Honeymoon ideas

Choosing the perfect honeymoon is increasingly something that couples do together. The need for visas, vaccinations and a suitable holiday wardrobe means that the days are long gone when the destination was a closely-guarded secret.

Think of your interests - whether you are into scuba diving and sailing, or learning about a new culture, this is an opportunity to immerse yourselves. Don't feel obliged to spend two weeks on a remote beach unless that is what you both enjoy.

But whether it’s camping in Wales or windsurfing in the Canaries, don’t forget that you’ll need a few quiet days chilling out after all those months of organising.

At Guides for Brides we understand how important it is that your honeymoon is perfect so as much as possible we personally review the most popular options for you.

We are not tour operators and do not receive financial incentives from the places that we visit, so you can be assured that every review based on our own experience is honest and unbiased.

Many couples now opt for a brief honeymoon in the UK - a mini-moon - before jetting off for a foreign honeymoon at a later date.

Getting married abroad is becoming more and more popular with many of the major holiday operators offering tailor-made wedding packages. These "destination weddings" often have a much more relaxed feel to them, although this doesn’t mean you have to compromise your wedding day in any way.

The packages provided by the tour operators often include the Minister or Judge to officiate at your wedding, the bride's bouquet, the groom's buttonhole, the wedding cake, sparkling wine and sometimes photography.

A couple of points to note are you must satisfy minimum residency requirements before tying the knot, and in most cases the holiday must be no shorter than 14 nights. Bear in mind that it can sometimes be difficult to set a specific date for the wedding beforehand, so therefore any friends and family should ensure their holiday covers the same dates as the bride and groom to ensure they don't miss the wedding!

This is your one big opportunity for a free upgrade!

OK, airlines just aren't interested, and unless you are a frequent flyer with them you are unlikely to get even so much as a glass of bubbly on take off, but almost every hotel will offer fruit, flowers, sparkling wine and in some cases a room upgrade or a special meal for honeymoon couples.

Your tour operator will probably be able to negotiate the honeymoon package even if you don't go on honeymoon immediately after your wedding, and can usually arrange special touches such as chauffeur-driven transfers and use of the executive lounge at the airport.

Remember to take a copy of your marriage certificate as proof that you really are on honeymoon!