The Monday following our Wedding, my husband and I left Lagos, Nigeria (the bubbly city where we live) to celebrate our wedded bliss. It was the trip of a lifetime — the first long, exotic trip we'd ever taken alone together.
With great pleasure I am going to give you insider tips for planning a great honeymoon vacation without going in debt.
Perfect Honeymoon Tips
You just got married! Now what? Go on your most-deserved post wedding vacation. The honeymoon will allow you some much needed time to rest, recoup and process what just happened.
With great pleasure I am going to give you insider tips for planning a great honeymoon vacation without going in debt.
Perfect Honeymoon Tips
You just got married! Now what? Go on your most-deserved post wedding vacation. The honeymoon will allow you some much needed time to rest, recoup and process what just happened.
Don’t conform to what you think a honeymoon should be – take time to really consider what makes you happy and what you really want to see or do while away. Just because somebody else’s honeymoon was perfect for them, doesn’t mean it will be perfect for you. Go gently.
These are my top seven tips to guide you on discovering what's perfect for you:
#1
Be Specific About What You Want
Talk with your beloved about what your vision is for the honeymoon, and ask your beloved to share theirs. What are your top three priorities? Spa, gym and sports? Or cultural sights and traditional cuisine? Or tour sites and travel rides? Beaches and waterfalls? Two of you should make a list —and highlight the similarities. Your top choices should be reflected in the destination you choose.
Even though I had a memorable wedding ceremony, I wanted a more memorable honeymoon. M-E-M-O-R-A-B-L-E was our keyword, so we went all out for that.
Even though I had a memorable wedding ceremony, I wanted a more memorable honeymoon. M-E-M-O-R-A-B-L-E was our keyword, so we went all out for that.
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| We visited CASOR secretariat in UNEC, the place we first met (in 2007). The place our (love) story started to begin. |
For us, we prayed for the perfect destination(s). What's perfect for us may not be perfect for you and your beloved.
See: Down Memory Lane To Badagry
#2
Have A Budget And Slash Down The Cost Of Almost Everything
Weddings and honeymoons are already expensive, and the last thing you want is to be caught off-guard with any last minute surprises. Sometimes tickets, hotels and fees can cost a ton. Do a little research. Find ways to cut down cost of transportation, accommodation and every other thing.
Just changing your accommodation can make a huge difference in your overall honeymoon spending. Instead of opting for a five-star hotel, choose one that's slightly cheaper but still has nice rooms. Or stay in the five-star hotel but downgrade your room a little bit. In the big picture, the size and beauty of your hotel room doesn't matter all that much (as long as the room is neat and the bed is comfortable or like me, there's a mirror to poke at).
See: One Important Thing To Do When You Are Broke
Personal Tip Here:
See: One Important Thing To Do When You Are Broke
Personal Tip Here:
My husband drove his personal car throughout the time. Just choosing to go with your private means of transportation instead of booking a flight can make a huge difference in your overall spending. We decided we'd rather spend a reasonable sum at the petrol station than spend so much on flight tickets. Besides, the tickets were way above our budget for transportation.
As they say, it's not about the destination but the journey. You have to enjoy your journey together.
Our journey to and fro Calabar was broken down to five short journeys — Lagos-to-Asaba, Asaba-to-Calabar, Calabar-to-Enugu, Enugu-to-Benin, and Benin-to-Lagos — which led us to spending at least a night in five states in Nigeria. So we lodged in six different hotels during the honeymoon.
The rides were indeed fun. We talked about so many things (our future, our children, our vision and everything) for hours upon hours while enjoying good music playing in the stereo.
Do you love the open road and singing along with the stereo? Budget in advance for fuel, food, and lodging.
As they say, it's not about the destination but the journey. You have to enjoy your journey together.
Our journey to and fro Calabar was broken down to five short journeys — Lagos-to-Asaba, Asaba-to-Calabar, Calabar-to-Enugu, Enugu-to-Benin, and Benin-to-Lagos — which led us to spending at least a night in five states in Nigeria. So we lodged in six different hotels during the honeymoon.
The rides were indeed fun. We talked about so many things (our future, our children, our vision and everything) for hours upon hours while enjoying good music playing in the stereo.
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| At a point, we looked like tourists moving from one location to another. 😅 |
Do you love the open road and singing along with the stereo? Budget in advance for fuel, food, and lodging.
#3
Balance Adventure With Relaxation
Balance Adventure With Relaxation
For most couples, a mix of adventure and relaxation makes for the perfect honeymoon. You'll want to explore new lands and take part in exciting activities together, whether that means pony trekking through the rain forest or exploring Paris on foot. Be sure not to wear yourselves out—or give yourselves an opportunity to get bored.
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| Beach, waterfall, mountain, cinema, etc we had a nice mix of everything. |
Say what? Boredom on the honeymoon? What even?
#4
Explore Romance And Bring Your Sexual Fantasy To Life
Explore Romance And Bring Your Sexual Fantasy To Life
What is honeymoon without sex? Not negotiable! Please!
Before our wedding, my husband and I sat down to actually discuss what we’d like our honeymoon to look like. What are the hopes we have for sex and intimacy during this trip?
