Wedding Blog
We are now almost one month removed from our wedding day. Where has the time gone? In the midst of writing thank you notes, chillin’ with friends and family (everyone wants to hang out with the “newly married couple”), and getting back to work, I am trying to regain some semblance of my former life. Yet, the question continually looms (and haunts), “When and where will we honeymoon?”
Before the wedding, Mr. G and I made the decision to postpone our honeymoon. Mr. G had just started a new job and he hadn’t accrued much vacation time. So we happily agreed to put off the honeymoon until September or October. I say “happily” because, at the time, the thought of travel planning (on top of wedding planning) seemed like a chore.
Well here we are, it’s almost August, and we have no plans to speak of. The truth is that I’m having second thoughts. The whimsical, romantic side of me says, “Go on your honeymoon. It’s a once in a lifetime chance to spend blissful moments with Mr. G.” The practical side of me says, “Honey, hold on to the extra cash, and save it. It could go toward a future house.” Mr. G said he’ll go along with whatever I want. In other words, he’s stumped too.
In retrospect, I wish I would have just bit the bullet and planned the trip. Now all these annoyingly practical thoughts are swirling around in my mind; and unlike when I was planning our wedding, I now have oodles of time to think about pros and cons.
Did you postpone your honeymoon? Feel free to share your honeymoon experiences, and whether you think we should honeymoon or not. I could use some help on this one.
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GO GO GO!! It’s the only honeymoon you’ll get - you don’t want to regret it. I’m so thankful for our honeymoon - the time spent together, the memories we share, and just being able to relax and do NOTHING after the whole planning process/wedding craziness.
If you can’t stomach the expense of a full on honeymoon, maybe do a minimoon. Depending on the amount of money you have, you could do a road trip or fly somewhere not too expensive and hang out for a few days. The beach is my first choice, although the road trip sounds like lots of fun too!
We postponed an extensive honeymoon and just went to a friends beautiful beach house about an hour or so south of where we live. It was fall and the tourists were gone, but the restaurants and most attractions were still open. Now it’s 5 years later and we’re going to reaffirm our vows and take the long awaited honeymoon to Paris! For the New Year! Worth waiting for…..
We are leaving for our honeymoon a week after the wedding - I had no real thoughts of postponing it. However, a couple we are friends with said they LOVED their honeymoon and the time they got to spend with each other. They said they went all out because they figured “when will we ever get a chance to pamper oursleves like this again?” And now, 7 seven tears later they have never been on a vacation alone ever again because they have a 7 year old daughter. They really treasure that time they had together!
I think you should definitely go!!! Pretty soon life is going to be so filled with other priorities and I think you’ll probably regret not going 
Go! A honeymoon will not make that big of a difference in the long run when you are ready to buy a house! Don’t miss out on your honeymoon. If you want to be logical go on a nice (relatively) inexpensive honeymoon and you still will have some money left over for the house fund.
We postponed our honeymoon and strated saving for a house. Then my husband got laid off so it was a good stroke of luck that we did. We hope to take one on our first anniversary. We did go on a minimoon after the wedding.
I say GO. Our honeymoon was 10 months ago and we talk about it weekly (at least). It was a dream vacation that we’ll probably never spring for again; being a newlywed is the perfect excuse to take a lavish vacation Do it do it!
If I were you…I’d SO go!!! Alas, I am me, and I have no vacation time from work and thusly am back to the daily grind two days after our wedding.
You’re never going to get to do it again, life throws unexpected things at us daily, and who knows what amazing adventures you might be missing?
Go, you only get to do it once!
We’re doing a minimoon and then going on a full blown honeymoon about 8 months later.
Think of the minimoon as an amuse bouche. It’ll give you just a “taste” of what’s to come. And by postponing the full blown “honeymoon” you’ll have time to save up and do something really spectalar. It’s also a good way to “spread out” the wedding festivities.
Go! We had a short honeymoon to Sonoma wine country almost a week after our wedding. We thought about going out of country in the beginning, but with the increasing wedding budget, we opted to go within CA. I think both you and Mr. G deserve some lone R&R time.
GO! We went on a honeymoon and look back with so many great memories. Now we have a mortgage and planning for kids–no big trips any time soon. Go before “life” really hit and you justify reasons not to go (which you have already started..)
and one tip-splurge a little. we didn’t because we paid it ourselves and wanted to be as economical as possible. but i do wish we had spent a little extra to stay in a nicer room etc.
