Brides and grooms-to-be, is your honeymoon planning feeling lost among the whirlwind of wedding preparations? Not to worry, we’re here to help guide you through this exciting time and provide ideas, advice, and inspiration throughout all stages of your wedding planning experience, even your honeymoon travel! In this edition of our “Ask The Experts” blog series, we asked travel agent Tanya Lippincott of Bradford Street Travel for her top honeymoon travel tips. Read on for her advice on how to plan a smooth and stress-free honeymoon experience!
Image by Loui Photography
MEET OUR EXPERT: TANYA LIPPINCOTT
Bradford Street Travel is a boutique travel agency, specializing in custom trips designed for couples, families and groups of all sizes. Providing personalized travel experiences to help you discover extraordinary destinations and create new memories together. Tanya designs breathtaking honeymoons for discerning couples that take them to some of the most spellbinding—and romantic—destinations around the globe. Think Italy, Greece, Bora Bora, the Maldives, the turquoise shallows of the Caribbean, the chic shop-lined streets of Paris … you get the idea!
“My goal is to make sure you have a beautiful honeymoon!
All too often, honeymoon arrangements play second fiddle to the wedding planning and festivities. After a whirlwind, once-in-a-lifetime celebration the couple jets off on a honeymoon that feels thrown together, without any of the details that would make it feel personal to them.
I don’t want that for you, friend. That’s why I’ll be sharing some of my most important honeymoon travel tips for planning a tailored, truly spectacular honeymoon of your own.”
Catch Your Breath Before You Catch Your Flight
We see a scene like this all the time in romcoms: the happy couple ties the knot, and the next day they’re racing off to the airport to catch their honeymoon flight. While it’s tempting to live out the cinematic dream, it’s smart to consider the practicalities behind such a tight timeline.
Actually, one of my top honeymoon travel tips is recommending that couples stay focused on the present and schedule their departure at least 2-3 days after their wedding for several key reasons:
- Energy Levels: Weddings can be exhausting—leaving right after might mean starting the honeymoon feeling drained rather than rejuvenated.
- Packing Chaos: With wedding preparations already taking center stage, packing for a honeymoon could end up rushed or incomplete.
- Time to Bask: Sometimes it’s nice to enjoy the glow of the wedding day without the pressure of immediately moving on to the next big event.
- Avoid Surprises: Sudden flight delays or weather complications could add unnecessary stress to your wedding day. A buffer day or two helps iron out any issues.
Consider A Mini-Moon
You don’t have to give up the magical narrative—it can always be tweaked! “Mini-moons” are becoming more popular, and I think they can be a great idea!
Some couples choose to take a shorter “mini-moon” right after their wedding, followed by their dream honeymoon later. This delay allows them to accrue more PTO or align their preferred destination with the best time of year to visit. Trust me, you do not want to honeymoon in Thailand in the thick of summer!
Spreading out these experiences also gives newlyweds something to anticipate and enjoy throughout their first year of marriage.
Image by Marit Williams Photography
Find The Perfect Balance
Your honeymoon represents your first steps into your new life together. It’s your first big adventure post-wedding, so naturally you want this special trip to reflect both of your interests, preferences and long-held travel dreams.
Close your eyes and think about your honeymoon. What do you see?
Sometimes couples can have very different visions and this may be the first time they’ve sat down together and realized that! So what happens when a couple has very different interests, dreams, and preferences? That’s where I come in. I’m the “impartial party” that can bridge the gap between a couple’s different ideas of a dream honeymoon.
My job is to intimately understand what you both want, find the commonalities, and craft an itinerary that gives you both a big dose of what you’re craving.
I also encourage couples to try out the other’s travel style through excursions or activities they wouldn’t normally go for on their own. It can be super fun to see your partner in “their element”, and you may surprise yourself and learn you love what they love more than you thought!
Image by Taryn Collins Photography
Plan With A Travel Advisor
If you’re already knee-deep in wedding planning, you’re likely to feel overwhelmed by planning the honeymoon—and the details of your trip may suffer. Handing it off to a travel advisor relieves the stress and time it takes to plan it yourself, and it ensures your honeymoon will have just as much of an expert touch and thoughtful design as your wedding. This is such a special trip, and you deserve nothing less!
Image by Lindsey Taylor Photography
The Perks
At Bradford Street Travel, I specialize in spectacular luxury travel experiences that are more than worthy of your honeymoon. I have connections with luxury properties and travel suppliers around the globe, in breathtaking places that make for the perfect romantic backdrop (think the Maldives, Greece, Bora Bora, and beyond). Plus, my industry affiliations often allow me to pass on exclusive perks to my clients, so we can “VIP” your honeymoon with amenities such as: room upgrades, complimentary breakfasts, spa or resort credits, early check in/late check out, and more!
Beyond this, I love to weave in personalized surprises for my clients that are a quiet nod to their unique love story. These are often unexpected, intimate moments designed to make them feel celebrated and completely cared for—adding an elevated touch to their honeymoon experience.
When to Begin Planning Your Honeymoon
The sooner the better. For such an important trip, you want to make sure you have the best options for accommodations and dates—honeymoon-worthy suites tend to book up quickly! Ideally, you’d start your honeymoon planning 11 months out from your wedding or sooner.
If you don’t have that kind of a time left, don’t panic—because right now is the next best time to start planning. And this is when it becomes even more important to work with a travel advisor, as they have the resources and knowledge to uncover the best options at the best value for you even within a shorter time frame.
Helping you narrow down your options, according to your preferences and budget, is all part of the process. Some couples already have a dream destination in mind, some have a vague idea, and others are total blank slates—I’ll assist no matter where you fall.
Learn more
If you loved Tanya’s honeymoon travel tips, and are interested in learning more about working with Bradford Street Travel on your upcoming honeymoon, visit her website linked below for information on her services.
