After the wedding madness ends the newlywed bliss begins, so it’s time to get cracking on honeymoon ideas now. Honeymoon vacations are a chance to escape the real world and embrace time with your spouse, connecting, exploring, bonding and relaxing as a newly married couple. It sounds like a pretty easy undertaking—all you need to do is enjoy each other in a setting that is as close to paradise as you’ll probably ever get. What could possibly go wrong? A lot, as it turns out. We all make mistakes in our relationship, and newlyweds are no exception. One of the biggest mistakes is that newly married couples often let themselves go after the wedding. The whole concept of shedding for the wedding gets tossed aside and “newlyweds put on the pounds starting with the honeymoon and never make the effort to take these “newlywed nine” off” according to MSN.com.
If you don’t want to sabotage your honeymoon and you want to start married life off on the blissfully happy foot, follow these tips to help you avoid failing at your own honeymoon. After all, your romantic, post-wedding vacation only happens once if you’re lucky—make sure you do it right.
1. Make Time for Sex
You’ve made it past the wedding and you finally get to just enjoy being married. And an important part of this new phase of your relationship (arguably one of the most important aspects of married life) is your sex life. According to Vanessa Marin, licensed psychotherapist specializing in sex therapy, your honeymoon is “an opportunity to create a great foundation for your sex life, and develop the kind of intimacy that will help you weather the storms most marriages will inevitably face.” Which means that while you might be exhausted from the chaos of your wedding, to truly make the most of your honeymoon trip you need to make time for sex with your spouse.
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2. Focus on Romance
You’re done courting and dating and trying to woo your partner—you made it, now you’re married. But that does not mean you should stop making an effort to do sweet, romantic things for your spouse. Surprise him or her with a love note, flowers, a massage, a hug or an emotional toast to your new life together. Don’t think that saying “I do” means you should stop reminding each other how much you love one another. Instead, use your honeymoon as a chance to celebrate that love with romantic gestures. This is one of the best honeymoon ideas we can give you.
3. Don’t Over-Book Yourself
While you want to make the most of your honeymoon you also don’t want to over-schedule yourself to the point where you are most exhausted and stressed than you are relaxed and happy. It’s all about balance—make sure you book enough activities so that you are entertained and having fun as a couple, but also enough downtime so that you truly get a chance to relax and unwind. If you are active and exploring all morning, book massages in the afternoon. If you wake up early to do a hike and watch the sun rise, then allot some time for an afternoon nap.
4. Tell People You’re on your Honeymoon
Trust us, people on their honeymoon get special perks. From free champagne toasts to room upgrades to dessert on the house…if you tell people you are on your honeymoon, you might just get something in return. And even if it’s not a material gift or privilege, you’ll definitely get some well wishes and attention, and who doesn’t love being told that they have the newlywed glow?
5. Do Research Ahead of Time
Honeymoon vacations are supposed to be relaxing and full of joy and love. It is not meant to be an added source of stress or a chaotic trip when you are scrambling to get dinner reservations or make last minute plans. Do yourself a favor and do your research ahead of time. Book activities, schedule dinners, investigate where you will stay and pre-plan how you’ll get from point A to point B. That way when you actually get there all you need to do is go with the flow and enjoy.
6. Take Photos
This is your brain in real life; this is your brain in wedding-planning-mode. Warning: your brain probably feels a little bit like scrambled eggs after your wedding. It’s totally normal, and chances are your wedding and honeymoon will be a total blur if you don’t document them properly. Take photos and jot down your favorite memories so you can relive them over and over again.
7. Two words: Room. Service.
No, you do not need to go out for fancy elaborate meals every day while you’re on your honeymoon. A night spent in your bathrobe, on the couch or bed, eating pizza and fries courtesy of room service while watching Bravo is a totally respectable way to spend your honeymoon.
8. Make New Memories as a Couple
The goal of your honeymoon is to connect and bond as a couple. Sure, you want to relax and make sure you spend time in your room (hint hint) but don’t shy way from some more adventurous activities. If it’s a little out of your comfort zone then you’ll probably remember tackling that experience together. Don’t be scared to try something new and do something memorable as a couple. After all, you’ll never find a better partner in crime to take the plunge with.