I also say do the honeymoon! No one says you have to spend a huge amount of money on your honeymoon that could sacrifice a house down the road. You only live once and you deserve a vacation so take it!
I think you should at least plan a small minimoon. Like others have said, you only get one honeymoon. We are planning on taking a minimoon right after our wedding and then going on a different “dream” honeymoon for our first anniversary.
We are planning to postpone our honeymoon, mostly because of money. We are paying for the wedding ourselves, and we have an 16 month old. We decided that we would postpone the honeymoon, and wait until February or January, and go somewhere tropical. That way when it’s cold and dreary here, we can go and live it up in the sunshine. We are however planning on a little trip right after the wedding, nothing really major, just an overnight stay somewhere close.
I say go! A honeymoon doesn’t have to be lavish, but it is the perfect excuse to do something you both have always wanted to do. There are some fantastic deals online right now (I am a big fan of Travel Zoo), so even if it is just a week, take the time to do something special together.
Go, Go, Go - it doesn’t have to be lavish and extravagant. There are some really good deals out there. I get a weekly email from travelzoo with the top 20 deals.
If you have children soon, you will never get this time back for the two of you to be alone.
We haven’t had ours yet, but I’m leaning towards postponing it until an anniversary. We may go on a minimoon over the long weekend after our wedding (most likely camping/hotel-ing in a national park), or we may not. My fiance is not happy with this idea, but he does realize the necessity of it (the main reason is ’cause if we go right after the wedding, he may miss up to two weeks of university).
My mom and dad never went on a honeymoon. They stayed in a fancy hotel for two days in Banff on their one-year anniversary, but that was it. =) They’ve never regretted it. They’ve gone on trips since — to Mexico, to Europe, etc. But they don’t call them their honeymoon. They’re just adventures.
I think you should DEFINITELY go. Like other people have suggested, maybe a minimoon instead of an all-out honeymoon? There’s tons of deals for places near LA like SB, SD, Temecula wineries, and even Napa valley (it could be a newlywed road trip with some fantastic wine at the end of the road). You could essentially do a whole week’s package for the both of you for under $1K. Or even just a weekend for like $300 total. Check out skyauction, priceline, travelzoo…there’s so many fabulous places right now with fantastic deals. I think it’s commendable and very reasonable to be practical with your money, but you’ve gotta take a breather before you jump back into your post-wedding life. 3 of my friends delayed their honeymoons for similar reasons and never ended up going. All of them express regret even now (they’ve all been married for 3 years now).
I know exactly how the practical side of you wants to win out! It is so frustrating to try to justify certain expenses, but like everyone else is saying, your honeymoon is a once in a lifetime thing! I can’t imagine my wedding without it following afterwards! I am in the same boat as you were in; my FI will have a new job (hopefully in the next few weeks…eek moving!)…so taking time off might be difficult. But, if you have it available now, I’d say you definitely need to go for it! You will have such great memories!
go on the honeymoon. a house isn’t that great. we have one, and they aren’t that fun, plus they are a ton of work. I get tired of hearing everyone on here saying they are saving for a house so they can’t buy the photographer they really want or they can’t go on their honeymoon. Live a little before you get that house! Once you have the house all your money will go into it and you’ll never travel again!
we couldn’t afford a honeymoon at the time of our wedding. So for the past 2 years we just have gone on a series of small weekend mini moons (yes we still call it that:) ) or day trips, which we love. Life definitely takes hold at points and a long vaca may not happen when you want it, but just take a little moment everyday with each other, either sitting on your front porch or taking an evening walk and it will keep the romance alive!:) I don’t think a honeymoon is necessary to prove your married or madly in love, especially if will add any stress…. if no stress and you can take work off and can afford it then do it. otherwise time will fly and you will be taking a babymoon! ;0
GO! When my husband and I got married 9 months ago it was a whirlwind. He lived in LA and I was moving out there the day after our wedding (crazy, I know). We had 4 days to drive from GA to CA. We were leaving for our honeymoon less than 12 hours after we arrived at our new apartment. When we were planning our honeymoon we didn’t have a lot of money to spend so we booked a place for 5 nights in Mexico. This was perfect for us because we were able to get away, enjoy being newlyweds, and not worry about breaking the bank. Do it, enjoy it and have fun!
Definitely go! We postponed ours about 3 months b/c of health issues for DH. It was nice to be able to push off the planning until after the wedding, and it was fun to continue the wedding-related celebrations even a few months later.
