My husband and I eloped three months before taking a three-week long trip to India together. The trip was already planned and paid for way before we decided to get married, and all of a sudden we realized it could double as pretty awesome honeymoon. This was great for us since we decided to get married so quickly—long-term planning hasn’t always been our strength. Since that trip we’ve taken a bunch of others that are all over the travel spectrum—everything from camping trips near Mount St. Helens to several days in Panama to a recent weeklong trip to Paris. I’ve read that up to 80 percent of Americans like to travel to the same places over and over again. We’re not really those people, but I get the appeal: you know what things will cost, where you want to eat, and the lay of the land, so to speak.
Having said that, I know just planning a trip (even something as easy as camping for three days near where you already live) can take a lot out of you. There’s so much to think about: where will we eat? Did we print the reservation? Do they take cards? Who will watch the cat/bunny/turtle? I’m also a wedding photographer, which means I’ve been witness to countless discussions about how mind-boggling it is to conceptualize a honeymoon when you’re simultaneously planning a wedding. Bottom line: I don’t think it’s for the faint of heart. For that reason, we’re looking for ways to help take some of that drama out of the equation for APW couples. Starting with today’s open thread.
SO, tell us, Did you take a honeymoon immediately after you got married, or did you wait a while? Where are the best places to go on a budget? Which places are less-than-great? What travel tips do you want to share? What kept you sane in the planning process?
