Depending on the type of trip that you go on, your honeymoon will probably fall within the range of “expensive” to “verrrry expensive.”  The bill can be tough to swallow for many couples, especially when it comes directly after months of paying off various other wedding expenses.  Honeymoon registries aside, wouldn’t it be great to somehow make money while you’re away to subsidize, or even cover the entire cost of, your trip?

Several of my friends have recently started renting out their apartments on Airbnb with great success.*  And depending on your place and where you live, you can really make some serious cash when you go away on vacation!  Creating a listing on Airbnb is free, you get to state your own price and house rules, and you always have control over who books your place.  You get 24 hours to decide whether you want to approve a reservation, but don’t worry, Airbnb also makes it really easy for you to communicate with potential bookers so you can feel much more comfortable about letting strangers stay in your home.

But renting out your place when you go on your honeymoon isn’t for everyone, and there are several additional things that I think you should consider before listing your place:

1) Will you be okay with adding extra stress to the days leading up to your wedding/honeymoon?  In my opinion, this is definitely the most important factor.  Allowing Airbnb guests to stay in your home requires significant preparation: cleaning, arranging check-in/check-out times and key exchanges, stowing away valuables, etc.  If you’re already scrambling to finish last minute wedding details, it may not be wise to add more to your plate.

2) Will wedding gifts arrive at your place while you’re on your honeymoon?  It’s always smart to set up hold mail service when you go out of town, but it’s also a good idea to make sure that your wedding presents don’t get delivered to your place when you have strangers staying there.

3) Are you willing to make yourself available to your guests (via email or phone) during your honeymoon?  Better yet, think of it from your guests’ point of view.  Would you be willing to rent a place if there’s no way to reach the owners if anything goes wrong?  I wouldn’t!  Responsible hosts should be reachable when guests stay in their home, even if it’s during their honeymoon.

4) Will you obsess about people staying in your home throughout your entire honeymoon?  Sure, I don’t think that most people actually like to think about that, but if the thought of strangers sleeping in your bed is actually going to haunt you throughout your honeymoon, it’s probably not worth it.

If those four factors don’t faze you, then Airbnb might be a great way for you to make some money while you honeymoon.  Check out their website to learn more about hosting, and when you’re ready you can list your space!

_____________________

* Although we’ve never personally rented out our own apartment, my husband and I loved our stays in Airbnb flats in Sweden, Scotland, and Ireland.