Here’s why you should go. 1. It’s your only chance to have a honeymoon. 2. In the grand scheme, the $$ you’ll save probably won’t matter much. 3. Once a mortgage comes along, it’ll be even harder to justify (there will always be stuff you want/need to do). 4. Once kids come along, forget about an extended couples-only vacay for at least a few years. At least. 5. The travel deals are KILLER right now. Seriously. We got upgrades and freebies EVERYWHERE, in addition to great deals in the first place.
Go, go, go!!!
GO!! We’re going to Sandals Jamaica. I know it’s hurricane season but we bought a $100 insurance policy. You could easily book that right now- and it’s still 65% off. If you do an all-inclusive then you won’t have any additional planning to do. GO and have a great time!
@ Andrea - I LOVE your post about house not being that great! I am definitely going to take your advice!
We can’t leave the country for a super awesome honeymoon, but my grandfather used his time share points to get us a spot in south carolina for a week So, we’re unemployed, but we are so lucky to get sometime together away from everything!
We’re doing a mini-moon. I need a vacation and a change of scenery. Do something, even for a few days. You live in a beautiful state with tons to do.
@Andrea - I think I agree with you.
Minimoon! Go to Napa or Palm Springs for a few nights… just to have a get away. But totally stash that money away for a house or a rainy day.
We left for our honeymoon a few days after the wedding and wouldn’t have had it any other way. For us, the wedding was all about bringing together our nearest and dearest - joining together as a family in the midst of our extended family, so to speak. After the frenzy of planning and the wonderful emotional high of the wedding weekend, it was so meaningful to get away for some time as a couple to just enjoy being married. As others have said, you can opt for a smaller minimoon, but please do something.
we did a mini ‘familymoon’ (i.e.: vacationing with his family because they came all the way here), and are putting off a real honeymoon because we’re buying a house.
we hope to do a 6-mth trip though!!
you should go! once you start planning, all the pro/con weighing will disappear. we’ve put off our honeymoon to thailand until the weather gets cooler there, but we’re starting to plan our trip now. even though you’ve gotten back to normal life, you shouldn’t think yourself out of this treat.
We weren’t going to take one at all, but then we decided to go on a 4 day mini moon. I kind of wish we would have gone somewhere farther away and for a bit longer. I say go now!
What if you went on a mini-moon to Napa or Santa Barbara? Then you would get away but you would be blowing the bank
I think you should just do it! You can always make more money later, but you can never go on your honeymoon again!
I always thought that it was the groom’s responsibility to plan the honeymoon. Tell Mr. G to get right on it! You planned the wedding and deserve a break.
You must go… Planning your honeymoon months after your wedding will be totally different from the day after or even a week after your wedding. I had my honeymoon after my wedding and it was really memorable since that was the first time we will really be with ourselves plus the romantic part of going to a honeymoon months after your wedding will far be different from what you will experience if you go after your wedding. Go, go, go. Don’t think of that money you are going to spend! You will still have a long time to save for that!
We skipped our honeymoon as well. However we have been on quite a few exciting vacations together so we don’t really miss it. Honestly, this first year of being married has been so awesome that being in an exotic location would just be the cherry on the sundae and not that important.
Definitely go! My sister and her husband did a mini moon to Niagara Falls and took the “real” honeymoon several months later in Hawaii.
We took a mini-moon because we couldn’t afford the time/money right after the wedding. We’ve been telling ourselves that we’ll go somewhere next year for our 1st anniversary, but I have this feeling that we’ll probably end up having to put it off longer than that.
I say go now! I think it’s totally worth it!
We are getting married in November but Honeymooning next May. It was really important to us to have a really nice trip. The Mister is in school so he’ll be able to take more time off and we’ll be able to save up a little money before then. Plus, we’re going to England and Wales and the weather will be much better in May! To me, it almost feels like we’re extending our wedding period!
If you don’t do it, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.
It doesn’t have to be an exotic location but a change of scenery to relax and spend QT.
If you are looking to save some $$, plan a trip that is under a budget that both you and your husband find reasonable together. There are plenty of options out there. If your the outdoors type of people there are parks and other outdoor activities that may not cost as much but still give you that quality time together. That’s all a honeymoon is, quality time together without the worries of job, family, etc. It truly is a great experience. We went off to Norway two days after we got married. We didn’t plan much (neither one of us are huge planners) so we didn’t realize how expensive things were going to cost in the end. But you still have time to do the research and make sure you are able get a good deal. (There are books on pretty much all the popular destinations around the world at bookstores, so its worth the $15-$20 to pick up one of those. They can save you hundreds.) I’m sure you will go on vacations later too, but I feel that this one is different because you are still in the clouds with a new marriage. So I vote GO!
