Honeymoon Spending Heating Up

Every engaged couple has priorities when it comes to their nuptials, and for many it appears that the days after the wedding are pretty high on the list of what matters most. According to the Brides magazine “2012 American Wedding Study: Travel Edition,” today’s couples are spending a hefty average of $4,900 on their honeymoon - up significantly from 2011’s average of $3,586. This 37-percent spending increase suggests that while tough economic times might motivate couples to cut costs in areas like attire, décor or food and drink, their just-the-two-of-us travel is more than worth the splurge. “A honeymoon is something that a couple can share together and look back on 20 or 30 years down the road,” says Brides travel editor Jacqueline Gifford. “They’re spending money/investing in creating a memory that will last a lifetime, rather than a material object that they’ll be over in two years.” The Brides travel study also found that 37 percent of couples are seeking the assistance of travel agents when planning their honeymoon, in contrast to only 13 percent who turn to agents for non-honeymoon travel. The argument against simply doing it yourself online like all your other trips? “Travel agents play a vital role in piecing together complicated itineraries - say, if you’re traveling on a safari or to Bali or Thailand,” Gifford says. She also notes that agents can help get room upgrades and other perks, and if anything goes wrong - such as a flight delay, weather disruption or even if the room just isn’t up to par - it’s on them to fix the problem. A good travel agent will save you time and spare you stress, and will help your hard-earned dollars go farther. Speaking of dollars, another spending detail the travel study brought to light is that a whopping 24 percent of couples now have a travel-specific gift registry, such as HoneyFund.com or TravelersJoy.com, where friends and family can contribute cash for your trip. “These honeymoon-related registries have been around for quite some time, and they are perfectly fine - with certain stipulations,” says Peggy Post, author of “Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette, 5th Edition” (William Morrow, 2005). Her guidelines: People will be sending or wiring money, so be sure you work with a reputable company. Read the fine print for details like fees. Make sure the company can provide a list of who sends what so that you are able to thank the gift giver. You also should have another registry option with more traditional, tangible goods, as not everyone feels comfortable gifting cash or giving you something that isn’t related to setting up your home. If you’re on a tighter budget, or even just want more bang for your thousands of bucks, consider traveling during your location’s off-season, cash in frequent flier miles you racked up using your credit card for wedding expenses, or be savvy about your destination. Gifford thinks Mexico (Riviera Maya, Riviera Nayarit, Cabo) offers incredible value for the money; or for something farther afield, Thailand is very affordable for couples who want it all: culture, spa, adventure and beach. “And what about Canada?” says Gifford. “Montreal is like Paris for a fraction of the price.”