Considering the fact that we'd never had sex, we were totally enthusiastic about exploring our sexual fantasies. We made sure to be on the same page about what we really want.
Popular opinion states that you may not have sex on the Wedding Night because you will be exhausted by the activities of the day. Duh. As soon as we got to the hotel, our honeymoon kicked off. Our wedding night was. . . a blast!!!
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| Create moments never to be forgotten |
Honeymoon provides an opportunity to create a great foundation for your sex life, and develop the kind of intimacy that will help you weather the storms as the years roll by. Don't dull!
Apart from sex, do something together to strengthen your bond. Plan on spending special moments together; take pleasure in the small things. Eat, talk, laugh. Play games. Have your bath together. Have fun together in the shower. Play your favourite games together. (We played scrabble on the bed. We made jokes when words such as "wet", "hole" etc were formed. Lol. They were beautiful moments.)
#5
Just Spend Time Together
Just Spend Time Together
If you want to keep your honeymoon as memorable and present as possible, you may want to discuss putting the phones away as often as possible. This is a chance to connect with each other without the everyday distractions getting in the way. The honeymoon is a chance for the two of you to share new experiences and make lifelong memories. By all means, use your phones, but set boundaries, so your sacred time together doesn’t become spoiled!
#6
Plan To Wear Coordinating (Matching) Outfits
Plan To Wear Coordinating (Matching) Outfits
Dressing up in matching outfits can be the perfect way to add a bit of excitement to your vacation too. Like I said earlier, before you hit the road, take a little bit of time to talk with your partner about what your vision is for the honeymoon, and ask your partner to share theirs. If you choose sporty, you both should go sporty. This way, you would have fashionable complimentary honeymoon outfits and beautiful hair, and you'll have a great time, too.
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| when we dress up, we feel like the Perfect Match that we are. |
Style your honeymoon. Express your love for each other in the clothes that you choose to wear. Doing this does not only give off some positive vibe, but also leaves a memorable lasting impression about the two of you.
#7
Post At Least A Picture On Social Media
Why not? Your honeymoon will be filled with Insta-worthy moments, and it is worth a post on your social network, too. Once you have selected your perfect honeymoon spot, post something, or do a call out for recommendations. Not only will it feel great to share the excitement with your loved ones, you may even get some insider advice from those who have previously visited the area, including any honeymoon mistakes to avoid!
We posted few pictures of our honeymoon on Whatsapp. And it felt great to share the excitement with our friends.
See: What Social Media Means To Me
We posted few pictures of our honeymoon on Whatsapp. And it felt great to share the excitement with our friends.
See: What Social Media Means To Me
#8
Be Proud To Say "We're In Our Honeymoon"
Bask in the wedding bliss. Let people know you are newly weds. That information has a way of attracting favour. I was excitedly shocked when a Nigerian Police Officer who stopped us at Check Point started pouring prayers to God on our behalf when he found out we had just been married. We gave him a bottle of wine out of the carton we had in the boot.
Be proud of your season. Flaunt it.
Remember to also tell the hotel that you are in your honeymoon. They just might offer perks such as breakfast in bed. Yeah. Some places offer honeymoon packages that include couples massages and other perks that you would have to pay for otherwise.
Be proud of your season. Flaunt it.
Remember to also tell the hotel that you are in your honeymoon. They just might offer perks such as breakfast in bed. Yeah. Some places offer honeymoon packages that include couples massages and other perks that you would have to pay for otherwise.
Bonus tip 1: Sow seeds of prayer for your marriage. Even if you’ve chosen another country or type of trip for your vacation, it’s possible to have
a prayerful, intentional honeymoon no matter where in the world you and
your beloved are. Prayerfully develop a mission statement for your marriage and commit yourselves to it.
Bonus tip 2: Take a lot of pictures. I mean, a lot. Capture moments to relish when you get back. It is going to be so worth it!
Highlights of Our Honeymoon Vacation
Bonus tip 2: Take a lot of pictures. I mean, a lot. Capture moments to relish when you get back. It is going to be so worth it!
Highlights of Our Honeymoon Vacation
- Photoshoot/retelling of (our teenage love) memories at UNN, Enugu Campus in Enugu. And prayer at PATMOS
- Shared (musical) moments at Otuagu beach in Asaba.
- Movie time at Kada Plaza in Benin
- Adventure of climbing mountains, swimming, watching the waterfall and exploring Obudu Cattle Ranch in Calabar. And prayer at the highest Holy Mountain.
- Hot romance as well as sleeping completely naked together each night at different hotels located in four states in Nigeria
- Road trips
- Every other day we get to spend in Lagos our honeymoon is not over. No. Not. Nah.
By following these tips, you can come home with plenty of memories — instead of plenty of debt. Remember to plan ahead, spend wisely, and then have a great time on this once-in-a-lifetime vacation.
Read: 5 Lessons I learnt From A Road Trip
Cheers to love and life!
To take a honeymoon trip immediately after the Wedding Day or delay the trip weeks after the Wedding Day — Which do you think is more suitable?
Written by Nwamaka Onyekachi
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