What Is A Mini-Moon? How Can You Plan A Short Honeymoon?

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Planning A Romantic Mini-Moon

What is a mini-moon honeymoon, and how can you plan one?

I love sharing all my tips and neat tricks for planning weddings on a budget, including destination weddings and honeymoons. 

When we talk about mini-moons, we refer to non-traditional honeymoons that are shortened to accommodate a tight budget or a busy schedule that the couple might have. 

I usually refer to this as a mini honeymoon, shortened to what we now call a mini-moon. 

If you are on a tight budget and are looking for romantic getaways that you can quickly go to after the wedding, you want to look up mini-moon ideas. 

This is your day and time to shine.

If this sounds interesting, we will be sharing:

• Our best tips for planning a short honeymoon

• Ideas of alternative honeymoon ideas 

• And tips for making it a great time

We know just how stressful wedding planning gets, and planning a honeymoon on top of that can get even more stressful. 

You deserve to take some time, as well as newlyweds, to enjoy each other before returning to the stresses of everyday life. 

Taking a vacation is relaxing. 

Taking it with your new partner is even more relaxing. 

But I get that planning another significant, such as a honeymoon, can be even more stressful, especially on your finances. 

This is where a mini-moon is a perfect choice for you. 

I married my now husband during the pandemic and couldn’t take an entire traditional honeymoon.

Everything was closed, and we were on lockdown. 

When they loosened the restrictions, I looked into a few honeymoon destinations, but ultimately we decided that a small honeymoon {Mini-moon} was the best option for us. 

With that in mind, we will share everything you need to know about this popular honeymoon option. 

We will share exactly how a mini-moon differs from a honeymoon and why you should take one. 

Here are my incredible tips for a great mini-moon

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Honeymoon vs Mini-Moon: The Pros and Cons

Let me start by saying you can do anything you wish to do for your wedding or honeymoon because it’s your idea and you are spending the money. 

There is no written rule that you need to have a honeymoon or that you need to go on one right after the wedding. 

You also do not need to spend all your money on a week-long honeymoon to enjoy some romantic time with your now newlywed partner. 

Your honeymoon can be whatever you want it to be if it reflects your needs as a couple. 

Mini-moons have become more popular than traditional honeymoons. 

If you are on a budget, I recommend you look into these benefits of a mini-moon. 

Mini-moon vs Honeymoon

We have pros and cons if you are unsure about what you should do post-wedding and are on the fence about whether to take a mini-moon or a honeymoon. 

There is no right or wrong answer. 

Discuss with your significant other and decide what option is best for you. 

Pros of taking a honeymoon:

• You get to bond and spend time with your new spouse
• You have the opportunity to visit your dream destination 
• You get to explore and take an adventure with your new spouse
• You will get to learn more about each other on this journey as newlyweds
• It will increase the romance in your new “situationship.” 
• If you created a honeymoon fund – then the honeymoon can be paid for in full
• You can take about your wedding and everything you loved
• Plan out your new future and next steps
• It’s a welcoming break from all the wedding plans you’ve made in the last year or so

Travelling can rejuvenate the soul, breathe new life, and even open a new chapter if you have been on the go for a while. 

Travelling with your spouse can help you both open up to new experiences, meet and interact with new people and get to know people from different countries, cities and cultures.

Travelling with your partner is a whole new experience, especially if you are on a honeymoon. 

Cons of taking a honeymoon:

• You are spending more money right after a wedding
• More time off from obligations such as work/school etc. 
• Travelling is stressful – I hate travelling but enjoy it when I am there
• It may be challenging to find great deals 
• Unexpected costs and emergencies may come up
• Different time zones and being jet lagged depend on where you go
• Other countries have different cultures and customs
• Language barriers if you go to very tourist locations

The most significant negative impact of travelling on a honeymoon is its cost. 

If you look at CostHelper.com, you will notice that the average cost of a typical honeymoon varies from $3,400-$5,100 for a trip of six to eight days.

That is a lot of money, in my opinion.

After spending thousands of dollars on your wedding, it’s a lot of money. 

But as newlyweds, you also want to enjoy your time away. 

And that’s why it’s essential to look for ways to save money when planning a honeymoon on a budget. 

Pros of taking a mini-moon:

• You save money for taking short honeymoons
• You can travel where you want (locally is best)
• You have time to save for later-moon
• Not much time missed for work/school
• You save on vacation days if you work
• Very little travel time required
• You are supporting the locals
• Very little travel preparation is needed
• Much more relaxing than out-of-country travel

As you can see, there are many benefits of a mini-moon. 

The top reason for taking a short honeymoon locally or for a short time is that you get to enjoy all the great benefits of a regular vacation without the hustle of planning for a big getaway. 

