The Smart Bride’s Honeymoon Packing Guide

You’ve booked the destination, sorted the accommodation, and pictured every outfit. Now it’s time to actually fill the suitcase.

This is the checklist to work through before you go: what to pack, what to leave with someone you trust, and the easy-to-forget extras that save you a stressful chemist run on day two.

The everyday essentials

Easy to overlook because they’re so routine, but you’ll notice the second you’re without them.

• Hairbrush, styling tools, and any product you can’t live without
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss
• Deodorant
• Razor and shaving products
• Makeup and skincare, including makeup remover
• Perfume: your wedding scent is a nice one to bring along
• Personal hygiene items, which can be hard to find (and pricier) overseas
• Sunscreen, after-sun care, and lip balm with SPF
• Insect repellent and an anti-itch cream as backup
• A compact medical kit: pain relief, anti-nausea tablets, band-aids, travel sickness tablets, antacids, antihistamines

What to leave with someone you trust

Before you go, hand a family member or close friend:

• Copies of your passports, visas, tickets, driver’s licences, marriage certificate, and insurance documents
• Your itinerary and accommodation details, so they know how to reach you
• Sealed copies of your will and any other key financial documents
• Your engagement ring, if you’d rather not risk travelling with it: a plain wedding band does the job

The must-pack list

• Phone, charger, and a power adapter if you’re heading overseas
• Headphones, an eye mask, and a travel pillow for the flight
• A book, magazine, or e-reader
• Cards and some local cash for the first day or two before you find an ATM
• Passports, visas, tickets, and a copy of your marriage certificate and insurance documents. Photograph everything as a backup, and pack one physical copy separately from the originals
• Prescription medication in its original packaging
• Contraception, if that’s part of the plan
• A list of emergency contacts: doctor, family, and your card provider in case anything goes missing
• Glasses, contacts, solution, and eye drops if you need them
• Sunglasses and a hat
• Zip-lock bags in a few sizes, brilliant for wet swimwear or sandy shoes
• A lightweight day bag for the beach, sightseeing, or souvenirs on the way home

Smart packing tips

• Start your list at least a week out and tick things off as you go
• Pack light: a heavy suitcase is nobody’s idea of a honeymoon. Use a combination lock and label your luggage inside and out
• Never break in new shoes on a honeymoon
• Choose travel-sized products where you can
• Download books and guides instead of carrying paper ones
• Leave the laptop at home
• Step back from social media where you can. This trip is for the two of you

Still choosing your honeymoon destination? Find romantic stays through our honeymoon directory.