A honeymoon is more than a tradition or a romantic gesture. Everyone who organizes a wedding knows just how stressful this process actually is. Sure, the wedding is supposed to be the most important day in your life, but it may be nothing but hard labor days before. Therefore, a honeymoon is there to help you unwind and charge your batteries for what comes next.
The majority of people take a vacation (or at least a couple of days off) surrounding their wedding day. Once this is over and done with, you’ll have to go back to work. The wedding day is also fairytale-like, but even the best of marriages are not tales or tale-like. This means that after the wedding, you’ll have to get back to reality. The honeymoon is there to prolong this fairytale by at least several pages.
So, if honeymoons are so important and necessary, what happens if you can’t afford one? Getting in debt in order to go on a honeymoon is never a good idea. Fortunately, there is a way for you to get all of the above-discussed perks without overspending. Here are several such ideas.
Road Trip
For many people, a honeymoon is a way to leave their comfort zone and find themselves in a strange place where they have to rely on their partner (their new spouse). The thing is that you can achieve a similar effect on a road trip while spending less.
Going on a road trip, however, needs to be planned in advance(like you would a regular honeymoon). You also need to check your car (make sure it’s road-trip-ready), pack carefully, set a budget, and come up with a great itinerary.
Timing is everything, but you might want to plan your road trip a bit less ambitious than you normally would. Keep in mind that your past few weeks were a bit of a rush. So, plan the itinerary so that you have maneuverability. Let’s say that you want to stay a bit longer in bed, take an unplanned detour, or include new stops to your journey. The schedule needs to be so flexible that these changes of plans don’t alter it by that much.
While the route itself needs to be beautiful, try to ensure that your stops are as romantic as possible. Just keep in mind that while your options on that particular route may be limited, the choice of the route itself is not.
Nearby Bed and Breakfast
The location is not everything, and you can just as easily pick a nearby bed and breakfast. You can still have the honeymoon you want; you just won’t have to travel across the globe to get it. This is one of the ways to still have a honeymoon, even on the tightest of budgets. Naturally, those who plan for it ahead of time and look for inexpensive wedding venues might be able to afford more.
The most eye-opening cognition about travels, tourism, and vacationing is just how little you know your own state (or even county). Since we were little, we were hardwired to equate the idea of a vacation as either a tropical location or a snowy resort. There is, however, no objective reason why this should be the case.
When living in a megalopolis, the chances are that you haven’t even gotten to experience all that your city has to offer. In other words, if someone were to kidnap you and take you to a neighborhood that you’ve never visited before, the chances are that you wouldn’t realize that you’re still in the same city for a while.
While this idea sounds a bit odd, it’s definitely something that can help you with this alternative honeymoon idea. In fact, it could completely revolutionize your vacationing habits.
Week at Home
One of the best things about the honeymoon is the fact that you’re away from people and tasks that occupy your attention and have the privilege of focusing exclusively on your partner. What does that mean? However, such a thing can be achieved at home, as well.
Just think about a traditional vacation and ask yourself what helps you recharge your batteries the most. Is it really the fact that you’ve left your comfort zone? Is it about the exotic location and the fact that you’re so far away? Or is it the fact that you’re out of the loop and spending more than you normally would? Paying too much for a dinner is fine on vacation, but doing such a thing at home would seem… unjustified (from your own biased point of view).
With that in mind, what would happen if you were to calculate how much pocket money you would spend on a holiday(without the flight and lodging). Then, you take this figure, reduce it by 30%-50% and make a solemn vow to spend it on yourself and your partner in a single week.
There’s also one more trick that some find handy (even though it’s a bit mischievous). You tell everyone that you’re on a trip. This way, people would avoid bothering you as much (even on social media).
Camping Trip
Going on a romantic trip is one of the best possible ideas. However, it is also a test of sorts, seeing as how your partner will either love or loathe the idea (there’s no middle ground).
The choice of the site is the first challenge that you’ll have to face. If your partner is adventurous, you should choose something that provides ample opportunities for adventure. Hiking, mountaineering, swimming, kayaking, fishing, etc., are just some of your options.
On the other hand, if they’re a bit more dormant, you should try to provide them with more comfort (more leisure). You would be surprised at just how versatile the camping gear can be. You can get the proper tent LED light fixture, inflatable bed, even all sorts of portable electronics? Is this gear expensive? Sure, but it’s probably not as expensive as the honeymoon you originally planned. Moreover, it’s something that you can use time and time again.
As far as the romantic ideas go, stargazing and spending your evenings by the campfire is simply second-to-none. Due to the absence of light pollution in these campsites, there’s so much to admire in the night sky.
Embark on a Project Together
Sometimes, the best thing you can do is get to work. Now, this can range from something as modest as rearranging your home completely to designing your dream house. The key thing to understand is that this is the beginning of a whole new chapter of your life. It’s never too early to see how well you do under pressure.
This is frugal, productive, and your partner might find it more satisfying than any alternative (including a traditional honeymoon).
However, before even initiating the talk about this, you need to be 100% sure that this is something your partner wants. WANTS is the keyword, seeing as how even being OK with it, won’t cut it.
In Conclusion
The first step in making a great alternative to a honeymoon is to figure out what both you and your partner want. This takes a lot of communication, respect, and it takes really knowing your partner. If you’re marrying a workaholic, taking them on a honeymoon might make them feel bored or even outright anxious. The key thing is that you figure out what your partner wants from a honeymoon and find a way to provide them with this experience. You don’t have to leave your room in order to find a getaway.
About The Author
Stacey is a freelance writer living in Minnesota with her cat, and she’s passionate about yoga, languages, home improvement, and drinking strong coffee. Find her on Twitter @StaceyShann0n