You can avoid long airport lines, insurance, and luggage dragging with a mini-moon. 

Cons of taking a mini-moon:

• You won’t have enough time to decompress and relax
• You might get disturbed if you are closer to home
• Local might not feel like a real honeymoon
• You might not experience everything that comes with travelling
• You will experience the same culture and foods you are used too
• You don’t get to try out new things/places

How to plan a romantic mini-moon on a budget

Mini-moons are perfect for couples on a budget. 

If you spent most of your money planning for the perfect wedding but still want to experience the honeymoon phase, then a mini-moon is perfect. 

Now that we have looked into the pros and cons of a minimoon, it’s time to plan one.

A well-planned mini-moon should be just as unique as a honeymoon.

It should be a relaxing time, and enjoying this moment following your wedding celebration will be something you will remember for years.

Whether you are looking to spend your short honeymoon on an island, sipping delicious cocktail drinks, or you both prefer to go on a romantic getaway road trip exploring the country, it’s possible to create the perfect mini-moon on a budget. 

Here are a few budget mini-moon ideas to help plan this exciting moment: 

1. Set a realistic budget

Just because you are planning a short honeymoon does not mean that you will not easily blow the budget. 

Those that do not plan without a budget always set themselves up to fail. 

Avoid that oops moment you will get when you check your account at the end of your getaway and realize you sent a lot more than you bargained. 

Not knowing how much things cost is no excuse. 

A sold budget will prevent you from overspending money you might not have or should not be spending. 

The easiest way to estimate your mini-moon will cost is by breaking down your travel style and figuring out where you want to spend your money.

Decide what you want to do and price things out.

Are you planning a short road trip over a few days going to multiple cities?

Would you instead visit one city close to you and spend the day exploring?

Maybe you prefer the sound of a cottage or cabin gateway instead of a 4-day trip to an all-inclusive resort? 

All this will cost you gas money, accommodation, travel/fights, food and drinks, entertainment, money for activities and whatever else you plan to do.

You want to account for every little thing. 

Look up cheap mini honeymoon ideas and destinations. 

And then, research ballpark estimates and figure out how much you need to budget per day for your perfect mini-moon.

The length of stay can affect your honeymoon budget.

My pro tip: Set up alerts for flight deals using Google Flights!

2. Start a minimoon saving fund 

If you plan to go anywhere, having some sort o savings is always a great idea. 

Creating a budget for the mini-moon helps you plan, figure out how much you need to save per month, and take all the guesswork out.

Create a complete plan for your short honeymoon and start putting some aside. 

I recommend sitting down to establish how much you can contribute to your savings. 

If you know it’s going to cost you, on average, $2500 to go on a honeymoon, and you have about a year to save, it’s safe to say you each need to contribute $105 each month. 

You can also plan a mini-moon for less than $1000.00. 

• Book a cozy Airbnb by the lake for $350-$400 for 3 nights
• Make your meals for two on a budget of $150-$200
• Rent or use your car to get to the Airbnb
• Walk around the city exploring to save on gas
• Use the rest on fun couple activities in your area

I recommend grabbing these savings trackers for your wedding and mini-moon savings plans. 

3. Sign-up for a mini-moon registry

We have so many fantastic tips for a great minimoon that you can use to save some extra cash. 

After all, going into marriage by taking out loans is not recommended. 

And just because you are planning a short honeymoon doesn’t mean you can’t register to get some help funding this romantic chapter. 

With today’s high costs for weddings, it is not unheard of for newlyweds to register for wedding event items and have friends and family help pay for the photographer, wedding cake or even for a portion of the honeymoon. 

If one of your newlywed’s bucket lists is to go on a small mini-moon to enjoy yourselves before planning for the next step of your lives as the new Mr. and Mrs., then I recommend you set up a honeymoon registry to fund your dream. 

A honeymoon registry works just in the same way a wedding registry does.

By setting up a honeymoon registry, you can register to get your full mini-moon paid for or specific portions of it, such as activities.

You can book and plan a mini-moon for $500 and have specific activities and excursions funded by your registry. 

Use your honeymoon registry to create an itemized, public wish list that could include everything from booking activities, couples spa days or even the travel essentials like books and toiletries.

I recommend going with a reputable site like Honeymoon Fund to create a registry for your mini-moon. 

It will save you a ton of time and stress. 

Creating a Wedding Honeymoon Fund as part of your registry is a great way to help cover some or all of the expenses of your dream mini-moon.

Start your honeymoon registry today.

4. Look up cheap mini honeymoon ideas

A min-moon is excellent for couples looking for an affordable honeymoon. 

