With the whirlwind of wedding planning, it’s easy for the honeymoon to feel like just another task on your long to-do list. But your honeymoon should be more than that—it’s your chance to relax and reconnect after the big day. Today on Polka Dot Honeymoons, Lisa Perkovic shares tips on how to plan a romantic and stress-free honeymoon itinerary. She shares details on how to turn your post-wedding getaway into a seamless, enjoyable experience. From choosing the perfect destination to keeping the romance alive.

Photograph by Miles Holden from 100% Pure New Zealand via How To Have An Adventure Honeymoon In New Zealand!

If you’re knee deep in wedding planning, you’ve probably got to do lists and ‘must get done’ notes all over the place. The honeymoon is probably right there on a post-it note too, but it can take the romance out of the equation when it becomes just another item on the list. Here are 10 tricks to ticking off the honeymoon in record time – without losing the romance.

Narrow the field

Literally. How far you can go will depend primarily on how long you have. If you’ve only got a few days, consider skipping flights and staying local. Your time (and budget) will go further if you’re hitting the road and honeymooning nearby. Even the smallest change of scenery can feel like a sea change – especially when you don’t have to stress about making your flight or losing time to travel.

What does romance mean to you?

Once you’ve worked out how far afield you want to go, it’s time to think about the type of honeymoon you’re after. Is one of you dead set on stepping onto an overwater villa? Or do you both want to snuggle up somewhere toasty in front of a fireplace with a bottle of wine or two? Is adventure on the menu? Or sightseeing? This will help you narrow down your destination.

Photography by Brook Sabin via Bula Ever After: Fiji’s Dreamiest Wedding and Honeymoon Destinations

Budget baby!

Okay, there’s sometimes no bigger buzz killer than the b-word but having the budget chat now will definitely take the stress out of your honeymoon’s day to day. If you know you’re the type of people who hate calculating the costs when you’re out and about, consider pre-paying as much as you can now. Or maybe even add a few honeymoon activities to your wedding registry and let guests help you out.

Don’t cram it in

When you’re wedding planning, it’s all about the details. The flower colours, how to fold the napkins, the run sheet… resist the urge to take the same approach to your honeymoon. By the time it rolls around, you might just need some downtime. Don’t be tempted to over plan and overfill your days – wait until you arrive and see how you feel. Leaving plenty of time for spontaneity (and romance!) never hurts.

Photography by Tourism Tropical North Queensland via 10 Romantic Reasons To Honeymoon At Palm Cove

Pack light

Already thinking about your honeymoon wardrobe? Resist, resist, resist! Sure, a few fun outfits are fabulous, but you don’t want to be weighed down by luggage. Save the matching hats, swimwear and sunglasses for the pre-wedding festivities!

Pace yourself

It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of the honeymoon – and hey we all want to enjoy ourselves! Just go easy on the drinks on day one, because you want to feel good on days two and three. I’ve seen my fair share of honeymoon couples go a little too hard when they step off the plane tired, jet lagged and dehydrated and then lose out on the next few days recovering.

Photography by  Tourism NT/Paddy Pallin via The Eleven Best Regions For Your Australian Honeymoon

Surprise and delight

Over planning is out, but it doesn’t hurt to have a few little romantic moments up your sleeve. This could be an organised activity, but it could also be as simple as a sunset walk, or a surprise bottle of bubbles in your room.

Time it right

Whisking away on your big adventure the day after your honeymoon might sound like a great way to keep the party going, but packing for the wedding day, the wedding night, and the honeymoon might just tip you over the edge.  Give yourselves a day or two to unpack the wedding presents and then head off on the next stage of this adventure.

Photography by J.K. Place via In The Land Of Lemons: Planning a Honeymoon in Capri!

Be prepared to pivot

Honeymoons have a lot of hype, and it can be easy to build them up in your brain. Don’t forget, they’re still subject to things like flight delays, rainy weather or even sickness. When you’ve been running on adrenalin up to the big day, your immune system can get rundown – it’s prime head cold territory. Give yourselves space to enjoy the time together even if there’s a few bumps on the road.

Photograph via The Polka Dot Guide to Honeymooning in Hawaii: Kaua’i – Part 1

Make memories!

Talk about your expectations for the trip in advance. If you can manage it, why not try turning off your mobile phones? Or at least putting a pause on social media scrolling. No matter what you do or where you are, aim to be present and in the moment. You won’t regret it.

Whether you’re heading off on a long European jaunt or sneaking in a quick weekend getaway, just remember – a honeymoon needs just two things to be special and that’s you, and your other half.

About Lisa Perkovic: Lisa has spent the past decade travelling the world writing for Australia’s leading newspapers, magazines, and blogs about all things travel. Her own honeymoon was her pièce de résistance – an epic journey to the Maldives and South Africa. Now she loves nothing more than sharing destinations and tips to help other newlyweds work out how to have the honeymoon of their dreams.