There are three basic honeymoon destination types: the beach, the mountains and the city. Each one requires careful pre-planning on your part to make sure you have enough, but not so much that you wind up forking over extra cash at your airline’s check-in counter.

If the beach is your destination — a great choice for all the northerners who spend most of the winter digging their driveways out from under mounds of snow — there’s a chance that you may have to carry on all your items if you or your spouse want to bring along the golf clubs. But have no fear, it can be done.

“Chances are you’re just going to be at the pool most of the day, so two swimsuits, a wrap or two and flip-flops will take care of most of your daytime needs,” says Anne Hankey, a fashion marketing & management instructor at The Illinois Institute of Art – Chicago.

Hankey also suggests neutral T-shirts, sexy dresses that can be dressed up or down, shorts, a couple of skirts and a pair of casual and dressy sandals. Don’t forget your sunglasses, a small, unique “statement bag” and a big bag you can use as a carry-on, on the plane and as your beach bag once you get to your destination. If you have room, Hankey also suggests a big collapsible hat, but you can always buy one when you land.

And what do you wear on the plane when you’re taking off in sub-zero weather and landing in a heat wave? “My favorite trick is to wear black exercise clothes,” says Stephanie Schuller, fashion marketing and management instructor at The Illinois Institute of Art — Chicago. “They’ll insulate you so in cold weather they’ll keep you warm and they can keep you from sweating in warm weather because they are designed to regulate your body temperature when you work out.”

If you decide to head to a winter ski resort on your honeymoon, you can still keep your bulkier winter wear to a minimum. Hankey suggests you pack your ski boots with your skis in your checked luggage. “Wear your ski parka on the plane with a nice pair of jeans, a sweater and casual boots.

Bring two pairs of leggings and a few thermal T-shirts to layer under your parka when you hit the slopes and don’t forget your socks, gloves and ski goggles. “Pack a few sparkly tops or tank tops that you can pair with the jeans you wore on the plane and don’t forget your swimsuit for the hot tub,” says Hankey.

Schuller also suggests a matte jersey dress that can be rolled up and won’t wrinkle for one special night out. Just throw in a pair of dressy heels to wear with the dress and jeans and a pair of flip-flops for the hot tub and you’re ready to go.

If you decide to jet off to a destination like Paris or New York for your honeymoon, Schuller stresses you should not forget to bring along a pair of comfortable and stylish shoes on your journey.

“You can pack a little more, because you won’t have golf clubs or skis in tow,” says Hankey. She suggests you wear jeans and flats on the plane, along with a simple sweater and dressy jacket or coat. Bring a pashmina in a fashionable bag as your carry-on.

Your suitcase should contain a couple of simple dresses. “Wrap dresses work very well because you can roll them up,” says Hankey. Don’t forget your basic black slacks and a variety of thin tops and sweaters that can be dressed up or down. “Jewelry and a Hermes scarf can really transform an outfit,” she points out.

No matter the destination, Hankey stresses that you should always take along travel size toiletries — they’re usually under the three-ounce carry-on limit and take up little room in your checked bags.

Schuller adds, “Don’t forget to allow room for souvenirs, because if you over-pack, you can’t bring anything new home.”

Both Hankey and Schuller have one last piece of advice: don’t forget the lingerie. As Schuller points out “it’s not like it takes up a lot of room.”

To learn more about The Art Institutes, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Top- $12.09

Middle- $27.79

Bottom- $26.58

Top- $31.95

Middle- $31.95

Bottom- $31.95

These are just a sample of what you will find at Astroboy 772 on eBay. There are tons of beautiful corsets for you to chose from.

*prices vary with different sizes*

Regardless of where you decide to go, there are some things you should know to make it the kind of experience you want it to be.

First, you must decide on a budget. If money is not an issue, bon-voyage! However, if you’re like most engaged couples, you’re already paying more than you anticipated. Establish a budget and use it as a guide.

You’ll also need to decide whether you want an all-inclusive, one-price-does-it-all, leave-the-wallet-at-home type of trip, or a more do-it-yourself package with car rental, lodging, food, and activities on an a la carte basis. Cruises technically fall under the all-inclusive category, as do resorts.

Of course, honeymoon budgeting takes on a new meaning if you decide to do a “destination wedding”. These are becoming very popular as more and more couples decide to forego the traditional wedding costs in addition to the honeymoon expense and are especially popular for second marriages. It’s easier to get married in some countries than others, so be sure to check with a reliable source, like a country’s consulate or the U.S. Department of State, before making any arrangements.

