The average US couple spends about $6,000 on a honeymoon, according to a 2025 LendingTree survey. You can have a wonderful one for far less. Here are affordable honeymoon ideas for nurses and shift-working couples, plus how to make your money go further.
Imagine coming home from your honeymoon relaxed, closer than ever, and with nothing left to pay off. That isn’t luck. It’s the result of a few smart choices made before you book.
This article is part of our guide: Planning a Wedding on a Nurse’s Budget.
Before you book: three money rules
- Set the honeymoon budget at the same time as the wedding budget.
- Never put the honeymoon on a credit card you can’t clear.
- Book flexible or refundable options if your leave or rota could change.
15 affordable honeymoon ideas
Close to home
- A coastal cottage in your own country, off-season.
- A city break with one special dinner.
- A countryside cabin with walking and no Wi-Fi.
- A spa weekend booked midweek for lower prices.
- A rail trip through two or three towns.
A little further
- Shoulder-season beach trip (just before or after peak season).
- All-inclusive deal: easier budgeting with meals included.
- Road trip with a mix of camping and nice hotels.
- Island hopping by ferry.
- Wine or food region with tastings and markets.
Creative options
- Mini-moon: 3 days now, a bigger trip later.
- Delayed honeymoon booked for a quieter, cheaper season.
- Staycation with a luxury hotel night and planned days out.
- Visit family abroad and add a few days alone.
- Honeymoon fund instead of wedding gifts.
Ways to save
- Travel midweek and outside school holidays.
- Compare package deals with booking separately.
- Tell hotels you’re on honeymoon; some offer upgrades.
- Use travel rewards points you already have.
- Set a daily spending budget and stick to it.
Nurse tips for travelling
- Plan a rest day before you fly if you’re coming off shifts.
- Check whether you need vaccines or malaria advice for your destination; book a travel health appointment several weeks ahead.
- Get travel insurance as soon as you book.
- Pack a small first aid kit and any regular medicines in your hand luggage.
But doesn’t a cheap honeymoon feel like settling?
Not if you spend on what matters to you. A honeymoon is about time together, not how far you fly. Three days somewhere beautiful with no rota, no phones and no bills to worry about can mean more than two weeks you’re still paying for next year. And you can always plan a bigger trip for your first anniversary.
Your next step: Write down your honeymoon budget and the dates you can realistically get off, then pick three ideas from this list and price them this week.
Related: Planning a wedding on a nurse’s budget · Romantic dinner date at home ideas
Source: FOX Television Stations, “Here’s how much couples are spending on weddings in 2025”, citing a LendingTree survey of US newlyweds (March 2025).
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