The Honeymoon Handbook | MJCouples Book Club

It’s been a little bit since I had the energy to pick up a book, which sounds a little backwards. You’d better believe though that this book was a great way to escape from our cha-cha between phases. For every couple who’s trying to decide on their dream honeymoon, The Honeymoon Handbook has plenty of tips to help you craft the perfect honeymoon timeline.

Planning for a Honeymoon Abroad

Lonely Planet’s The Honeymoon Handbook is literally the only possible guide you’ll need… (if you’re planning a honeymoon abroad. I’ll explain later). They’ve covered everything in the planning section from timing, locations and how to DIY your epic honeymoon itinerary. The easy to follow graphics and checklists in this book walk you step by step through the honeymoon planning process. 

Being Realistic, Creative and Compromising

I think my favorite part about this book is it has such great information when it comes to budgeting and real life issues couples will face when planning their honeymoon. Not everyone has an enormous budget and some couples won’t agree when it comes to the beach or the mountains. That’s what makes the world go round right? They give you practical tips in their planning section that will help you every step of the way. My favorite tip: When you can’t agree on a location, find one that offers extremes: You want an epic road trip and your partner wants lush forests? Consider Argentina (see page 130 in the book). 

Minimoons, Destination Elopements and When to go

Another awesome section talks about the minimoon: a condensed version of your dream honeymoon wrapped into a couple of days. Maybe you’ve considered eloping abroad, where taking a whole week or two for your honeymoon isn’t a viable option. For Jake and I, we took a minimoon because our original honeymoon plans weren’t working out and he booked our friends wedding for 3 days after our own! Lonely Planet’s Honeymoon Calendar on pages 30-31 is perfect for those looking to make the most of their minimoon (or honeymoon) by giving you all the right details so you can avoid the monsoon season. 

The Honeymoon Handbook: Inspiration for days

No matter where you want to travel in the world, Lonely Planet’s the Honeymoon Handbook gives you plenty of adventure inspiration. With plenty of top 5 and top 10 lists, you can find inspiration for all types of honeymoons! They even have a top 5 list for honeymooning with kids in tow. Whether you’re a foodie, on a budget, or craving some palm trees and sandy beaches, there’s a list in here for you. 

The best of the Best

The final section of the book covers 25 amazing locations throughout the world. Each location is rated for it’s top 3 features: Beach, Outdoors, Culture, Adventure, Relaxation, and Food & Drink. Each location lists the practicalities including the nearest airport, how LGBT+ friendly each location is, items you may want to pack and when to travel to that location. Be sure to pay close attention to the Diamond Tips at each location and check out the dream digs!
Where to buy:

Being a prime member, I found this book on amazon prime reading. You can also order it for the kindle or snag a print copy at your local bookstore.