How Far In Advance You Should Start Planning Your Honeymoon

If you think about it, planning a honeymoon is not drastically different from plotting any other vacation. The only difference is that you'd be traveling with your newly minted spouse to celebrate your "I Do's" in a place that is special to both of you. Your budget may look different, with some couples taking honeymoons as an opportunity to splurge, but ultimately, it's just like any other trip. Then again, if you want a couples' getaway that ticks all your boxes, it pays to start planning — and booking — early.

Wedding planning, on average, is 15 months, according to a study conducted by The Knot. You don't necessarily need to dedicate a similar timeframe to planning your honeymoon, but ideally, you want to kickstart the process at around the halfway point, which is around six months to eight months in advance. While you could argue that you can plan a trip much faster than that, a honeymoon requires a more meticulous approach. There's nothing wrong with keeping things simple, of course, but to go on the trip of your dreams, you want an extended lead time, especially if there are a lot of considerations involved, like unique excursions, a specific type of lodging, or the weather on your preferred destination. And let's not forget the budget. Waiting until the last minute is a surefire way to blow your budget, so getting ahead of the game is ideal for crafting your dream honeymoon sans the increased costs.

Honeymoons present an opportune moment for couples to go all out in terms of spending, but if you want to adhere to a strict budget, there's no point in dillydallying. Plan and book early, or risk paying the price — literally. Travel advisor Alexandra Stockton said that unless you want to pay a premium, book things in advance. "Booking early is especially important if you don't have much flexibility with your travel dates and/or budget," she told Brides. "Prices are continuing to rise as airlines, hotels, and tour companies look to recoup money lost in 2020 and 2021, so the days of last-minute travel deals are largely gone."

What's more, waiting may mean that you'll have fewer options to choose from once you get down to it. The suite you're eyeing in a boutique accommodation out on some Mediterranean island may already be gone by the time you're ready to book. "The most affordable rooms and specialty suites—rooms with private plunge pools, etc.—are the first to sell out, so booking early helps avoid disappointment," Stockton noted.

Echoing her sentiment is seasoned honeymoon planner Craig Zapatka, telling The Knot that availability can be a real problem, especially in destinations that are more in demand. "... availability is something we need to take into account," he explained. "Your experience on the ground needs to be intimate, exciting and everything you wanted it to be... because it is your honeymoon."

While the norm is to have your honeymoon shortly after the wedding, you shouldn't feel pressured to do so. Your honeymoon should happen on your own terms, not in alignment with societal expectations or trends. If the thought of rushing off to a far-flung destination right after saying "I do" feels overwhelming, it's perfectly acceptable to do it at a later time. That way, you'll have more time to plot your dream getaway — not to mention pad your honeymoon fund — ensuring a more fulfilling experience without the stress of concurrent wedding and travel planning.

"Delaying gives more time to plan, so they are more able to give both their wedding and the honeymoon their full attention, rather than splitting it between the two," travel designer Rachel Newton shared with Brides, adding that when you do a delayed honeymoon, you also have the advantage of selecting the optimal season for travel. "It allows them [couples] to avoid peak travel months, which are often the same as the peak wedding months," she said.

Beyond easing logistical and financial strains, postponing your honeymoon can also have psychological benefits, according to relationship therapist Rachel Sussman via The Washington Post. Post-wedding, couples often experience a sense of anticlimax, with the excitement of the big day behind them. But having a honeymoon planned for the months down the line can help sustain that sense of anticipation. "Doing it six months, a year, even 18 months later gives you something to look forward to," she told The Washington Post.