Alaska wedding directory: Bridal newsletter for May 13, 2005, Wedding guide Alaska

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Top Ten Honeymoon Destinations

What do St. Lucia, England, France, Mexico and Hawaii have in common? All these hot honeymoon spots landed in the top ten travel agent survey, The World's Best Honeymoons.

More than 3,000 travel agents nationwide were polled on the hottest honeymoon destinations in 12 categories, from Best Value and Best Adventure to Most Private and Most Romantic.

The top ten destinations in the World's Best Honeymoons survey:

1. Hawaii
2. Jamaica
3. Mexico
4. Tahiti
5. Florida
6. England
7. Italy
8. Bermuda
9. France
10. St. Lucia.

Do you have a different opinion? Tell us about it.

Best Honeymoon Resort in Alaska

Inn at Tern Lake. The Inn offers a hot tub, sauna, and an expansive sitting area. Innkeepers Jeff and Rose Hetrick graciously indulge you with impeccable guest services - planning activities, itineraries, meals and making sure that your every need and desire is lavishly catered to. In essence, Tern Lake Inn is the ideal headquarters for your Alaska honeymoon. Contact them now!

Float Plane on Trail Lake

Kenai Lake

Should I use a travel agent to book my honeymoon?

Researching your trip online is easy and fun, but when it comes to booking your all-important honeymoon, the advantages of working with a travel agent are myriad. Agents can offer you the benefit of their globetrotting experiences; inside lines to discounts not widely advertised; package deals and a range of itinerary options; one-stop shopping for air, car, and hotel reservations; and, last but not least, peace of mind. They are your saviors and advocates when travel plans go awry. Here are nine points to help you find the agent of your dreams.

1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Before searching for an agent, decide what type of trip you're interested in and approximately what you want to spend. The more specific your destination and activity wish list, the less time you'll waste on pipe dreams that are beyond your budget.

2. SEEK YOUR SOULMATE AGENT
Good agents are patient, ask lots of questions, maintain rigorous quality standards, are forthright about a destination's drawbacks, and have a genuine interest in clients' feedback. (It's a good sign if an agent posts pictures from clients' trips on the bulletin board; it's a bad sign if all the pictures were taken at the same resort.) Good agents will entertain your dreams with an open mind and present a range of options. Seek out someone who feels like a kindred spirit; their opinion will jive most closely with your likes and dislikes.

3. DON'T FREAK OUT ABOUT CONSULTATION FEES
Some travel agencies, stung by potential clients who "window shop" for agents and itineraries then book the tickets themselves, have started charging a fee for their services and expertise. This fee varies according to the intricacies of the trip and may be waived when the trip is booked or included in the final quote. If you trust and like the agent, consider it a small price to pay for a perfectly planned honeymoon.

4. KNOW YOUR BUDGET
Be up front and honest about your air/hotel budget and stick to it. Don't crack if the agent tries to steer you toward a more expensive trip or bigger resort (sometimes suggested because it's easier to book). Know thyself: What are your priorities? For example, if being in the center of a city's action is more important to you than a super-luxe room, tell the agent. Knowing what you can and can't live without will help them build a custom-fit itinerary within your budget.

5. ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS
No question is stupid, so don't be shy! Ask your agent about the nitty-gritty details of your trip, including airport connections, bus and taxi services, tipping, foreign currency conversion, and safety concerns such as government-issued travel advisories and warnings. Most important, get a phone number that you can use for after-hours emergencies (at the airport early Sunday morning after your wedding, for instance) and on your trip (preferably toll-free or collect if calling from outside the country).

Have a particular agent in Alaska you like? Tell us about them.

Honeymoon Budgeting. What’s realistic?

The list of honeymoon locations and prices is infinite based on what you desire to spend and where you would like to visit. The bottom line when it comes to budgeting is this:

1. Just like your wedding you should determine the amount of money you can spend and then work within that dollar amount no matter what.

2. Make sure you research your destination in-depth to avoid hidden costs that may be associated to your trip. For example, food costs, rental car, tipping expenses etc..

3. Allow some flexibility in your budget for purchasing souvenirs. Everyone needs to take home one or two mementos from their honeymoon.

4. Because all-inclusive resorts are just that, all-inclusive, they are an excellent way to keep within your budget. But if you prefer an independent trip check before hand the cost of food, beverages, accommodations and sightseeing adventures so that you can budget the perfect honeymoon.

5. For an Island honeymoon remember that hurricane season might just be the off-season. We all hear the term "off season" so much we forget what it means. Check the online weather systems to find out what season your honeymoon will fall into. You may choose a different spot.

Your honeymoon should be relaxing, a time to laugh a lot and to begin your new life blissfully. So plan ahead so you can relax and soak in the moments you’ll remember forever.