I remember packing for my own honeymoon—and I wish someone had been on hand to give me the packing tips I’m about to give you. We had booked a romantic African adventure itinerary taking in all kinds of activities. We started off in South Africa for wine tasting and a safari-lodge stay in the Kruger National Park, followed by a flying visit to Zambia. I agonized for hours over what to take because I had to pack for two extremes of weather: blazing sunshine in Victoria Falls and winter in Cape Town. I also remember cursing myself for leaving it until the last minute—our wedding was abroad as well, so packing for a honeymoon was the last thing on my mind when I packed for my wedding! Lucky for you, we have the tips you’ll need to pack right. And just keep repeating the packing mantra: Less is more, less is more! —Tamara Heber-Percy
1. Get your bags ready to go in plenty of time before your honeymoon.
More than likely, you’ll be leaving the day after your wedding and you definitely don’t want to stress about what to pack the night before your nuptials. Make a list of necessities so you don’t forget anything, or have your suitcase open somewhere in the week ahead of your trip so you can put essentials (swimwear, suntan lotion, sexy lingerie, spare contact lenses, etc.) into it whenever you think of them—then all you have to do is repack it all neatly when you’re ready.
2. Put a set of your partner’s clothes in your suitcase.
No, we’re not suggesting a bit of holiday cross-dressing, but by packing an outfit for your new Mr. or Mrs., you’re ensuring against everyone’s worst nightmare—lost luggage. This way, if one of your bags goes astray, you’ll have clean clothes to wear while you get your traveling outfit laundered, and you can spend the first day of the rest of your lives together relaxing instead of trying to track down a decent pair of pants.
3. Avoid packing crushable linens or easy-to-crease pieces.
Your clothes might be stuck in your suitcase for a little longer than usual, so take a few precautions unless you love the rumpled, just-rolled-out-of-bed look. Draped jersey dresses are not only a fashion-forward beach-to-bar choice, they can be rolled up without creasing. Wear them with gold sandals by day for sightseeing or lounging in the sun, and dress them up with statement heels and chandelier earrings by night. Thin jersey separates or cotton pieces with Lycra in them are great for building a practical, crease-resistant capsule wardrobe for city-centric honeymoons or safari stays. Another great trick is to douse some tissues with your favorite perfume and layer them in among your packing; it really does leave everything as fragrant and fresh as can be, which also means you can get an extra wear out of each dress if you need to. A pretty cotton wrap can do double duty as a sarong, a scarf or a shawl, as well as being fairly crumple-proof.
4. Pack a few surprises.
Got a fabulous new dress you’ve been too shy to try? Some killer shoes you’ve had no occasion to wear? Stylish honeymoon hotels are the perfect place to give them the audience they really deserve: your adoring new husband. This trip is all about romance and enjoying each other, so why not surprise him with some sexy new lingerie too? Myla or Agent Provocateur underwear will hit the spot; for easy-to-pack, easy-to-love jersey dresses, try Zac Posen, Kova & T, Vanessa Bruno or Rick Owens.
5. Get it all sent ahead.
Since they’re already packed and ready to go (well done, you!), you might consider treating yourself to a luggage-forwarding service; that way, you won’t have to struggle with heavy suitcases at the airport. This is particularly useful if your honeymoon involves skiing, scuba diving, golf or any other activity that requires extra gear. First Luggage (800-224-5781) will deliver a 65-pound suitcase from the U.S. to the Maldives for about $290, for example.
Bon voyage!
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