Budgeting for Your Honeymoon

by Paris Permenter & John Bigley

You can picture the perfect honeymoon. The elegant room. The sumptuous meals. The romantic setting. Then along comes that four-letter word.Cost.

Budgeting for your honeymoon is a necessary part of the whole process, just like budgeting for the wedding itself. How much you will spend depends on many factors: where you honeymoon, when you travel, the length of your stay, and more.According to the most recent figures of the Travel Industry Association of America, honeymooners spend an average of $1,402 per couple compared to $421 spent annually on regular trips. Young couples, age 18 to 24 years, spend the most on honeymoons, averaging $1,873. And as many as one-third of all honeymooners spend over $2,500 for that once-in-a-lifetime trip.

So where do you start? Begin by doing a little comparison shopping. Prices vary greatly, not just from destination to destination but from resort to resort. And within the same resort, you'll find a full menu of price options, depending on factors like room view and length of stay. The "rack rate" or price you are quoted if you call a property is usually the highest; through tour operators and wholesalers you can often receive substantial discounts.

The price of air travel to your honeymoon destination also varies greatly. On any given flight, there are far more price classes than just first and coach. That traveler sitting beside you may have paid far less -- or more -- for his ticket. Factors like Saturday night stayovers influence price; also the cost of a seat can change daily.

Check with travel agents for special deals only they can access, try different days if you have some flexibility in travel times, and don't forget online travel services. And, if you have more than one airport in your area, it pays to compare the price of departing from various gateways. The difference can sometimes be several hundred dollars.When you travel also greatly influences the cost of your honeymoon.

Every destination has a high season and a low season when prices reflect demand. In the Caribbean, high season runs from mid-December through mid-April, the coldest months in the Northeast, the Caribbean's biggest market. Low season coincides with hurricane season, from June through November.

The difference between high and low season prices can vary as much as 40%. Resorts that seem out of reach in the winter months may be right in your price range during the summer. And remember, the chance of a hurricane is a longshot. To keep travelers coming during these slow months, many resorts have started hurricane guarantees, offering refunds if hurricane weather occurs during your travels.

And one destination's high season may well be another destination's low season. For example, the winter months are low season for Bermuda, which falls outside the Caribbean's boundaries.Honeymooners enjoy lower prices during the winter months when temperatures are usually too chilly for sea swimming but perfect for kissing beneath the island's legendary moongates or walking hand-in-hand on those pink sand beaches.

For many honeymooners, all-inclusive resorts are a budget bonus. Started in Jamaica but now spread throughout the Caribbean and Mexico, the all-inclusive vacation is becoming ever more popular with honeymooners - and their families. Their "one price pays all" policy makes the all-inclusive trip more and more convenient for parents purchasing a honeymoon package as a gift for newlyweds. Air, transfers, meals, drinks, watersports, and even tips are included in the tab at most all-inclusive resorts.

Another boost to the honeymoon budget are changing currency prices. Mexico has long been popular with honeymoon travelers looking to capitalize on a devaluated peso. Similarly, Canada is also gaining popularity as a honeymoon hotspot.

Also, honeymooners like the cities of Montreal and Quebec City because they are like going to Paris without going so far and spending so much money.