An extra long weekend away is much more affordable and more accessible to plan than a 1-week destination out of the country. 

Go ahead and find places that are not too far away from you to visit and tour. 

Mini-moons are typically short getaways you can take that are a few hour’s drives away or a short flight to somewhere relaxing and romantic. 

Cheap mini-moon ideas don’t have to be complicated. 

Please keep it simple and make it about rediscovering yourselves as a couple. 

A few romantic mini-moon getaway ideas for newlyweds:

• Cabin /Cottage 
• Romantic time at a high-end hotel (2-3 nights)
• Camping / Glamping
• Short All-inclusive destination
• Visit your dream city for a few days
• Wine tour weekend
• Go on a couple’s retreat
• Attend your dream concert
• Book a romantic spa weekend getaway

My husband and I are big foodies. 

We prefer visiting places that embrace their cultures and are big on food. 

I would love to go to a city or destination big on food trucks, coffeehouses, and microbreweries everywhere in the area. 

Check out these fabulous vacation spots for couples you could visit on a budget.

Once you know what you want to do, pick your mini-moon destination location and plan all your activities and entertainment to keep you busy. 

Here is a list of over 100 things couples can do. 

And this epic marriage bucket list is a great place to start if you are looking for ideas of things to do. 

Don’t forget to plan your meals and make reservations if you must. 

5. Make it the mini-moon to remember

With your list of ideas for the perfect mini-moon, it’s time to plan things that will make it memorable and romantic.

How can you make a getaway romantic? 

Even though you are on a budget, it is crucial to have the right attitude. 

A romantic mini-moon is a perfect way to get quality time with your significant other after spending months planning the best day of your life.

Help set the mood by taking a few romantic things with you, such as perfumes, lotions, massage oils, bubble baths, romantic music and candles to set the mood.

Don’t forget sexy outfits for dinners and cute swimsuits if you spend time swimming and relaxing. 

Book hotel rooms or bed and breakfasts that include honeymoon suites. 

If you are going on a road trip, rent a nice car. 

Surprising your newlywed partner with something they like or want is the height of romance.

Whatever you choose, make sure it speaks their love language, and you, my friend, will have sealed the deal!

Be sure to unplug from your devices and enjoy the moment. 

And remember, the perfect romantic mini-moon is where you do what YOU want to do, not forcing yourselves to do the activities you feel like you are supposed to do in the name of love or romance.

6. Be flexible 

Lastly, be flexible. 

If you do not have money right now to plan this mini-moon, wait until you do. 

You can plan just as a romantic time at home as you would if you left for a few days. 

Honeymoons are expensive, and even with tweaking your budget, not every couple can enjoy a romantic honeymoon without spending more than they can afford. 

If you can’t do a mini-moon or a later moon, plan a staycation and visit things locally. 

It would help if you also considered off-peak seasons or shoulder seasons. 

Go for it if you can book your short honeymoon during the off-peak season. 

You will save a lot more money. 

Book your hotel rooms or bread and breakfast rooms if they are cheaper during the week than on weekends. 

Remember that a honeymoon is about having a new experience together as newlyweds, so make this time memorable for you. 

And there you have it, my steps for planning an ideal mini-moon on a budget! 

How long is a mini-moon

A mini-moon is great for couples looking for affordable honeymoon ideas. 

A mini-moon is a mini version of a big planned-out honeymoon. 

You want it to be less than a week. 

Depending on your needs and individual budgets, it can be as long or short as you want it to be. 

A traditional honeymoon usually lasts 7 to 14 days. 

A short honeymoon, or as I often refer to as a mini-moon, is usually a day to a few days away. 

It could take place as an extra long weekend or a simple overnight stay somewhere romantic. 

A mini-moon that lasts 3 to 4 days is the right sweet spot, especially if you are on a budget.

It gives you just enough time to unwind and enjoy the time away. 

Can you have both a mini-moon and a honeymoon?

So can you have more than one honeymoon?

My answer to that is yes. 

You can go on a one or two-day romantic gateway right after the wedding and plan a full-fledged honeymoon when you have the money and sometimes the time. 

There are many reasons to have a mini-moon right after the wedding:

• If you are looking for something to do after the wedding
• If you are on a tight budget
• If you have zero cash
• If you have no time off available to go away
• If you need more time to plan the big one
• If you have a life-altering event and need to delay

All these are reasons enough to plan a short honeymoon cheaper and then plan a big one when the moment aligns. 

It’s also okay to only have a short honeymoon if that is all you can afford.

What is your ideal mini-moon?

Could you share it in the comments below?  

We would love to hear from you. 

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What Is A Mini-Moon? How Can You Plan A Short Honeymoon?