In the midst of wedding preparations, its easy to overlook the detailed planning that goes into ensuring that your honeymoon won’t end in disaster and ruin the ‘just married’ mood. Take a little time off and sit down together to go through the following questions: Who will organise what? Most brides leave the planning and booking of the honeymoon to their husbands. But sometimes its possible that the groom would plan a destination or an itinerary that most brides would shudder. I have heard of complaints by brides who hated the sun and were surprised by a trip to Maldives in the middle of ocean or those who feared the cold and ended up in Switzerland for a ‘winter wonderland’ honeymoon! To avoid such surprises, make sure that you understand your spouses’ expectations and to plan things that you’ll both enjoy doing. A shopping trip holiday might not be your husband’s cup of tea when he expects his honeymoon to be calm and relaxing. You'll need to advise your partner on what clothes to pack (beach or city?) and ensure you have all the necessary travel & medical documents ready. It will ruin your honeymoon if you find out at the airport that your passport had expired. For many couples, sitting down together to plan the trip of a lifetime is one of the most exciting parts of the pre-wedding experience and something they can do without family interference. Make it a joint venture and enjoy it! Two heads are better than one What do you BOTH want to do? Don’t just agree to a week on a beach in Bali to keep your partner happy, when you would rather be at Bangkok shopping. Be happy about what you intend to do. Think about money too because you wouldn’t want to fly all the way to your dream destination and survive on bread and coffee everyday. Make sure you save enough to live like a king, or close to one, if you wish to enjoy yourselves. Consider the many options together. Do you want: 'a quiet, relaxing time together - anywhere would do' If all you're really after is time together and you hate the stress of long-haul flights, then a quiet getaway to Bintan or Phuket may serve you just as well as an expensive Europe holiday. Even a cruise would be perfect! 'a little bit of luxury and privacy' If you yearn for the high life, then saving on travel in favour of a top-class location may be the best bet. One couple saved money by taking the train to KL - where they stayed in a succession of luxurious hotels. 'a taste of adventure' Feeling that you both ought to try a little bit of adventure?. Think carefully of the risks involved. Whether it’s sky-diving, mountain trekking, white-water rafting, snorkelling or even bungy-jumping, ALWAYS book through a reputable company. It pays to check if they have good protection gear, ample safety measures and the activity is properly supervised. Always be insured. Always carry your spouse’s medical records in case of emergency hospitalisation. Your honeymoon is not the time to try somewhere unusual that you're not sure you're going to like. Any holiday disaster is disappointing - on your honeymoon, it's heartbreaking. 'to see the sights' Perhaps you are the sort that loves to take in as much sights and sounds as you can within the short space of your vacation. Make sure you do your research - there's nothing worse than getting home and finding that the museum/gallery you've always meant to visit was literally just round the corner from your hotel. 'sun, sea and sand' Walking hand-in-hand through the surf on a white sandy beach is surely the definitive honeymoon scene. Just be sure - especially if you are active types - that you really do both want to be lazing around for all that time. You might consider combining the tropical beach with a week of... 'action!' An activity element - perhaps walking, skiing or cycling - can be perfect if you both love the activity involved. After all the stress of the wedding - and all that food and drink! - some decent exercise can be invigorating and restorative. One couple, both madly keen golfers, spent the first three days of their honeymoon at San Francisco - before jetting off to a golfing resort in Hawaii. But avoid thrusting your favourite activity on your less enthusiastic new spouse. ''I was surprised at how unhappy Susan got when I put her behind me on a jet-ski and we spent one hour bouncing off the sea at breakneck speeds,’' laughed Lawrence, a recent honeymooner, -her face was as black as her bottom which became black and blue from all that activity!'' ‘best of both worlds’ A Honeymoons can be romantic or extremely tiring - but most couples try to incorporate a dual pursuit, combining a week of beach-based relaxation with a more active or city-based week for sightseeing or shopping. Surf the Internet to get ideas and build your own ideal package. Chat rooms and message boards are ideal for getting first-hand information on where to go and what to do. Yet do your own research and don’t trust entirely all the information you get on the Net. Just plan something you’ll both be happy to do. Conclusion It’s your honeymoon. Make it a trip of the lifetime. It should be unforgettable. Pamper yourselves. Be careful. Be carefree. Take lots of pictures. Keep a diary. Enjoy the memory of it in years to come.