Our wedding is kind of like our honeymoon already. Our ceremony is in Venice, Italy, and then we hop on a Mediterranean cruise the next day for 13 nights. However, all of this is just the two of us. We will be having a mini family and close friends gathering when we get back. So, it is kind of backwards. The best thing is this is going to be in September, and then we are planning a trip to Thailand next January when I get my new vacation days. We are calling that trip our “honeymoon” though. So excited!
My in-laws have been married for over 35 years and my MIL still mentions how they never went on a honeymoon. To me, the wedding is the public celebration and the honeymoon is the private one I could never give that up for any house….besides, you can go on a trip for less than one mortgage payment easily in this economy.
Putting money towards a house is an awesome thing; however, to joy of looking forward to a honeymoon months after a wedding is pretty damn blissful as well. We are postponing our honeymoon but basically b/c I am in law school and FH wants to do a 10 day + honeymoon so it must be during winter break. Anyways, who says you cant have the best of both worlds - if you wanted a huge honeymoon but now considering the expenses and how much better spent it would be on the house - consider something less expensive for your honeymoon ( regardless of price you are still getting that blissful moment with your hubby!) and still be able to put some money towards your house!!!!!
We are taking a mini-moon after the wedding for two days then hitting the honeymoon two months later ! I think if you dont do it - you might regret it - so at least do something even if it’s just a four day getaway to something close by or consider the great travel deals that are out there now! Mexico is really cheap in October - we went out there two years ago and it was $900 for two with airfare, hotel for three nights, dinner one night and $50 hotel credit at the ME by Melia in Cancun - best part during that time - prices are down, spring breakers are gone & BAM - Recipe for Loving!
GL!
By the way - I have considered several times putting the money going towards the wedding towards a new house & just throwing our wedding in the backyard to introduce our home as well - but we have really kept down our budget & the wedding is something we both want & still can do the house Best of both worlds is possible, GO FOR IT!
I think you should go as well Even if it’s just a long weekend in the Sea Ranch or Napa or wherever…but go!
Definitely GO!
It’s a chance you may not get for a long time and you should do it when the marriage it still new and fresh and thrilling (though hopefully you find way s to make it stay that way!
Thank you everyone who responded! I am overwhelmed by the amount of positive feedback in favor of taking the honeymoon. Mr. G and I are still talking things through. But most likely, we are gonna go for it! I feel pretty silly needing convincing that my honeymoon is a worthwhile expenditure. I’m glad I turned to the hive with this one.
Thank you! Thank you!
I agree with all of the urgings to go on a mini-moon! We’re just doing a few days within the US right after our wedding since we lack sufficient funds for the blowout world tour we were planning, and we’re hoping that we can save and add some of the money we get at our wedding to have a 1 year anniversary trip/second honeymoon. That way the stress of wedding planning will be long behind us and we can really focus on planning the trip! And, my fiancé won’t have to miss any more work this year! (lots of things come up when you’re getting married that interfere with working, and a long honeymoon takes up a lot of sick days!)
go go go! we also put our honeymoon on hold. being that family had come from far away for our wedding we decided to spend time with them. our wedding was may(08) and we went on our honeymoon sept (08) it was just enough time to get used to calling him my husband but also we were SO EXCITED about it and we so looked forward to it. RIGHT now you can get serious DEALS on travel!!! check out All-Inclusive Riviera Maya packages….the amount you’d spend on a package covers 90% of the trip. the 10% would be extra’s you’d want to do.
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Mrs. Glitter, Los Angeles
Age and Occupation: 27, Research Consultant/Writer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Accounting
Engagement Date: May 6, 2007
Wedding Date: June, 2009
Venue: Millenium Biltmore Hotel
About Me: I was born and raised in West Los Angeles, California. I spent eight years in the Northeast working and completing my education. Having split time between two sides of the country has given me a true appreciation for both coasts. It has also provided an overabundance of cross country drives, flights and long distance relationship fun/misery! I love my family, my doggy Emma, fabulous wine, Anthropologie, politics, reading, being outdoors, exploring new cities, and good movies! My fiance and I are complete opposites, but somehow we have managed to fall completely and hopelessly in love.
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