Fly Me to the Moon
Honeymoons Tailored to Taste
By Dana Schwartz
During the time spent ironing out details, stressing over the guest list and walking down the aisle, the honeymoon retreat lingers on the minds of all newlyweds. Who wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about relaxing on the beach of a tropical island next to their new spouse?
But many people don’t plan accordingly, under-budgeting and corrdinating poorly. Luckily couples can now call up the wedding planner’s close relative, the honeymoon planner, so that their romantic getaway truly is smooth sailing.
Teresa Belcher, president of Honeymoon Islands Inc., in Fairfax, has been planning honeymoons for 27 years. She’s turned her passion into a company that pulls in $1-1.5 million each year. With couples putting all of their time, energy and resources into the perfect wedding day, a honeymoon planner often comes in handy when planning for the relaxing and romantic trip that trails their magical day.
Belcher speaks with the couple to find out what they are specifically looking for; getting down to the “nitty grittys,” as she calls them, really helps her zone in on what the couple would enjoy.
“Finding out the couple’s expectations is the most important thing,” she said. “I want them to paint a picture for me, and it’s also important that they’re on the same page with each other.”
Belcher recommends that the couple sit down with each other and make a “T-chart,” with pros on one side and cons on the other. Each person should make his or her own list and then exchange them to see what the other expects out of the honeymoon. More often than not, each person has different ideas of what they want. Then they should write a chart together about what they want as a couple and prioritize what they’re not willing to give up over what they are.
Couples should consider what they like to do during the day and night, the importance of a beach, dining and nightlife. Would they like to hibernate or venture out at night? What amenities would they like? What don’t they want? Where have they traveled together in the past and what did they like and not like about it?
Then comes the budget. Belcher says that eight out of 10 couples budget so much for the wedding and barely anything for the honeymoon, spending thousands of dollars on a 20-minute ceremony and reception and only $4-5,000 for a seven-day trip.
Belcher recommends going by the 50-percent rule. She believes every couple underestimates their honeymoon budget by half, so they should take what they have budgeted and add 50 percent to that.
“The bottom line is to ask if they want to increase their budget to meet their expectations or to lower their expectations to meet their budget,” she said. “You can’t buy a champagne honeymoon on a beer budget.”
Couples also should keep in mind their planning timeline. While most couples get engaged one to two years in advance of their wedding, they don’t necessarily need to start planning the honeymoon right away. Reservations should be made six to 10 months prior to the honeymoon with the balance paid two months in advance.
A major advantage to working with a honeymoon planner is that they have more help on their side as opposed to planning by themselves. Belcher claims that honeymoon planners have the benefit of buying power; with connections at the hotels and airlines, they can take care of all the details. Also, planners have a 24-hour customer service number that you can call if there’s a problem on the trip, as opposed to trying to fix things alone.
“The difference is that the couple is only looking at the bottom line while honeymoon planners look at the whole picture and the bottom line,” she said.
Kenneth and Courtenay Brown enlisted the help of a honeymoon planner when they were planning their honeymoon to Maui at the Kea Lani Resort.
“Our honeymoon was over-the-top luxury and relaxation. Nothing could’ve prepared me and my husband for the Kea Lani. There is no other hotel on Maui that can compare, it even trumps the Four Seasons in my estimation,” Courtenay said.
When the Browns arrived to their room they found long stemmed strawberries, chocolate fondue and champagne.
“Needless to say, those items were the catalyst to a fabulous honeymoon,” she said.
There are also other perks to working with a honeymoon planner, such as the gift registry some use. This works best for couples who already have their home furnished and also for second-timers. Couples can register with their planners for a gift registry, and their guests can help pay for the honeymoon.
(December 2007)