HONEYMOON PLANNING TIMELINE
Ahhh , the honeymoon . Your hard-earned reward for months of stressful wedding planning . The only catch ? You have to plan that , too ! Here ' s our guide to pulling off a glitch-free honeymoon .
SIX MONTHS OR MORE AHEAD Set a budget .
Start having some conversation with your fiancé . Where do you want to go ? What do you want to do ? Throw around possibilities , search the Internet , talk to a travel agent , and ask friends for ideas .
If you ' re planning a destination wedding , get the ball rolling on paperwork and / or contact a wedding planner who specializes in destination weddings .
Find a travel agent ( if you don ' t already have one ) who specializes in your destination , activity ( an adventure honeymoon ) tour or scuba trip , for example ), or mode of transportation ( a cruise specialist , say ).
If the price tag for your dream trip is off the charts , brainstorm ways to save money . Investigate what your frequent flyer point balance can buy you and / or research honeymoon registry options with tour operators , travel agents , and on the Internet .
Book your tickets , get seat assignments , order special inflight meals , and check luggage allowances ( you ' ll need these for buying , or registering for , luggage later ), especially if you ' re carting skis or scuba gear . If you hope to cash in frequent flyer miles for a trip or upgrade , purchase or transfer points
( if necessary ) and make your ticket request from the airline as soon as possible .
Research hotels , check room availability , and reserve a room .
Reserve a rental car .
If you ' re traveling abroad -- and feeling ambitious -- sign up for a foreign-language class or buy a language course on tape and start practicing at home or on your way to work .
Ask your travel agent whether certain vaccinations are recommended or required before visiting your destination .
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