Now you need to book and pay for this trip. Many honeymoon suppliers offer special rates for early booking, which may or may not include airfare. Packages that include airfare can offer significant savings because retailers buy airline seats in at a discount, then package hotel, and sometimes car rentals as well.

You may also want to consider using a honeymoon gift registry to help with expenses. Check with your local travel agent to see if they offer this kind of service or you can investigate more on the internet.

Here’s a quick list of Honeymoon Registry Sites:

• HoneyLuna.com
• TravelersJoy.com
• HoneymoonWishes.com
• Sandals.com

Honeymoon registries allow guests, friends and family to contribute toward specific elements of your honeymoon, like shore excursions, parasailing, spa services, and tours.

Wedding Night & Honeymoon Worksheet

Your Honeymoon Budget

Before You Go… Wardrobe necessities: _____ Luggage: _________________ Passport/passport photos: ________________ Inoculations/medicines: ___ Sundries (suntan lotion): __ Extra pair of sun/glasses: _ Child care/pet care: _______ Camera & film: ___________ Transportation To Your Honeymoon IF FLYING… Airfare for two: ___________ Transportation to/from airport: _________________________ _________________________ Long-term parking: ______ IF DRIVING… Rental car: ______________ Gasoline: _______________ Tolls: ___________________ Snacks/meals on the road: _________________________ Other: _________________________

avel Package Yes No Total Cost: _______________ Expenses while at destination Lodging (rate x nights): ___ Transfers form airport: ____ Breakfast for ____ days: ___ Lunch for ____ days: ______ Dinner for ____ nights: ____ Snack for ____ days: ______ Tips for ____ days: ________ Entertainment (such as shows, tours, local sights, museums, etc..): __________________ Mementos from trip: ________ Other: _____________________ ___________________________ Transportation while at destination Rental car: ________________ Gas: ______________________ Public transportation: ______ Taxi: _____________________ Rail express (Europe): _____ Inter-island transfers: _____ Other:____________________

After The Honeymoon Checklist

Write thank-you notes for your gifts. Every gift-giver should receive a handwritten note within a month of the wedding.

Preserve your wedding dress. Have your gown, veil and headpiece professionally dry-cleaned. Inquire about various storage methods.

Deposit wedding gift checks, bonds, stock certificates. Pay outstanding wedding bills.

Develop film, choose photographs & review the videos. Develop any film taken at the wedding and on the honeymoon. Review photographer’s proofs; review wedding video to determine edited length and special editing techniques. Choose photos for wedding album and order wedding prints for yourselves, relatives and friends. Put other photos in albums.

Get together with family and friends. Invite attendants, friends and family members to your home to view the honeymoon photos and video.

Discuss a home budget and financial goals.

Evaluate your insurance needs. Consult your agent on health, car and life insurance, which may have to be adjusted to reflect married status. Have wedding gifts appraised and insured.

One way save money on your honeymoon expenses is to have a honeymoon registry! With the average age to marry increasing, most couples are living on their own before they get married, and have all the household things they need! This is part of the reason why many couples are considering honeymoon registries. If you are one of those brides who really doesn’t want a bunch more ‘things’, and would love a nice honeymoon instead, consider a honeymoon registry!

Most travel agents and tour operators will offer a honeymoon registry service. You can visit your local travel agent for more details. There are also services that will allow your guests to purchase particular parts of the honeymoon, so they know what they are contributing to! One of the ones we liked was www.honeyluna.com but there are many more.

Once you have registered, have your friends and family spread the word:) You can have some fun with it to. Get yourself a free website with a site builder and use it to share wedding and honeymoon details:) You can track how much has been contributed, share the wedding plans, post thank-yous to those who contribute, and include information on were to contribute for those who need to know:)

You could also have a “Honeymoon Shower” with a suitable theme (beach theme for a beach honeymoon, etc.) and guests can contribute to your honeymoon as their shower gift to you!

1. Location – you can usually find a bed and breakfast close by, no matter where you live. By choosing to have your honeymoon in a place that is within driving distance, you can save a bundle on airfare.

2. Intimacy – A B&B is kind of like a mini hotel – with all the perks and less of the distractions. In fact, you can find bed and breakfasts that only offer one or two rooms for guests, which means you will have a great deal more privacy in the B&B and outside as well.

Of course, one bed & breakfast is not like the next. Each will offer a unique location, a unique environment and a unique experience. A little researching will mostly likely find you a perfect, romantic B&B for an affordable and yet unforgettable honeymoon.

Looking for a unique wedding or honeymoon destination! Most people automatically assume that a honeymoon at an all-inclusive beach resort is the best bang for your buck – but that’s not always true. Thanks to the internet and the amazing amount of information available online – planning your own honeymoon to just about anywhere can be both a fun and cost friendly option!

