The content in this blog post first appeared in my monthly newsletter in January of 2025. Sign up here for first access to more content like this!
Hi Friend!
Happy 2025! I don’t know about you, but it is so hard for me to believe that the new year is actually here. It feels like we just started 2024! It feels crazy that in a few months it will have been five whole years since the first c*v!d lockdown/quarantine. Insane.
YOUR Honeymoon
On a much lighter note, this month’s newsletter is all about your honeymoon (not the sex part, lol, but everything else)! As much as I truly believe that your wedding should be all about you, the ones getting married (as opposed to being about what your family or friends want), I don’t think anyone could argue that your honeymoon should not be all about you. After spending so much time and effort planning your wedding – even if it has not been causing you too much stress, it still was an objectively large task that took up a lot of your time – it is so nice to just get away and not worry about anything or anyone else.
From someone who planned two honeymoons …
After my own intimate wedding in Rocky Mountain National Park, my husband Keith and I had a mini honeymoon in Colorado Springs, CO. It was delightful, so relaxing and fun! And then a few months later we went on a cruise that was our “official” honeymoon. Looking back and being quite honest, I think we had a lot more fun on our first “minimoon” as we call it. Even though it was shorter than the cruise, we got to sleep in, explore the town of Colorado Springs which we really loved, and just be spontaneous and do whatever we wanted. The cruise was fun too, but there are just so many people on cruise ships and there is only a limited amount of things to do and see, and then the excursions feel so rushed and touristy. That’s not really our vibe. Plus we got super sick on the cruise and were both bedridden for two or three days after. Just overall not a super great experience.
Honeymoon: a TRIP or a VACATION?
A lot of people plan really involved honeymoons, for example to Europe, and here is why I really think that is a mistake: your honeymoon should be about the two of you relaxing and playing and getting used to your new relationship status. In Europe, for example, there are so many things to see and museums to visit and who knows when you will have the chance to come back so you need to take advantage of the opportunity and go, go, go the whole trip and you can relax when you get back home and … do you get the picture? And if you want to (and have the means to) go to Europe, maybe save it for an anniversary trip.
Colorado Springs was perfect for us for a few reasons. We got married in Colorado, so we were already there and got to start our honeymoon immediately instead of spending the whole day after our wedding traveling. It is our favorite state, but we had never been to that city before, so it all felt new and fresh. And we knew we would have the opportunity to visit Colorado again in the future (my brother lives there), so there was no pressure to see and do everything during that trip.
I am definitely not saying that you should not go to a really cool destination for your honeymoon, but in my opinion when it comes to honeymoons, simpler is always better. Think “vacation”, not “trip”. I will also say, plan your budget carefully and leave room. Even if you had help paying for your wedding, don’t feel that you need to go all out for the honeymoon. You definitely do not want to go broke right at the beginning of your marriage. And there will always be hidden extra costs that come up that you don’t want to be unprepared for.
Honeymoon Destination Recommendations
I know that this whole newsletter I have been telling you what not to do on your honeymoon, so here are my top three recommendations for honeymoon destinations:
1. Small Mountain Town
Small mountain towns have the best vibes. There are always an abundance of gorgeous hiking trails, a cutie downtown area, breweries and pubs, and, usually, twinkly lights at night. Bonus points if it has hot springs!
2. All Inclusive Tropical Resort
As long as you plan ahead and do your research to make sure, these can be a really good deal. Always double check what kind of room you are getting and what is included (alcohol, access to certain areas or activities, restaurants, etc.). Plus, once you get there you don’t really have to worry about anything. I would definitely recommend looking at a smaller resort. And don’t forget to factor in some extra cash for tipping the staff!
3. Staycation
Honestly, don’t come at me for this one but I think staycations are totally underrated. Let me ask you this: what is better than sleeping in your own bed? Literally nothing. Or if you really want to get out of the house, look for a cool bed and breakfast or vacation rental nearby. But you have to treat a staycation like a vacation though. Sleep in, turn the notifications off on your phone, definitely don’t worry about doing chores, go out to eat for all your meals, try new restaurants, visit museums you usually just drive past, walk around all the downtowns within a 30 mile radius, visit a state park you have not been to before … the possibilities are literally endless.
Final Thoughts
So, to recap, here are some tips to have a great honeymoon:
1. Unplug and just focus on spending time with your partner.
2. Keep it simple. Don’t overplan and leave room for spontaneity.
3. Consider honeymooning near where your wedding took place.
4. Always leave room in the budget for unexpected expenses.
5. Prioritize relaxing and having fun with your brand new spouse!
I hope this newsletter has been helpful as you plan your honeymoon! Remember, the most important thing is not where you go, it’s who you are with. Enjoy the sacred time with your partner before you have to come back to “real life”. And if you need more tips for planning your wedding, sign up for my newsletter and you’ll get access to all my freebies with titles like “Non-Hiking Elopement Location Inspiration”, “Wedding Planning Dream Date Worksheet”, “Buffalo National River Elopement Guide”, and so many more!
*All my blog posts contain a selection of images that I’ve taken. If you are interested in booking a wedding or session with me, I am more than happy to send you a full gallery upon request!
I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a couples/intimate wedding/elopement photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook and sign up for my monthly newsletter to get exclusive wedding planning advice and access to all of my new (and old) freebies! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!
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