In my last blog we talked about how to plan a dream wedding for under $5,000. Now that the confetti has fallen and the last of the champagne has been drunk, you get to jet set off to some exotic location. Reality then hits and you realize that after you have paid for all of the wedding expenses, you don’t have much money left over for the ideal honeymoon that you have been longing for. If you are starting to feel pessimistic about the whole thing and are ready to ditch your plans altogether; read on. Here are 5 ways to help you get the most out of our budget and still have a honeymoon to remember!
Sign Up For A Honeymoon Registry
When people say their “I Do’s” it is common place to sign up for a wedding registry. These days the usual houseware gifts are getting redundant, and chances are you already have your own home completely furnished (really who needs a second toaster?) Why not sign up for a honeymoon registry instead? It is the exact same concept of a traditional registry, but will literally give your guests the opportunity to contribute to specific elements of your honeymoon ie: 1 night hotel accommodations or a candlelit dinner at an upscale restaurant. Not only will this significantly cut down on your honeymoon costs, it will also make your friends and family feel great knowing they made more of a personal contribution to your trip.
Travel Locally
More often than not, when people dream of their ideal honeymoon pictures of Tahiti or some other glamorous location will come to mind. But the truth is that we live in an amazing country with so much to see and explore. There are plenty of local honeymoon hotspots right here in our own backyard. Rent a cozy cabin in the Canadian Rockies or stay in a great hotel overlooking Niagara Falls. You could always head east and rent a quaint oceanfront cottage in the Maritimes. The point here is to get creative. If you need some more inspiration, check out Vacay.ca for their list of the top 10 most romantic places in Canada.
Travel During The Off Season
Ok, so we all know this might not be ideal, but if you are willing to throw on an extra sweater or bring your umbrella, this could land you huge savings. Destinations such as Cuba and Mexico are generally cheaper to visit during the fall and spring months. Just be sure to always do your homework, as some destinations will come with the increased chances of hurricanes or monsoons during their off season. Do your research, and if you time things just right, you will score some big savings.
Explore House Swapping
Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet made this concept well known when they chose to change lives in the blockbuster hit "The Holiday". Since then, this savvy way of finding low cost accommodation has started to catch on. The approach is simple; you switch homes with another couple for a week or two. You still have to take care of your own travel, food and any sight seeing you want to do, but it can be a cheap way to go on that well deserved honeymoon. If you’re nervous about the idea of having strangers staying in your house unsupervised, rest easy. Just make sure that you go through a reputable agent such as Home Exchange, who completes a through screening on the clients they work with.
Be Flexible
This is the most important thing to remember when planning. If you’re willing to be open-minded with the destination and dates,your travel agent can secure you some killer deals. If the stars don’t seem to be aligning and things still don’t go your way, take a step back. This is a highly emotional time and it’s easy to feel defeated when things don’t go quite right and you have to settle for 2nd or even 3rd choice. Remember that life is full of celebrations and there will be many other opportunities in the future such as milestone anniversaries or birthdays to be enjoyed.
It’s important to keep in mind that paying more for your honeymoon doesn’t automatically mean that you will have a better time, but if you are still yearning for that trip of a lifetime, Cashco Financial wants to help make your dream of that ideal honeymoon into a reality. With a Flex Loan you can have up to $5,000 to plan your getaway. With up to 36 months to repay, you can de-stress from all the wedding planning, and spend some well deserved time together.
