Planning a wedding includes many steps. First there's the time table, then a wedding theme, then the bridal gown and groom attire, a budget, where the reception is going to be held and and a bakers dozen other things that make the whole process a real test of nerves and stress between families, friends, and of course the bride and groom to be.

This article is not about that. It's about helping you define your 'Trip of a Lifetime'... your Wedding Destination and Honeymoon. The question you have to ask each other is "Where will we go for our Honeymoon?"

Consider these top 10 romantic wedding/honeymoon destinations: Aruba, Bermuda, Costa Rica, Florida, Hawaii, Italy, Jamaica, Las Vegas, Mexico and the US Virgin Islands.

Here's a time saving suggestion to help you find the perfect theme and destination. When using any of the major search engines for your honeymoon research, instead of just typing 'honeymoons' into your browser, be more specific.

For instance, if you're a scuba enthusiast and want an all inclusive honeymoon in Belize, type this into your search box: "Belize scuba resort: all inclusive." Instead of getting millions of results, and spending hours sorting through them, you'll get the most relevant information to the theme and activities you are looking for.

Every couple should really put their heads together and come up with a sensible honeymoon budget. Honeymoon trips should be memorable and fun but, not break the bank. Looking for affordable honeymoon ideas? Consider switching homes. Believe it or not, there are a lot of people thinking about the exact same thing. Go online and search for home exchanges or to be more specific, type the location of your honeymoon destination like this... home exchanges:us virgin islands. As of this moment there are 35 separate US Virgin Island home exchange pages listed.

Another suggestion is to take a romantic honeymoon cruise. Cruises are very affordable and offer you a varied itinerary. This is a great way to visit islands you've never been to. A well known cruise line will stop in 3 to 5 different island ports. You get to choose whether you want to stay on board, or enjoy a day trip to a famous beach. I know in St. Thomas, VI they have a unique tour where you are taken by taxi to a local business that puts you in your own small boat. Then you (and the other ten boats) follow the guide to fantastic snorkel areas. Imagine. You being the captain of your own boat for a day. What a memorable and fun way to spend one of your honeymoon days.

There are so many way to have a memorable and romantic honeymoon. My suggestion is to sit down and figure out what you both want to do, come up with a sensible budget, make sure you both can have the same time off, research the top ten honeymoon destinations above and then spend some quality time researching where the best place to stay is. There are several alternative to housing. For instance timeshares, vacation rentals, or an all inclusive resort.

Romantic honeymoons have to be carefully planned. Perfect honeymoons don't just happen... you have to put a lot of quality time into your honeymoon homework. Do that and your honeymoon will be romantic, fun and of course the adventure you'll remember for a lifetime.

Article by: Terry Hudson