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The traditional idea of the honeymoon, where the loved-up couple start their married life with two weeks of bliss in a to-die-for destination, is being overtaken by a relatively new concept – the minimoon.  What’s that all about?  And which option will be best for you?  Read on…

Why is the honeymoon being eclipsed?

One could blame Covid (planning a foreign holiday months in advance has become a lot more awkward and stressful) but the pandemic has merely accelerated a trend that was already well underway.

Can’t find the time - work has become much more full-on these days and a lot of couples struggle to fit a two week break into their schedules (especially as they probably took time off for pre-wedding planning and activities).

Watching the pennies – getting married is expensive and a lot of newlyweds need a little time for the finances to recover before jetting off to enjoy an extravagant five star stay somewhere exotic.

Need to chill – your wedding is exciting, joyful, magical…but exhausting.  Spending the day after the night before in an airport departure lounge and on a long-haul flight is probably the last thing you need!

Why are minimoons on the rise?

A minimoon, as the name suggests, is just a shorter honeymoon – a long weekend or a break of up to five days.  That makes it much easier to fit in around work and other commitments.  It also tends to be a staycation because jetting off abroad is less appealing when time is limited.

Another thing in favour of a minimoon is that it gives you an immediate shot of R&R straight after your wedding with the minimum travel related hassle - a short drive and you can be enjoying a romantic meal or unwinding in a spa at a boutique hotel.  Then there’s the fact that the accommodation will cost you much less and you don’t have to pay for flights, airport parking, transfers and so on.  Finally, you don’t have any issues with covid tests, quarantines and regulations.

Have your cake and eat it

There’s no rule to say that taking a minimoon prevents you from also going on honeymoon.  A lot of couples are now taking a short holiday immediately after all the excitement of tying the knot then going for a full-blown honeymoon a few months later.  This allows them to recover from all the excitement and recharge their batteries before heading off, fully refreshed, for a truly spectacular fortnight in the destination of their dreams.  It also gives their bank account a little bit of time to build back up again.

This approach is also a great way to ward off the post wedding blues.  After all the hectic months of planning, then the drama of the event itself, newlyweds tend to come back to earth with a bump.  These emotions are a lot easier to overcome if you have a wonderful adventure to look forward to in a couple of months.

An early minimoon – why not?

Planning and organising your wedding is meant to be fun - but at some point you may feel you’ve had as much fun as you can take!  Your to-do list is so long, there are so many decisions to consider, the costs are mounting up, trying to keep all your friends and family happy is presenting a challenge.  That’s why some couples take a minimoon before the big day – to remind themselves why they are going to all this effort! 

Can’t have too much of a good thing

Checking in with your other half, to see how they are feeling and to strengthen your relationship, is highly recommended.  When you look at it that way a few days on the beach in Cornwall, or walking in the Lake District, or bar hopping in Edinburgh is not an indulgence – it’s essential therapy!

A second minimoon directly after the big event is equally obligatory.  Going directly home and plunging straight into your mundane daily routine is not good for your mental health.  And having something great to look forwards to, as we’ve already mentioned, is also advisable.  So minimoon and honeymoon to your heart’s content – you have our permission!