I was coming out of a meeting the other day and heard one of my colleagues say to a woman
who was about to get married, “The party at your reception is the best part of your wedding.”
I snorted. “Clearly,” I said, “she’s never been married. The party is the second best part of the
wedding!”
Whether you have been living together for a long time or you are moving into your first home
after the wedding, the honeymoon is an essential part of getting married. It marks the
beginning of the two of you as a married couple. It is the reward for all the busyness of
wedding planning. It is a time for reflection. It is a time for uninterrupted intimacy.
While working through your wedding planning checklist, consider the following when thinking
about your honeymoon:
- HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE?
Wouldn’t it be great if you had a month to go away together without the bother of work or the
worry of everyday responsibilities? Some people have that luxury, but not many. Be realistic
about how many days or weeks you can be away from ‘life’. - HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU HAVE?
This is probably the largest determiner of your honeymoon. Have the two of you been saving
for a long time for your trip or are you hoping to get caught up financially after you get home?
A word of caution: have your honeymoon paid in full rather than starting out married life in
debt. - WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS?
What do you and your partner really want from this time away? Is there a destination that
appeals to both of you? Is the time shared most important? Are there hobbies, activities or
cultural sites you want to engage in? - A COUPLE OF DON’Ts
A honeymoon is not meant to be a family vacation. Don’t take your children or your parents
on your honeymoon. Don’t plan to have a honeymoon ‘later’. Even if you can only get away
for a couple of days – do it right after your wedding! And don’t think your honeymoon will
erase all the issues you and your partner deal with on a day-to-day basis.Now that you have all that figured out, where can you go on your honeymoon? There are lots
of exotic locations for post-wedding trips. Check out “The Knot” for details about:
-Paris
-Bora Bora
-Scotland
https://www.theknot.com/content/best-honeymoon-destinations - If your time and finances are more limited, consider destinations that are not so far-flung such
as the Caribbean. Imagine spending a week in the sun and surf.
-U.S. Virgin Islands
-The Bahamas
-Turks & Caicos
https://travel.usnews.com/rankings/best-caribbean-honeymoons/ - Or maybe you would prefer something closer to home such as:
-Sonoma Valley, California
-Jackson Hole, Wyoming
-Sanibel Island, Florida
https://travel.usnews.com/rankings/best-honeymoon-destinations-in-the-us/
Regardless of the destination, DO go on a honeymoon right after you get married. It really is
the best part of the wedding.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
