It’s hard to imagine spending another dime after the nightmare of expenses involved in planning the wedding of your dreams, let alone forking over thousands for a luxury honeymoon vacation. But after months of tireless planning, you will need to get away and spend some alone-time with your new hubby. Honeymoons can be as costly as a month-long excursion across Europe. With these budget travel tips, you can escape without sacrificing your ultimate goal: relaxation and reconnection.

Think outside the season: Off-season does not necessarily equate to bad weather. Many tropical locations have ideal weather year-round, but rates soar upwards when cold climate residents are looking to escape the winter blues. If you want to hop on a flight immediately following your wedding, consider booking your honeymoon travel arrangements at an off-season location; if you have your mind set on a particular destination, be flexible with your either your wedding date or your departure date to reap big savings.

Consult an expert: Look to a professional to help you book your vacation – and enjoy big savings. Travel agents provide all sorts of money-saving expertise and can often access on-going sales or last-minute deals on honeymoon travel. They’ll work with you to find the best vacation packages to suit your preferences and budget.

Ask for a helping hand: If time away is more important to you than a waffle iron, consider setting up a honeymoon registry. Many travel agents offer services to collect, record, and apply contributions from your guests toward honeymoon resorts and expenditures. Some even allow guests to contribute to specific activities at your destination location, such as scuba diving lessons or boat rides.

Do your research: Don’t let your honeymoon take a backseat to the wedding planning process. Start thinking about your vacation once you have established a wedding date, and keep your eyes peeled for deals posted online or in the paper. Give yourself plenty of time to comparison shop. This complete honeymoon travel guide will help you get started.

Earn rewards: If your credit allows, open a credit card with the best frequent-flier and other travel rewards. Start charging your wedding-day expenses, and cash in on the bonuses for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, and other upgrades. Be careful here though; you should be able to pay off all expenditures at the end of every month to avoid finance charges and racked up debt. Also be sure to check black-out dates before making your travel arrangements.

Consider the alternatives: You aren’t bound by the typical island retreat when it comes to honeymoon options, but be sure to weigh the pros and cons of all your choices before booking. While all-inclusive resorts once carried a negative connotation with “mandatory fun” activities, their inclusive honeymoon packages afford you the luxury of a flat-rate and a carefree experience.

When you look into a cruise holiday, the prospect of wakening every day to a new location is very exciting. Cruises are a great way to have multiple mini holidays without having to worry about hiring a car or packing up your belongings each day to travel to a new destination. The cruise ship is your floating hotel room, leaving you free to enjoy the new adventures of every day.

1. The Caribbean if fun, sun, and tropical breezes are what you seek, you can’t go wrong with a Caribbean cruise. The Caribbean cruise is perhaps the most pictured location when someone thinks of cruising. Caribbean destinations on your cruise can include: Dominica, Barbados, Grand Cayman Island, the Bahamas, Saba, St. Bart’s, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Grenada, or Puerto Rico.

2. The Mexican Riviera also full of sandy beaches and refreshing water, the Mexican Riviera is comprised of several cities and ports on the west coast of Mexico. Cruise ships may visit three or four of the following spots along the Riviera: Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, or Acapulco.

3. Alaska the majestic and icy vistas of Alaska are a sight to behold. There’s simply nothing else like it, unless you visit the poles. Alaska’s temperatures are far milder and the landscapes will leave you in absolute awe. Destinations can include: Juneau (the capital of Alaska), Skagway, the Yukon Territory, Ketchikan, Sitka, and Glacier Bay.

4. European Cruises on the Atlantic European cruises is a category so large it has to be divided into regions! Destinations on the Atlantic may include: Gibraltar, Spain, Lisbon, Madeira, Porto Santo, and Paris. European Cruises of the North excluding ports of call along the Baltic Sea, destinations for these cruises can include: Belgium, Amsterdam, Dublin, London, Glasgow, and various spots in Norway. With this range of tourist spots, the whole family is sure to get an education in one way or another. European Cruises of the Baltic Sea European cruises in this region may include these great destinations: St. Petersburg, Poland, Finland, Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen. So much heritage and tradition, so little time.

5. Western Mediterranean Cruises also a part of Europe, these cruise destinations can include the following: Barcelona, Ibiza, Cannes, Marseille, Provence, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Florence, Pompeii, the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, Rome, and Malta. Beauty, art, religion, and majesty are yours for the taking.

6. Eastern Mediterranean Cruises this region may include cruise destinations of: Venice, Murano, Dubrovnik, the Greek Islands, Istanbul, and Turkey. There’s a good reason many have been inspired to write songs and make art featuring these locales!