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Some couples jet off on their honeymoon right after the post-wedding brunch, while others wait a few days or even months before taking the trip. Not sure which way to go? Heed the advice of these 10 real brides.
“We waited until the next weekend so we didn’t feel rushed after the wedding. It gave us time to unwind at home and get ready to travel. I was so busy finalizing wedding plans and entertaining relatives from out of town that I can’t imagine if I had to have everything packed for the honeymoon.” — Sarah
“We left for our honeymoon the day after our wedding. My husband and I are both attorneys and have pretty crazy work schedules. Leaving right away was perfect for us because we were able to plan our time off and not have to worry about going back to the office in between the wedding and honeymoon. Had we waited, we inevitably would have had lingering tasks hanging over our heads for our big day.” —Brittany
“We got married in May and decided to postpone our honeymoon to early January. It was much harder than I thought it would be to return to work two days after the wedding. I had a really hard time focusing the first few weeks back, and it just felt like a major buzz kill after all of the fun and special moments of the wedding week. On the other hand, we still have the honeymoon to look forward to as the post-wedding blues set in, and we are taking the time to plan it now versus during the stress of planning the wedding.” — Emily
“We left for our honeymoon in St. Lucia the day after the wedding. I wanted to sort of ride the high we were on from the last couple of days. Yes, we were exhausted, but what does it matter when you have seven days of lying on a beach drinking pina coladas ahead of you? If we had done our originally planned trip to Tokyo and Bali, I might have considered waiting because that was more of an adventure trip without as much relaxation time. But if you’re doing a tropical, relaxing trip, keep the party going and go right away!” — Carolyn
“We got married in August and didn’t honeymoon until February, though we did go to Maine for a few days as a ‘mini moon’ to unwind from wedding chaos. I would definitely do it the same way again. We had something exciting to look forward to during those months in between.” — Jordan
“We waited one week, and it felt like an eternity. I went back to work for a few days, and it was such a buzz kill. I highly recommend keeping the high going and leaving right away if possible!” — Jaclyn
“We left two days after the wedding. We had all day Sunday to wind down and enjoy actual one-on-one time with a few family members and friends that came from out of town. The wedding was a great party, but as with any awesome big party, it’s hard to really spend time with all the guests.” — Meghan
“We left for our honeymoon the next day and took a redeye. It was so nice to just leave right away and a perfect way to start off married life. Planning a wedding and working full time is super stressful, and it was nice to get away, relax, and be alone together.” — Lauren
“Stay in the moment. We went to Hawaii for two weeks and left the next day. It’s so important to keep the excitement going, even if you can only get away for a couple of days.” — Kathleen
“We waited two days — one was spent partying with our friends and family and one for traveling home and destressing. We originally were going to wait until later to honeymoon due to money, but one day our families stressed us out, and we decided to just say whatever and spend the money!” — Bonnie
See More: The Hottest Honeymoon Destinations