Ireland may not be your typical destination for a bride and groom – but it is unique, beautiful and definitely a memorable occasion. And it can be affordable if you are willing to do the leg work to find the best deals on Dublin Hotels, flights, activites and actractions, transportation and even meals. For example, you can find Dublin Hotels for as little as $30/night! Not a bad deal at all – that’s only about $210 if you stay for an entire week!

Who needs to lie on the beach when you can be touring romantic castles, visiting old style pubs, taking in historic sites and museums, and visiting or even getting married in historic churches that date back to the sixteenth century! SO romantic!

How? By changing you definition of what a honeymoon is. You don’t need an exotic location or a expensive resort – just a quiet, romantic place to get away from everyone and enjoy your first days as husband and wife.

So how do you do that? A bed and breakfast! These small hotels are generally much more private and intimate then a hotel for a number of reasons. They are smaller. generally with only a few guests at a time which means you have more privacy. They are often located in unique, quiet places with beautiful scenery and romantic, character homes.

You can find Bed & Breakfasts in almost any area you wish, like the Dallas TX Bed And Breakfast.  Prices vary, but if you pick a location that is only a few hours away you can easily find a location that will allow you to have an entire weeks honeymoon for less then $1000. Still to much – make it a weekend and spend just a few hundred.

In the end – the point is just to get away for a little while so you don’t spend the first days of your marriage fielding phone calls, surprise visitors, etc.

I get a lot of questions from bride’s – it comes with the job. When planning a budget wedding, many brides don’t even consider the option of a fancy honeymoon. Who can afford to spend $3000 on a honeymoon when that would almost double you wedding budget? I also have a lot of brides who want to know what to do when they already have everything and don’t really need the things a traditional registry includes. A honeymoon registry is the perfect solution – almost. The problem with most honeymoon registries is that they are impersonal, expensive and full of loop holes you have to jump through in order to use the travel money collected.

The solution? Traveler’s Joy! The FIRST thing that caught my eye with this site is how easy it is to use. I took me a matter of minutes to set up an account, and a honeymoon page. Not only that, but unlike most most travel registeries there is no set up fee. You do pay a small withdrawal fee when you take the money out later, but even that is less then other travel registeries! And, if no one uses your registery, you pay nothing!

After creating my sample page – which you can see there, I looked into some of the options. For example, as you can see on my page, you can list specific parts of the honeymoon, even specific meals or events, which guests can choose to purchase instead of just giving money for a more personal gift. You can include pictures, information on your honeymoon plans, and they even have built in tools you can use to let everyone know were you are registered!

When one of your guests visits your personal honeymoon page, they can use their credit card to purchase specifics parts of your honeymoon, or just give money towards the total cost – either way, you receive an email letting you know so that you can thank them. They also have the option of purchasing a gift card to go with their gift….Incidentally – stats show that guests will give more if they can use a credit card – so a registry like this may result in large gift amounts as well!

SO, so far this all looks great. My last question – and the one I’m sure you all are waiting for was: great – but were am I allowed to use the money? Most honeymoon registeries are affiliated with specific travel agencies or travel packages which limit your choices. Travelers Joy is completely different because it is not affiliate with anyone at all. At any time, you can withdraw the money that has been gifted so far and use it were ever and however you please! That means you can go ANYWHERE and use ANY AGENCY you please! That is a flexibility you won’t find at most honeymoon registeries.

To make the most out of your honeymoon registery – read this article on their website: Honeymoon Registries: A Guide to Asking for Your Honeymoon as a Wedding Gift

Of course, anything in France is romantic – but many brides are looking for something romantic but more fun then sitting on the beach. Skiing and rock climbing are both a great way to get physical and have a blast for the couple who is a little to adventurous for white sandy beaches!

Basically, a honeymoon can be anything you want it to do. When you start planning a honeymoon, most people start with the expected choices and go from there. I suggest that you start with your interests. If you were just going on vacation, no wedding involved, would you still want to go there? Pick a vacation destination that you would be attacked to for ANY vacation, and you are more likely to really enjoy your honeymoon.

Some examples:

A Coral Beach Condo in the Bahamas starting at $64 per night – that’s cheaper then a hotel!!!

A two bedroom apartment in the French Riveria for $37 per night – NO KIDDING!!!!!

A Banff Boundary Lodge for as low as $61 per night!

What really shocked me was that I could find an apartment in the French Riveria for $100/night less then the cheapest place in Puerto vallarta, Mexico!! On a two week vacation, you would save $1400 – more then enough to cover the extra flight costs!!