Honeymoon

[Vuk]

Hey all, I have a question for you all. My bro is getting married this June, and he and his girl are dirt poor. They are planning on skipping the honeymoon, as they have no money to go anywhere. (something I can tell disappoints him) The problem is that I (and much of my family) am also broke (I literally just paid back debts I had to him, because I hit some hard times) and really do not have a lot of money to give him for a honeymoon.
I was wondering if anyone knew of any ideas for a cheap honeymoon (I was thinking maybe renting a cabin up in the Northwoods (it would probably be too expensive to fly them out somewhere anyway :P) for a week or two. The problem is that I don't know of any places that don't charge ~$500-600 a week. :P).
I would really appreciate suggestions as I don't want to see my bro go without a honeymoon after his marriage, but my hands seem pretty tied up.

[Beirut]

If posible, find a buddy (or a buddy's buddy) with a small weekend place in the country, and bribe him with as much cash, goods, or services as you can muster in exchange for a few days there. Then spend a day there in advance of the primo nocti with a few friends and clean the place from top to bottom - bathroom, kitchen and bedroom have to be spotless! Make sure it's stocked with essentials like toilet paper and clean sheets and towels. Make sure everything works, toilet, hot water, lightbulbs, etc. Make sure the entrance to the house look nice; rake the lawn, pick up the scrap, make their first impression a good one. Load up the fridge with some easy-to-heat home cooking that a few people can put together. Make sure there is OJ and good breakfast stuff.

Leave a few decent (but inexpensive) bottles of wine on a tray with a few wineglasses upside down beside them, maybe flowers, too. Make it look fancy. Presentation is free. Make sure there is a ghetto blaster and some tapes, and maybe a small tv and DVD with a few good flicks for... afterwards. Make sure there are lamps and not just overhead lights. And when all is done, go back and clean the place again. Pay attention to the small details, make sure they don't need anything that isn't already there. Check to see what the neighbours are like; will there be a huge biker party next door wheil they are there, that sort of thing. If it is bug season, is there a screened-porch and screens on the windows. Details! Details! Details! Effort can replace cash anyday.

If your brother sees that you and a few others put in that kind of personal effort to see that he could have a few quiet, comfortable, stress free days, he'll remember it forever. And the wife will be impressed that he has people who would go out of their way for the two of them.

[Vuk]

If posible, find a buddy (or a buddy's buddy) with a small weekend place in the country, and bribe him with as much cash, goods, or services as you can muster in exchange for a few days there. Then spend a day there in advance of the primo nocti with a few friends and clean the place from top to bottom - bathroom, kitchen and bedroom have to be spotless! Make sure it's stocked with essentials like toilet paper and clean sheets and towels. Make sure everything works, toilet, hot water, lightbulbs, etc. Make sure the entrance to the house look nice; rake the lawn, pick up the scrap, make their first impression a good one. Load up the fridge with some easy-to-heat home cooking that a few people can put together. Make sure there is OJ and good breakfast stuff.

Leave a few decent (but inexpensive) bottles of wine on a tray with a few wineglasses upside down beside them, maybe flowers, too. Make it look fancy. Presentation is free. Make sure there is a ghetto blaster and some tapes, and maybe a small tv and DVD with a few good flicks for... afterwards. Make sure there are lamps and not just overhead lights. And when all is done, go back and clean the place again. Pay attention to the small details, make sure they don't need anything that isn't already there. Check to see what the neighbours are like; will there be a huge biker party next door wheil they are there, that sort of thing. If it is bug season, is there a screened-porch and screens on the windows. Details! Details! Details! Effort can replace cash anyday.

If your brother sees that you and a few others put in that kind of personal effort to see that he could have a few quiet, comfortable, stress free days, he'll remember it forever. And the wife will be impressed that he has people who would go out of their way for the two of them.

Thanks Beirut, that is actually a really good idea. Honestly, I cannot think of anyone I know who has a weekend cottage or anything, but I will ask around.

[Beirut]

Thanks Beirut, that is actually a really good idea. Honestly, I cannot think of anyone I know who has a weekend cottage or anything, but I will ask around.

My pleasure. :bow:

Having entertained and won women on a low budget, I know that effort can replace cash. Agreed, finding the cottage is the hard part, but you just have to ask brothers, uncles, buddies, someone somewhere must have a place or know of a place. You can also call a real estate agent and ask about low cost rentals by a lake or with a view. Maybe Google can help find a place.

[A Nerd]

How about the Bates Motel or The Hotel Hello? Ha ha, j/k! :) What about just a road trip to sight see and stay in a local hotel?

[Banquo's Ghost]

Of course, there is also no shame in delaying the honeymoon to a more convenient/affordable time. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are doing just that, so it would be quite a fashionable decision.

[Gregoshi]

See if your state has cabins to rent at their state parks. Here in Pennsylvania, a modern cabin (indoor bathroom and running water) can be rented for one week for under $400 in peak season. In off-peak season, they can be rented for partial weeks - $50 for Sunday through Thursday. Rustic cabins (no indoor plumbing, shared modern bathhouses) can be had for even less.

[Vuk]

Nah Banquo's Ghost, I really don't think it would be the same thing. I know that he is depressed about the fact that he will either have to not have a honeymoon or delay it, so that is why I was hoping that we could make something work.
Thanks for the suggestions guys, I will see what I can do. I have emailed some friends and will check the web. I'm also going to ask some class mates Monday.

[Rahwana]

go to Indonesia, but don't go for Bali (they are international tourist destination, quite expensive!)
I suggest you to go on Ancient Temple of Borobudur (Jogjakarta), and instead of sleep in international class hotels, you can use 3 star local hotels who charge much lower. A week there only about Rp 3000000,- ($ 300) included nice accomodation, foods, and visitations to several historical as well as natural sites (don't use tour guide, they'll charge very expensive!

If that was in July, I guess I can help, or maybe Plutoboyz, or CW.

PS: Someone from Europe has been here before (but actually don't do much things, sadly, all day spent playing EB MP like crazy, and at night... err...)

[Scienter]

I don't know where your brother lives, but some bed and breakfasts run special promotions /discounts occasionally. If they don't have a lot of money, a weekend stay at a bed and breakfast might be doable if they can find one running a special.

[Andres]

Here, a few women's magazines sometimes do a special action and you can rent a room in 5 star hotel at very low prize if you buy the issue of the week in which they do the action.

Maybe some of the US women's magazines do that too?