Now it's time to take your basic budget and play with it, stretch it out, shuffle it, see what you can do with it. It's time to see where you can get even more for the money you available to spend-perhaps, like some couples, you'll get twice the honeymoon for your original budget!-and yourself thousands of dollars just by choosing the right honeymoon package. Let’s get started.

Stretching Your Honeymoon Fund

I'll keep this short and simple because chances are you've planned vacations before and you know enough to shop around for the best priced flights and resort packages. However, when the honeymoon factor comes in, you'll certainly have to take a few new notes, if you are an experienced trip planner.

According to the Travel Institute of America, honeymooners spend three times the money on their trip compared to the budget allowance of regular everyday vacationers. These statistics prove that many couples give themselves permission to spend a fortune on their trip of a lifetime, whether subsidized by parents, a honeymoon registry, or smart savings for a few years before the wedding. Regardless of your budget, whether it's enormous or limited, you can still use the many smart ways to make the most of your money and stretch that honeymoon fund out even further.

Cash in Your Miles

Let's start with the biggest potential money saver first. Your existing frequent flier miles or credit card reward miles and bonuses can save the financial day if you choose to cash them in for free airfare, hotel stays, upgrades, and car rentals during your honeymoon, making your trip, in essence, free or highly discounted. If you travel a lot for work, you may have thousands upon thousands of frequent flier miles racked up just waiting to be a part of your honeymoon plans. If your everyday credit card usage has been netting you points, perks, and potential freebies, now is the time to look into cashing out on those deals as well.

Many couples plan ahead to use their frequent flier miles as a payment plan for their honeymoon, saving up their points during their extended engagement periods and even far before then. Some switch to credit cards that earn them points with every purchase so their charge for the wedding, their summer wardrobe, gifts for others, and lunches and dinners out are earning them credits toward their honeymoon. a wise move, if you have plenty of time, and if you can find a great credit card that delivers big points for every purchase.

The one thing you need to know about cashing in your frequent flier or credit card bonus points is that some restrictions do apply. Read the fine print on your information pamphlets or brochures, or call the credit card 800-number to ask for specific details on cashing in your points. Some companies require many months of advance notice for your points to be activated for use in upgrades and freebies, and many establish blackout dates during which frequent flier miles or bonus points cannot be used. You need to research this information well ahead of time so you know about any restrictions or timing delays that can turn this great opportunity into a missed opportunity.

Budgeting for Romance

Marcia and Vito were saving for a house. They had budgeted $2,000 for their honeymoon and didn't want to splurge beyond that, but they wanted to get to Italy. By shopping for the lowest airfare and staying in small hotels outside the big cities, they were able to go to Italy and keep within their budget."The hotels were very intimate, not luxurious, but friendly. Actually, they had more personality than some of the fancier, more expensive hotels," said Marcia. "We also saved money by having picnics instead of always going to restaurants. Then, we splurged on a few great meals, but at lunchtime when the prices were much lower than at dinner. It was even better than my dreams."

Unless you have unlimited funds, it's important to set a realistic budget. Start by discussing how much you plan to spend. Like Marcia and Vito, most couples can find ways to fulfill their dreams without bankrupting their future. Once you've agreed on how much you can afford, talk about how you want to allocate your funds. Marcia and Vito felt that going to Italy was more important than staying in the most luxurious hotels. Other couples opt to be pampered at a luxury resort closer to home. You'll find that it's not how much you spend but how you allocate your funds that counts. Remember, you don't have to be a millionaire to create rich honeymoon memories. You may want to make copies of the following budget worksheet so that you can try out different scenarios before you settle on the final budget for each category.

Bring a copy of your final budget on your honeymoon and check along the way to see whether you are over or under budget. If you're spending too much, you'll be able to catch yourselves before you go too far. And if you're not spending as much as you thought, you'll know that you can afford to splurge on an elegant dinner or perhaps a fine keepsake of your wedding trip.

Additional Money-Saving Tips Right from Start

• Plan to honeymoon at a place near home. If you can drive or take the train to your destination you’ll save a fortune on airline and on transportation to and from the airport.

• Stay domestic. Of course, a trip to Italy or to Australia is the trip of a lifetime, but perhaps you'd rather wait until later in your lifetime for a trip of this magnitude. Especially if you're paying for your entire wedding yourselves, you can unburden your budget by planning to stay in the United States or go to a nearby island destination. Our major cities are attracting more and more honeymooners right now, with New York leading the list of hot spots. Recent Big Apple honeymooners say that the city is kinder than ever and that its culture, shopping, and romantic restaurants make it a sure thing. Other big cities to enjoy include Chicago, Boston, Aspen, Los Angeles, San Diego, Austin, and of course, Orlando. Even better: no passports.

• Let your agent find the cheapest airfare for you. Sure, you can research until your fingers turn blue from punching computer keys, but a true in-the-know professional can track down the best rates as part of her job.

• Know that air ticket prices fluctuate constantly. Booking way in advance, then, isn't always going to get you the best rate as a rule. That's just one of the many misconceptions out there. I wouldn't advise waiting before you book because availability is the bigger issue, especially if you're traveling at a popular tourism time or to a popular tourism destination (or both), but I wanted you to realize that a ticket purchased way in advance isn't always going to payoff in the end. It's all in your research, not necessarily in your timing.

• Avoid last-minute bookings. Now these are the deals that will probably cost you more.

• Compare flight prices at Web sites like Trip.net. Orbitz.com, Travelocity.com, and Expedia.com. Then go to agent and see what he or she can do for you in comparison.

• Know that these online sites are not going to be there to help in the that your flight gets canceled. A real, live travel agent can help with that and will be your backup in case of problems on the road. Even better, she can find an alternate flight right away and even make some calls for to get you reservations at another hotel.

• Read the fine print on cruise packages that include making arrangements for your flights. This wording means that the cruise line will find you the flight, but payment is up to. Now do you really want some cruise line taking on the job of finding you the best flight for the best price?

• Look for fly/drive packages, which include the costs of transport or car rental, and your hotel.

• Know what's not included in package deals. Port charges during your cruise: Insurance for the rental car: Valet parking at the hotel: these little extra expenses that can surprise you during your trip and cost you way more than you planned on spending.

• Use your spine. When the hotel quotes a room price to you, ask if there are any special packages or discounts. Ask if a different class of rooms is available, if willing to stay in a room without an ocean view, Speak up and politely, for a better deal, and you might just get it.

• See if your professional association offers travel discounts as part of their benefits plan. Expert associations exist in just about every business and industry, and they offer their members some excellent perks. If you're already a member of an association, research the benefits. They may have added some new ones since the last time you looked. If not a member of any association, do a bit of checking to see if it might be advantageous for you to join right now, not just for the travel deals and rental car discounts but for future networking and educational opportunities as well. Just bear in mind that it can cost a few hundred dollars to join an association, so be sure you're going to make the most from that investment during the year.

Get more information from our Honeymoon Planning Kit which includes 12 Honeymoon Planning Checklists and our 31 Chapter Honeymoon Planning Guide. Click here to visit our download page.