One of the main questions many couples have when planning a wedding is about who pays for what. And while most people are familiar with the concept of the bride’s family paying for the wedding, who pays for the honeymoon is less clear. Do men pay for the honeymoon? Do parents pay for the honeymoon? Is the couple responsible for it?
In this article we’ll talk about who pays for the honeymoon, traditionally and nontraditionally. However, the short answer is, who is responsible for paying for the honeymoon will depend on your particular situation.
Every couple is unique, and every person’s family traditions are different. While weddings and honeymoons used to be subject to a limited set of cultural norms, couples today are much freer to choose who pays for the honeymoon and wedding.
Who Typically Pays for the Honeymoon?
The person who pays for the honeymoon traditionally is the groom (or groom’s family), since the bride’s family traditionally pays for the wedding.
Sometimes, the groom would even plan the honeymoon as a surprise trip for the couple to take (reminiscent of the origins of the honeymoon tradition, which you can read about here).
Even if the couple planned the honeymoon together, traditionally the groom or his family would provide the funding. This still is the case for some couples today.
In instances where the parents are paying, we recommend that the couple sit down with them in advance and have an honest discussion. Talk about all the expectations on both sides, including the amount they have in mind and whether they want to be involved in the planning.
This is important to avoid hurt feelings and disappointment. You want to be sure you can plan the honeymoon you want on the budget they provide. If you can’t, it’s good to know as soon as possible so you can either figure out how to pay the difference or adjust your plans to fit the budget.
Also, if the parents want to be involved in the planning process, it’s best to know that up front. If you would prefer to do all the planning on your own, you may need to have an honest but kind conversation letting them know.
Who Pays for the Honeymoon Today?
These days, many couples pay for both their own wedding and honeymoon. They may have help from their families, or they may fund it completely by themselves. Either way, they are usually in control of most if not all the decisions.
This may lead to a delayed honeymoon, as weddings are expensive and it can be tough to pay for both a wedding and a honeymoon at one time. (The average honeymoon cost is about $5000 and can be much more, depending on what type of trip is planned.)
Some modern couples will have a “duo-moon,” where they take a quick trip right after the wedding (called a “mini-moon”), then wait until they have saved up enough money to take their honeymoon.
This is one of the newer honeymoon trends that has become more popular in recent years. Often, couples will take their delayed honeymoon on their first wedding anniversary, but it can happen at any time. Other considerations may factor into the timing, such as when both spouses can get off of work.
How to Pay for the Honeymoon
There are multiple ways to pay for your honeymoon. You can save money in advance, ask family members for a loan, or sell something to raise the cash. You can also try a newer trend, the honeymoon fund.
A honeymoon fund is a type of wedding registry, where you ask loved ones to contribute towards your honeymoon expenses instead of buying you a gift.
A honeymoon fund is a wonderful way for your friends and family to be part of one of the most meaningful trips you’ll ever take. It’s a way for them to gift you experiences you’ll remember for a lifetime.
A way to make a honey fund even more special is to tie donations to specific parts of your trip. For example, you could request donations toward your airfare, your resort stay, a romantic dinner, local excursions or experiences, spa services, or a rental car at your destination.
You can do a honeymoon fund on your own, or use online honeymoon fund registries like HoneyFund.com. On your honeymoon registry site, you’ll be able to share details about what you’re planning, such as your destination, where you’ll stay, and what sort of activities you want to try. Guests can contribute toward specific items. For example, they could give you the beachfront candlelight dinner you’re dreaming of, or a fun local tour you want to take, or a night’s stay at your honeymoon hotel.
It’s important to realize that there are affordable honeymoon options. If it’s tough to swing a big trip right after paying for your wedding, think about honeymooning at a destination in the U.S. rather than heading to a foreign country. You can also explore nontraditional honeymoon options, like road trips or camping trips.
You can always plan a more expensive dream trip to Europe or a bucket list destination like Bora Bora for a later anniversary, once you’ve had time to recover from wedding expenses and save money.
Or , you could try another new honeymoon trend, the “extended honeymoon.” Instead of a short-term vacation, couples are opting to spend months or even years traveling. Some choose the nomadic lifestyle, essentially taking a never-ending honeymoon. If you are able to work from anywhere, you can fund your honeymoon through remote work while you’re traveling.
Who Plans the Honeymoon
We suggest that regardless of who pays for the honeymoon, both partners plan it together. This is a great chance to begin your married life on equal terms, and it ensures that you will both enjoy your honeymoon.
After all, this is the start of a wonderful life together, and you want your honeymoon to be as magical as possible. You’ll find lots of resources on our site about romantic honeymoon destinations and packages all over the world.
However, if planning your honeymoon feels overwhelming, you might want to consider consulting a travel agent. We work with trusted travel advisors and can help create the honeymoon of your dreams. You can learn more on our travel planning page.
Ashley Brown
Ashley has always loved to explore new places and indulges her passion for travel whenever she can. She has been to 12 countries and 32 states so far.
Ashley has worked as a freelance writer for more than 20 years, specializing in the areas of travel, marketing, personal development, and the pursuit of happiness.
Favorite destinations include Sorrento and Capri, Italy; Haarlem, Netherlands; Paris; Sydney and K’gari, Australia; Rotorua and Waiheke Island, New Zealand; the American West; Palm Beach; the Florida Keys; and her hometown of New Orleans. Ashley has a goal of visiting every state plus many more international destinations.
