a one-of-a-kind honeymoon
Planning a wedding can already feel like a second full-time job. Now throw in the pressure to plan a honeymoon that’s supposed to be the most romantic trip of your life? Cue the meltdown. But here’s the truth most people won’t tell you: your honeymoon doesn’t have to be another box to check. It can be your sanctuary. Your deep breath. The part of all this that’s just for you two.
And yes, you can plan a wedding and an incredible honeymoon at the same time, but it takes a different kind of strategy. One that’s less about Pinterest boards and more about intention. Here’s what I’ve learned helping couples craft custom European honeymoons while juggling seating charts and RSVPs,and how you can make it all feel a little more magical (and a lot less like work).
1. Stop thinking of the honeymoon as the “afterthought.”
This is the #1 mistake I see: couples plan the wedding down to the napkin folds, and then rush to book a honeymoon last-minute. But your honeymoon? It’s the first chapter of your marriage. It’s the reward. The slow morning. The late-night gelato. The you-two-against-the-world energy. It deserves just as much intention (and heart) as the wedding.
Pro Tip: Start dreaming about your honeymoon at the same time you begin wedding planning. It doesn’t mean booking everything at once, it just means you’re making space for your future selves.
2. Budget for the trip that feeds your soul, not the one that looks good on Instagram.
Destination FOMO is real. But here’s the thing: you don’t need the “hot” honeymoon spot. You need your place. Whether that’s sailing the Amalfi Coast, hiking in the Dolomites, or eating your way through a tiny village in Provence, choose the experience that will restore you. That will help you feel again after the wedding chaos fades.
Pro Tip: You’ll remember how you felt more than where you were. Choose presence over performance.
3. Hire help. This isn’t the time to DIY everything.
You wouldn’t DIY your own wedding dress, right? So why are you trying to plan a multi-city European itinerary on your own while answering emails about table linens?
Custom honeymoon planners (hi 👋🏼) are here to take the vision in your heart and translate it into real magic, with logistics that actually make sense. This is where you protect your energy. You deserve to show up to your honeymoon as a human, not a burned-out zombie.
4. Plan one day with absolutely nothing on the agenda.
This is a non-negotiable. When you’ve spent a year making 5,000 decisions (some about flower types you still can’t pronounce), having one day where nothing is expected of you is soul medicine. That one day? It will be the moment you both look at each other and say, “Ah, we’re really here.”
5. The truth no one talks about: you might crash emotionally… and that’s okay.
Weddings are high highs. Lots of people. Lots of expectations. After the final toast and the last dance, it’s common to feel a strange void. Your honeymoon might be the first time you and your partner sit in the quiet. It might feel weird. Or tender. Or even a little sad. That’s not a failure, it’s real. Give yourselves permission to process, reconnect, and remember what all of this was for: the love. Not the show.
6. The secret sauce? Let it be yours.
Forget the checklists. Forget the trends. When it comes to honeymoons, the most unforgettable trips are the most you ones. Want to take a cooking class in Tuscany instead of doing a sunset cruise? Do it. Want to splurge on a boutique hotel in Santorini but spend your days reading in a hammock? Yes. There’s no right way to honeymoon. There’s just your way.
You can do this. You can create the kind of honeymoon that feels like a deep exhale after the wildest season of your life. If you need help bringing that dream trip to life while still juggling wedding chaos, we’re here. Helping couples design custom European honeymoons is what I do, and I’d love to help you breathe life into yours.
