Singaporebrides | The Groom Room
May 2012
The Manly Guide to the Ultimate Honeymoon
If the task of planning that once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon has fallen on your burly shoulders, take heart. You may have to make some tough decisions, but you shouldn’t be pulling your hair out. SingaporeBrides makes your life easier with this handy Dos & Don’ts guide.
DO…
… Start early
A perfect honeymoon is almost never a spur-of-the-moment occasion. Instead, it should always be mulled over and meticulously planned. So if you’re the spontaneous type, this tip is for you. Start the planning process as early as six months before so you will have more than enough time to do your holiday research, including checking out various destinations, collecting maps and booking air tickets, hotels and tours. You don’t want to end up lost in the streets or hungry because of a missed restaurant reservation!
… Decide on a destination together
If you’re into the great outdoors but all she wants is a nice beach holiday with a world-class spa, it’s only fair that you find a location that offers both. The last thing you’d want is for her to hit the roof after she has found out that you booked a 10-day African safari trip… with no lazing-by-the-beach to look forward to at all! Lately, local newlyweds have bucked the trend to find romance in the rough – it’s all about having an adrenaline rush in a rugged environment. Think mountain trekking in Nepal or building schools in Cambodia. Ultimately, it all depends on the type of traveller your bride-to-be is – and a honeymoon must satisfy the both of you!
… Check into a nice hotel
While she may have been contented with a crummy backpacker’s hostel on a budget trip, anything less than a proper hotel for a honeymoon is an absolute no-no. In fact, score brownie points and check into an above-average hotel. Remember: It’s not just about a complimentary bottle of champagne or rose petals on a four-poster bed. Look for a list of amenities that would set her heart aflutter… like an outdoor Jacuzzi, Molten Brown toiletries, pillow menus, and free in-room desserts (chocolate-covered strawberries, anyone?)!
… Know your limits
If you want a happy honeymoon, you must understand both of your limits. Like whether or not your bride-to-be could take the cold. Or whether she could endure (and even enjoy!) a four-hour trek through mountain villages in northern Vietnam. Or maybe, you are terrible at navigating (and thus, should not attempt a self-drive through the Hokkaido coastline!). In a nutshell, it would be easier to relax and spend quality time together if you two can stay in your comfort zone… somewhat. You can definitely try new things, but do know what works for you – and what won’t.
… Surprise her
Honeymoons are meant to be memorable, and the sweetest thing you can do is to surprise her. If the destination is no secret, you might even want blow her away by planning a day filled with a series of small, romantic and thoughtful gestures – upgrading your plane ticket to First Class, arranging for a horse and carriage instead of a typical cab to take you places, filling the hotel room with flowers… Even little things like making sure that she has her favourite key lime pie for dessert after a romantic dinner will mean a lot.
DON’T…
… Book the cheapest travel deal out there
Price will always be a factor when it comes to choosing your travel package, but that doesn’t mean you should dive straight into that Groupon deal. Especially since there could be a not-so-great reason why the deal is priced so low. You could be booking yourself into a new hotel with kinks still un-ironed out. Or, the quality of food offered at the breakfast buffet may not be top-notch. Such deals might be okay if you’re just going away for a short break, but they might not that suitable if you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon. So think carefully before you sign up for any travel package – you don’t want to spend way more later to upgrade your package if you’re unsatisfied later!
… Bust your budget
While you shouldn’t book the cheapest deal there is, it doesn’t make sense to book the most lavish trip out there either (think luxury resorts in exotic far-flung locations). Make sure you sit down as a couple to first decide on the budget. Is it below $10,000? Or are you okay to go slightly above that? Only then should you start researching on the destinations that fit your budget. Also, don’t break the bank – make sure you compare flight prices and check out online deals from reputable sources.
… Fly off the very next day after your wedding
Even if you have limited leave days for your wedding and honeymoon, don’t pack everything in too tightly. After months of planning and pulling off your wedding, believe us when we say you will be tired! This means you should never, ever book a flight so soon after your wedding (like the morning after your wedding banquet!). Make sure you buffer at least one to two full days of rest in between. This will also be the time to grab any last-minute travel essentials so you don’t end up lacking something on your trip.
… Pack your holiday schedule too tightly
A honeymoon is still a vacation, and it’s not about rushing from place to place all the time. Say if you’re heading to Tokyo, don’t count on her being okay with dashing around the train stations (with their famously complicated train lines) trying to find the right platform! Make sure you give yourselves plenty of time to adjust to, and travel to and from places. You might even want to jot down things like “Have an ice-cream break!” in your self-prepared travel itinerary! Remember: Your honeymoon is not a reality television show.
… Just cuddle up in the hotel room
Checking into that luxurious boutique hotel doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors for your entire trip. After all, a honeymoon isn’t solely about those Egyptian cotton sheets (or honeymoon sex!). Nor is it only about dining at hotel restaurants. If you want to create some truly unforgettable memories, you definitely need to venture out. After all, a honeymoon is also for the both of you to spend quality time together eating, wining, and dining!
No matter what, embark on your honeymoon with a mindset to enjoy quality time together. Realise that no trip abroad is going to go without a hitch. But having the right attitude will make your honeymoon a truly memorable one!
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