But now there's a way newlyweds can get their dream honeymoon, without paying for it, as long as they can get a little help from their friends.
That's how Susan and Landry Nguema were able to spend a dream week in Costa Rica after their August wedding.
Susan explains, "We were about four months into our wedding planning and had our whole budget worked out, knew everything we were doing, and realized that we never budgeted for our honeymoon."
So the Nguemas signed up for Traveler's Joy, a honeymoon registry.
The concept's the same as a traditional bridal registry, but instead of asking for china, crystal and linens, newlyweds break their honeymoon expenses into gift-sized portions that their guests can purchase.
The Nguemas asked their family and friends to buy items like part of their airfare, a night at the hotel, drinks at the poolside bar and once-in-a-lifetime excursions.
Susan says, "We got to go horseback riding, which was a private horseback riding tour. We did a private snorkeling tour. We did a private boat tour. Everything that we got to do, we got to do just the two of us, and we couldn't have done that if we didn't have the help of everybody that bought us gifts."
The Nguemas are sending photos of themselves enjoying the different parts of their honeymoon with their thank you notes to people who bought them.
Traveler's Joy does charge a 7.5 percent fee for each transaction. Couples can choose to pay that themselves, out of what they receive as gifts, or have their guests pay as a surcharge.
To check out the Traveler's Joy website, click here.
Other registries include:
The Big Day
The Honeymoon
Honeymoon Wishes
HoneyLuna
