How to Plan a Fun Honeymoon Without Spending a Ton of Money

Mention the word "honeymoon" and everyone has a suggestion although most of them sound just pretty much alike. Yes, there are always the usual suspects such as two weeks in Aruba or Jamaica, taking a grand luxury cruise, or heading off to exotic Asia.

But what if you want to think outside the traditional box? What if you don't have thousands to spend - especially after the fortune put out for the wedding - or simply crave something different, something special, something you will remember long after the bridal gown has gone into long-term storage?

The answer often lies well beyond travel agents, bridal magazine writers, and wedding coordinators, many of whom are geared toward getting you interested in the usual fare. They make their money in being able to get you to buy packages offered to thousands of other couples.

For Joe and Annie Lewis of suburban Philadelphia, in their mid-30s as they planned their wedding and honeymoon nearly a decade ago, they say money wasn't the issue but they wanted a honeymoon that was more than a fancy vacation. "We wanted the start of our lives together to be a celebration of life and commitment and not just a chance to spend huge amounts of cash on one big day followed by a trip to a resort," says Annie.

Instead of a fairy tale wedding and a room filled with brightly wrapped gifts of toasters and juice makers, the Lewises investigated their options carefully. The wedding was a comfortable, casual, and joyous affair held on the lakefront property of Joe's uncle. Rather than gifts, guests were asked to donate cash toward a 10-day honeymoon the couple spent in Central America building a church, meeting place, and housing for the poor.

"If we'd gone to Bermuda, the memory of the cost would have lingered longer than the trip itself," reports Joe. "But even all these years later, we remember vividly the joy and hope we brought to two small villages as part of a U.S. volunteer team. Next spring, for our ten-year anniversary, we're going back there to help build a new school, with our son joining us. We can't think of a better way to renew our vows and our commitment not just to each other but to the world."