With the cost of the average wedding being in the $27,000 range and a five-day honeymoon costing around $5,000, if you’re thinking about downscaling your nuptials and/or putting off your honeymoon until another time, we TOTALLY understand.
May we make one tiny suggestion, though?
Rather than not having a honeymoon at all (following the wedding), how about just having one at home? You know, like a romantic staycation? It might not sound very appealing at first, but if you incorporate a few of our suggestions, you might discover that it rivals almost any cruise or international trip. (Almost)
Upgrade Your Bedroom
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Are we already putting you to work? Just a little. Actually, if you do decide to spend your wedding day at your place, you can get a few of your friends to come over and handle a few of the details. For this, we’re not talking about pulling out paint or carpeting the floor. Just put down some romantic bedding (put a pillow top cover on your mattress first), light some scented soy candles and have some bubbly on one of your nightstands. You might even want to add a stencil over your bed of your favorite love song lyric or romantic quote. Decorate your bedroom like you’d want a hotel room to look. If you get things at a discount, it’ll be cheaper and the results will last so much longer!
Hold a (Daily) Lingerie Fashion Show
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All of that FABULOUS lingerie that you got from your bridal shower? There’s no time like the present to break it out and show it off! Wear something new/different for a week straight; not just when you’re heading to bed either. He’ll LOVE to see you having breakfast with him in a lace teddy or even watching a movie in a satin two-piece.
Hire a Chef and Massage Therapist
Image via Taste and Tell
Since you’re not going to be spending money on things like airfare and hotels, you have a little extra cash to play around with. Think about using some money to hire a chef to prepare a few meals or to get a massage therapist to give both of you a couple’s massage. Hire A Chef can help on the food end and Soothe is an app that can help you to locate a great therapist.
Spend One Night at a Hotel or Bed and Breakfast
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If you’d like a change of scenery for at least one night, we totally get it. Our suggestion would be to book your wedding night at a local swanky hotel or wait a couple of days and check out a bed and breakfast that’s either in your city or the next town over. Hotels can get you some pretty good discount rates and Bed and Breakfast offers virtual tours of some of the best bed and breakfasts…everywhere!
Rent a Luxury Vehicle/Exotic Car
Image via blog.styleestate
Another cool thing about saving a few bucks by not traveling is you can go all out in other ways. Maybe renting a foreign car that you and yours secretly wish you could own, perhaps? Most rental car companies have a few exotic cars that you can rent for a few days (or longer if you wish).
Do Some Local Sightseeing
Image via Barefoot Blonde
It’s pretty amazing, the amount of people who’ve never toured their own city before. One of the days of your stay-at-home honeymoon, hop on your local public transportation and see the sights. It might sound boring at first, but you might be surprised by how much more you’ll learn. About where you live—and each other. (Plus, all of the walking can help you to get some cardio in too!)
Plan a Six-Month-from-Now Second Honeymoon
Image Tha Holiday
Look at this as your first honeymoon. Six months to a year from now? Then go on your second one. Use the time in between to save up so that you don’t have to incur any (more) debt (another bonus!). A fun way to save up money is to create your own “sex jar”. Basically it’s a jar (or piggy bank) that you put money into every the two of you are intimate. If all goes well, you’ll be able to spend CASH on your second honeymoon in no time! AND, you’ll be one of the few people you know who had two honeymoons as newlyweds!
TELL. NO. ONE.
Image via BuzzFeed
And what will everyone think about your plan? Our guess is they’ll wish they had thought about doing the same thing! Our two cents, though, is to not tell them. Beyond the bedroom decorators being aware of you staying at home on your wedding night, keep everything else private. The silence alone (no smartphones ringing, etc.) will set the mood for the two you to kick back, relax and enjoy one another. Yep. From the comfort of your own home.