Today we’re talking about that relaxing beginning to a marriage, that chance to de-stress from the months of wedding planning and just enjoy finally being man and wife (or man and man, or wife and wife, or Dog and wife if our Paddington gets his way!)
In recent years the idea of the traditional honeymoon has begun to change with more and more couples going for a generally shorter and perhaps less expensive “Mini Moon”, often staying closer to home rather than the more extravagant foreign destinations. But is this merely a cost-cutting solution or is it actually the best way to go?
It’s time to find out as we go head to head:
Honeymoon Vs Mini Moon
Ready to grab a swift Mini Moon tan and a few days relaxation, her desire to check her emails means her holidays tend to centre around where there’s a Starbucks with free wifi, it’s Dom “The Tog” Bride
Making his best attempt at not working for a full-blown two week honeymoon, he was renowned on previous family holidays for somehow managing to not have any idea where he was going until he arrived at his final destination, it’s Matt “The Gormless” Groom
FIGHT!
Well, actually,
RELAX!!
Dom: In the current economic climate (god I hate that phrase!) it’s really difficult for a lot of couples to pay for both a huge wedding and an elaborate two week honeymoon straight after!
Matt: A long honeymoon helps to make the wedding even more special. After the happiest, most important day of your life the last thing you want is to be heading swiftly back to work. Taking the time out to enjoy some time together straight after the wedding cements the marriage and gets you off to a great start!
Dom: Lots of couples take a short mini-moon straight after the wedding and then have a bigger honeymoon at a later date. Doing it that way allows you to save up again for a really extravagant honeymoon and means you get twice the holiday as well as helping to extend that great newlywed feeling!
Matt: If you’re only away for a few days is it really worth going anywhere? After all surely for the first few days of your honeymoon at least you just care about being together, not where you are. After that initial period you want to go out and start enjoying your holiday some more, not head back to work!
Dom: It’s not always practical for people to go on longer vacations, honeymoon or not! I run my own business and being away for a long time means I can’t look after my customers the way I want to and stops me enjoying my time off anyway! Having more, shorter breaks is often a more appealing option!
Matt: But neither of us ever really to take a proper holiday, partly for the reasons you just mentioned! If you can’t get away for your own honeymoon when in your life are you ever going to get away? Taking time out and recharging the batteries for a change is no bad thing! (So I’m told!)
Dom: Lots of people now choose to have a destination wedding. As you’re already away relaxing and just thinking about your wedding the need for a long honeymoon is largely redundant.
Matt: True, but let’s face it, the days leading up to the wedding are far from relaxing wherever you are. It’s only on the day itself and those following that you can really start to relax. Also chances are you’re going to be with your friends and family for the wedding which is great but hardly the romantic time away you really need to start marital life!
FINAL REMARKS:
Dom: Mini moons are a great chance to enjoy some time together as man and wife without completely breaking the bank. It’s nice to get away and continue that newlywed feeling but, after all, you’re probably also keen to get back and start your happy new married life together back home! Having a shorter and less expensive break (perhaps in a great location nearer to home) allows you to save up for a really elaborate honeymoon later when you haven’t just bought dinner for 200 people!!
Matt: The honeymoon is the continuation of that perfect beginning to your marital life. It’s an extension of the wedding, something to look back on, the private part of what is after all a very public celebration of your relationship. People’s lives are so busy now that taking that time out together to just enjoy yourselves and have a bit of romance is incredibly important and the honeymoon is the best opportunity you’ll ever have to do it! Having a later honeymoon is all fine, but sometimes people leave it so long that it becomes just a holiday, not that hugely important part of your wedding. Go enjoy yourselves, your wedding doesn’t have to be just one day.
So, what do YOU think? Do you prefer a big honeymoon or a smaller mini-moon? Have we missed an argument that could sway the balance? Let us know via the comments section below!
If you have a wedding-related topic you’d like us to debate or that you’re fighting about yourselves then let us know and you might just find one of us fighting your corner in a future post!
