Honeymoon travel business ready to blossom

If there's a June bride in your family or one in any month soon remind her that honeymoon planning can be as im-portant as wedding planning. To help the newlyweds-to-be make plans, there are bridal fairs offering everything from the gown to the limousine to acquaint these ladies with all the decisions they will have to make.

Department stores, jewelers, florists, stationers, caterers, and tuxedo rental stores will be busy assisting the couples with their wedding wishes.

Honeymoon planning is important, too, to make sure the bridal couple will have a trip to exceed all their dreams. Travel agencies include honeymoon planning in the services they offer, and at this time of year these services are particularly in demand.

Honeymoon consultants

The couple can consult a travel agent who specializes as a honeymoon planner to help them decide where they want to spend their honeymoon, how long the honeymoon will last and how much will it cost.

Experienced honeymoon consultants will tell them that the most popular destinations include Hawaii, Cancun, Las Vegas, Disney World, London, Paris and Tahiti.

But the list is only limited to the couple's wishes and budget.

A choice of some couples will be one of the all-inclusive resorts, such as San-dals and Club Med.

These are usually situated on lovely beaches, and they provide all meals, beverages and a variety of planned activities. All-inclusive resorts recognize the value of giving newlyweds special treatment so that they will return again later in their married lives.

Cruises

Honeymoon cruises are very popular, and some couples even opt for the wedding ceremony on board a cruise ship. Cruises offer the newlyweds a variety of ports of call and as much or as little entertainment and socializing as they choose.

The cruise lines provide lots of special treats for honeymooners champagne and flowers in their stateroom, special recognition at dinner and often a special party for just the newlyweds on board. Particularly favored cruises for honeymoons are Caribbean, Alaskan or Medi-terranean itineraries, and those in Tahiti and the South Pacific.

A special service of some travel agencies is a honeymoon registry. Like de-partment store registries for china and crystal, this registry allows friends and family to give a gift certificate toward the honeymoon expenses.

This often allows the couple to take a little nicer trip, stay a few additional days or add some special luxuries to their ex-perience.

With good and early planning, the newlyweds will have an opportunity to experience a honeymoon that will create a lifetime of memories.

(Linda and Dr. Don Overend are principals in The Travel Group, a full-service travel agency formed by the merger of Ozark World Travel, Con-sulting Travel and Thomas Travel.)