit card bill for that honeymoon tour of Europe. (For money-saving tips, see our Cheap Honeymoon Ideas section.) 4. Don't wait too long to book your destination. You know how reception sites tend to fill up as much as a year in advance? The same is often true when it comes to the most popular honeymoon destinations. Even if a destination has lots of accommodations (think Vegas or Hawaii), the best ones—and the best deals—fill up early. You will need to apply for your passport (or renew it) well in advance of your departure date, too. So narrow down the possibilities for your honeymoon as soon as possible, and do a little research to find out how early you have to make reservations. -creativehoneymoonideas.info