Why You May Want To Reconsider Going On Your Honeymoon Right After The Wedding

As if wedding planning isn't stressful enough as it is, many couples are also simultaneously faced with the burden of planning their honeymoon — a time meant for basking in their post-nuptial glow and celebrating the beginning of the rest of their lives together. The honeymoon tradition traces back to 19th-century Britain when newlyweds went on a trip to visit their loved ones who weren't able to attend their wedding. Over time, it evolved into an intimate escapade for the couple, often to faraway locations for days or even weeks at a time, often commencing immediately after the wedding festivities.

But there's a case to be made for delaying the honeymoon and choosing to have it at a later date. After all, if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can do it, so can you. While the whole point of going on a honeymoon immediately is to ride the high of exchanging "I Do's," you may find yourself at a near-point of exhaustion if you force yourself to embark on a trip across the world after a flurry of wedding-related activities. As Reddit user @ResearcherExpress671 pointed out, delaying your honeymoon gives you your much-needed breather for decompressing. "This gives you time to recover, to handle post-wedding duties, to maximize your time with family who came to town, etc," they wrote.

Then comes the practical side of the equation: logistics and finances. Delaying your honeymoon means having more time to craft the perfect escape and more time to save up for it, too.

Delaying your honeymoon to allocate ample time for planning can take it from a mere vacation to the trip of a lifetime. It's also the more practical choice, especially when you and your partner have to be strategic about spending your PTOs. It's common for couples to find themselves burning through their PTO for wedding preparations, and diving straight into a honeymoon can put further pressure on your already dwindling leave balance. With the average honeymoon length being seven to 12 days, it makes sense to wait a bit until you've replenished your PTO for an extended, stress-free vacation.

Postponing your honeymoon also means approaching the planning process with a clear head, free of wedding planning stressors. This way, you can collaborate and focus on curating the perfect getaway to your dream destination precisely when you want it and loaded with activities that genuinely excite both of you. Conversely, trying to arrange your honeymoon amidst the chaos of wedding planning could lead to hasty decisions and potential misalignments in expectations.

"Your honeymoon isn't just like any other getaway, and it's a good idea to defer it to when you can take the time to travel to the place you're dreaming about," Jim Augerinos, the president of a travel consultancy company, told The New York Times. By delaying it, you can ensure your honeymoon happens exactly as you both envision, making it a trip you won't forget.

Unless you have an unlimited budget ready to blow on a luxurious getaway, scheduling your honeymoon at a later date gives you more time to save for the trip you and your partner want. There's nothing wrong with opting for a budget-friendly honeymoon, of course, but postponing gives you the chance to beef up your honeymoon fund, enabling you to indulge a little more. After all, honeymoons don't come cheap these days. "Honeymoons in the Caribbean and Mexico cost between $5,000 to $7,500," destination wedding and honeymoon expert Laura Frazier told Brides. "[Couples] spend anywhere from $6,000 to $25,000 for trips to Europe, Asia, the South Pacific, etc. We have had couples spend as much as $35,000 for really high-end, luxury trips."

Aside from giving your bank account a much-needed break after wedding expenses, delaying lets you grow your savings, deposit cash gifts, and perhaps even funnel that sweet year-end work bonus. Then again, you don't necessarily need to have an extravagant vacation. Rachel Sussman, marriage and relationships expert, shared with The Washington Post that the focus should be on making a connection. "We all have a tendency to get caught up in our daily routine," she said. "Sometimes you can get into a rut and it can feel mundane. Just being together is a way to connect, and it doesn't need to be a big fancy trip. It could be an Airbnb in your own city in a different neighborhood."