Planning in today's environment
Green offered the following tips for couples planning a wedding trip in this unstable travel environment:
• Plan early to maximize flight and hotel choices and have the best opportunity to use miles/points.
• Earn as many points as possible within one airline, hotel group or credit card program.
• Choose programs that offer a broad range of hotel types around the world.
• Charge wedding expenses to a chosen loyalty card.
• Use a wholesaler. In addition to discounted airfares and room rates, many wholesalers have the ability to lock in current exchange rates now, while still enabling travelers to take advantage of better exchange rates in the future should rates move in a favorable direction.
• Shift travel dates to the shoulder or off-season for a better possible value.
• Consider setting up a honeymoon registry to help defray costs.
The new travel reality of unfavorable exchange rates, high fuel costs and a fragile economy has led honeymooners to deviate from established planning norms, according to Howard Green, CEO of MoonRings, a travel company specializing in honeymoons, destination weddings and other special occasion travel.
"Simply choosing a dream destination is no longer the key factor for many couples, as planning behavior has changed in a number of important ways over the past year," Green said.
While cost has always played a role in the choice of destination, a weak dollar and sky-high airfares are forcing some honeymooners to consider their options more carefully, often including locales that may not have been on their original list, he said.
Countries aligned with the euro, in particular, appear to be feeling the effects as newlyweds seek out better-value alternatives, according to Green.
"While our clients are showing less interest in perennially popular honeymoon spots like France, Italy and French Polynesia," he said, "interest has increased in more unusual locales, like Argentina, Croatia, and Bali, which still offer bang for the buck."
Today's financial uncertainty is also impacting the way honeymooners approach the use of loyalty programs and changing the traditional planning timeline.
People are settling for second- or third-choice destinations and hotels if there are loyalty program options available, and honeymooners with frequent flyer miles are beginning the planning process earlier in order to secure hard-to-get seats.
Meanwhile, others are moving to a last-minute strategy of waiting in hopes of finding a deal at the 11th hour.