Shannon LeBlanc is the owner of Paradise Vacations Escapes and author of Say Yes To The Honeymoon The Expert's Guide To Planning The Perfect Honeymoon. She will be a featured panelist at the Wedding Savvy Summit DC 2017.

The engagement party was fun. The bridal shower was endearing. The bachelorette and bachelor party were epic! The bridal shower was endearing. The rehearsal dinner was memorable and the wedding was a dream come true. Now it is time for the Dazzling Honeymoon you have both been looking forward to!

For a no regrets and a dazzling honeymoon take note to these simple steps:

Leave at least 2 days AFTER your wedding.
Even if you have a day-time wedding you will be physically and emotionally drained from the wedding and all the events that led up to the wedding. Allowing you and your new spouse a day of rest before getting on a plane will insure you arrive at your honeymoon destination rested and recharged for Honeymoon “festivities”.
Have an open mind.
This is a new experience for both of you as husband and wife. Maybe you have travelled together as a couple, however this is the first time traveling together as a married couple. This trip may also be your first time together in a new country. You want your honeymoon to memorable in a good way. Keeping an open mind about things that may happen unexpectedly will keep things humorous and avoid unhappy feelings and memories. For example you may be expecting nice long walks on a beautiful sandy beach. Laying out on the beach and soaking up the sun. You arrive and see the beach is filled with seaweed! Ahhh... you can’t walk on the beach, the smell is yucky. So what do you do? Pout? Get mad? Blame the resort? The best thing to do is to keep an open mind. Play at the pool, walk in the gardens, have a “do it yourself couples” seaweed wrap – haha! Make the most of the situations and you will have more “fun” on your honeymoon and more memories to cherish.
Slurge! It's YOUR honeymoon!
Many couples sink thousands of dollars into the wedding. There are things that you think are important and a priority for the wedding and then hindsight you don’t remember those little things you spent the money on. Will it really matter if you spent more money on a live band vs a DJ? You will still have had your first dance. Will it matter that you had an ice carving at the reception? Gifts for the guests that they will aimlessly throw away after the party? Overdoing table décor when simple is sometimes just as nice. The money spent on this thing could be put into the honeymoon for you and your spouse to enjoy and cherish. Make sure when you are prioritizing the wedding that you include the honeymoon.
Working with a travel professional will help you with planning and guide you to make sure you have no regrets!
The most important thing you do to make your honeymoon dazzle and have no regrets is to GO on a honeymoon and make the most of your time together in a new place! Let the petty things that can and will happen when you travel go.
Experience new things, taste new foods, laugh and have lots of honeymoon sex!