For some of us, being the honeymoon planner is the most exciting part of organizing the wedding. Looking at the gorgeous resorts and luxury hotels, imagining relaxing by the infinity pools, checking out the room features, and picturing the sunsets – the list goes on!

However, for others, planning any kind of trip, especially a honeymoon, is stressful and completely not fun.

Whether you love or hate planning your honeymoon trip, there is usually one pressing question: “When should I book my honeymoon?”

Using our insider knowledge and experience organizing honeymoons, we’ve compiled the best honeymoon planning tips to help you figure out the ideal time to take and book your honeymoon trip.

Book Your Honeymoon at Least 8 Months in Advance

We highly recommend booking your honeymoon accommodations 8 to 12 months in advance. This will save you a lot of stress, money, and frustration.

There are a finite number of rooms at each resort and you don’t want the heartbreak of finding your dream resort only to discover all the rooms (or the rooms you really want) are booked.

The most popular hotels sell out quickly and have few cancelations, so it’s best to book well in advance.

Also, you can take advantage of early-bird booking promos when you reserve a room early (a year ahead is really the best time for resort promos). Sign up to receive email notifications from your favorite resorts and you might just snag an amazing booking discount.

Don’t Take Your Honeymoon Right After the Wedding

Fortunately, you no longer need to follow the tradition of departing for your honeymoon immediately after the reception.

Your wedding is going to be beautiful – a day filled with love, family, and connection – but it will also be utterly exhausting, both mentally and physically.

Instead of jetting off to your honeymoon destination immediately after saying “I do,” we recommend simply taking some respite after months of wedding preparation.

Once you are rested and recovered, then it is time to embark on your dream honeymoon!

Check the Weather and Season in Your Honeymoon Destination

This might seem like a no-brainer, but we’ve seen so many people research “the best beach honeymoon destinations” and not realize that the beach isn’t postcard-perfect all year round.

For example, if you travel to Thailand during June, July, and August, it will be the rainy season, which is hot and might seem like good beach weather, but it’s also wet, and seasonal sea currents often cause garbage to wash up on the beautiful, white sand beaches.

Similarly, Mexico is home to some truly beautiful beaches, but if you visit during July, you will be too hot to even set foot on the sand.

Make sure you book your honeymoon for when the weather is great in your dream destination or adjust your expectations accordingly to avoid disappointment.

Don’t Make Important Reservations When You are Tired or Stressed

If like many of us, you are browsing booking sites late at night or after a busy day at work, you are likely feeling a little tired and might not be mentally at your best.

We recommend making a “booking date” for you and your fiancé. Schedule a time when you can sit down together and book your hotel accommodations and flights.

Make sure you have your passports and credit cards ready. We recommend having one of you enter the information and the other check after to make sure no mistakes are made.

This “booking date” also ensures that everyone is on the same page and that you both get a say in your honeymoon.

Avoid Traveling During the Holidays

Christmas and New Year are incredibly popular times to travel and many couples take their honeymoons during this period. Most people can take time off during this time of year and it’s an especially beautiful season to visit the Hawaiian Islands or the Caribbean.

However, there are several drawbacks to honeymooning during the holidays. First, your flight is more likely to be delayed due to the sheer amount of people traveling. There are few things worse than sprawling out on an airport floor, fighting with a stranger over an electrical outlet to charge your phone, while images of the beach destination you should be at play on repeat in your mind.

Second, flights and hotel rooms are more expensive during peak travel times. You can save a lot of money by traveling during “shoulder season”, the time period between high and low season.

A simple Google search of “(your amazing honeymoon destination) shoulder season” will help you pick the best dates.

Lastly, popular honeymoon destinations get extremely crowded during the holiday season. It’s hard to enjoy a romantic dinner on the beach when the beach is packed with hundreds of other happy couples.

Consider Working With a Travel Agent

If it is in your honeymoon budget, hiring a travel agent is one of our best honeymoon planning tips!

Great travel agents develop strong relationships with hoteliers over time and can find the right exotic destination or comfy honeymoon spot for you based on your needs. This takes away a lot of the planning stress for you and allows you to allocate your time to other areas.

Working with a travel agent is an especially good choice if you want to book a stay at an all-inclusive resort. Some all-inclusive resorts, such as Sandals, include complimentary roundtrip transfers from the airport to the resort and lounge access in the terminal, which is a great way to start your honeymoon.

If you don’t have a lot of experience traveling (or traveling internationally), a travel agent can help you figure out what you need and answer any of your questions along the way.