The honeymoon is one wonderful way of having some R&R, enjoying your new married status and making memories. But it can be a total minefield, where to go? What to do? How much to spend? To relax or explore?

I asked Sarah Jackson, honeymoon expert at boutique travel company Mr & Mrs Smith, to tell us how she helps couples everywhere book their perfect honeymoon...

I'm on the Travel Team at Mr & Mrs Smith, an online collection of unique hotels perfect for romancing couples - and those who have just tied the knot. I've been here for two years, booking hotels and managing trips all over the world from start to finish, whether it's a beautiful retreat in the Cotswolds or a dreamy overwater villa in the Maldives. I'm fluent in Spanish, which comes in handy with all the Iberian hotels we have in our collection, and, of course, I love to travel. I'm just back from a surfing trip in Devon and a jaunt in South America.

I love helping people plan idyllic holidays: I like finding out their taste, what they want from a hotel in terms of style and design, and matchmaking them to the perfect property. It's truly rewarding sending people to places where I know they'll have a really special time. I recently booked a couple's honeymoon to Bali, a twin-centre trip where they stayed at the breathtaking Alila Villas Uluwatu in the south, home to some of the island's best surf beaches, and Alila Ubud, surrounded by forest on a peaceful hillside. They had such a great time they sent me a lovely thank-you email, which was very moving. There's little I dislike, but it's a real shame I can't control the weather when it comes to honeymoons.

I studied modern languages (Spanish and German) at university and got the taste for living and working abroad during a year out. Before starting my studies, I travelled around five continents on an incredible trip through New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Namibia and Costa Rica. I interned at Mr & Mrs Smith before joining the Travel Team and now specialise in Central and South America, adventure travel and honeymoons.

At Mr & Mrs Smith, we're all about the details: I want to snap up the best bedroom for my clients, not just the best hotel. I love to organise unusual or one-of-a-kind experiences that are bound to surprise them. At Kasbah du Toubkal in Morocco's Atlas Mountains, for instance, a mule carries your luggage for the last part of your journey. It's quirky details like that that really make a trip memorable.

It's so important to get honeymoons right - they're the most special trip people take in their lives. I specialise in off-the-beaten-track, exhilarating destinations, so I often suggest twin-stop trips. Combining two different experiences is becoming much more popular too: for example, I recommend heading to a jungle plantation in Sri Lanka before a luxurious beach stay in the Maldives, such as at the impossible-to-beat Huvafen Fushi.

Across the team, we have specialities in such different areas: we can organise Californian road trips, a coast-to-country tour across Costa Rica or a gourmet escape in the rolling hills of Tuscany. We're best known for our weekend retreats but, with more than 950 hotels around the world, we can pretty much do anything!

Mr & Mrs Smith tailor-make trips for the ideal honeymoon. Visit mrandmrssmith.com/honeymoons or call 0330 100 3180 for inspiration and advice on booking the perfect trip - or simply let them know what sort of honeymoon you're after via their easy online form and they'll do the rest. Mr & Mrs Smith offers money back on every booking, a free extra on arrival and a price match guarantee.

Of course, it depends on what you're looking for, where you want to go - and when. For long-haul destinations, rainy or 'shoulder' seasons are good value and you're still bound to get some sunshine. In Europe, prices are at their peak in the summer, but you'll still get great weather in May and September. A budget of £1,000 to £2,000 works well for a series of beautiful properties in Europe; if you're after the ultimate trip with seriously good service, expect to splurge £5,000 to £6,000. If you have an idea of what you're after, we can tailor an itinerary to fit your finances.

Just because the rest of the world is basking on an Indian Ocean island, it doesn't mean you have to: make sure your honeymoon suits your needs and your personalities. I love coming up with alternative options for couples looking for something unique. Think about what you want as a couple, too - there's no point in spending two idle weeks by the pool if you're itching to go out and explore things together.

You can read a bit more about me and my lovely colleagues on the honeymoon pages on our website - feel free to get in touch by email. You can also submit an enquiry directly to us: we'll match you with the travel expert with the most relevant expertise. Plus, if you book a honeymoon with us of more than seven nights you get a free GoldSmith membership (worth £400) that gets you free upgrades, five per cent back in loyalty money and a personal concierge service. To be honest, I'd be doing that myself if I was in the market for a honeymoon!

Last but not least, I'll be on our stand at this year's Brides: The Show in Islington, London during the weekend of 3-5 October. Come and say hello!

Sarah Jackson can be reached at [email protected].

*This is a sponsored post.