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Can you imagine just a few decades ago it was the norm for brides and grooms to leave their wedding reception early and head straight for their honeymoon? Thankfully, that’s no longer what most couples do. In fact, many opt to head on their honeymoons days, weeks, or even months after they’ve said “I do.” Check out what these real brides believe was the best time to head on their post-wedding adventures.
“My husband and I went to Italy. We got married on a Friday and flew out Sunday evening. I liked going the same weekend of our wedding so we could be in “celebration mode” and there’s something so special and traditional about going right after your wedding. Leaving on Sunday gave us just enough time to settle down from the whirlwind of getting married, spending a day having ear to ear smiles with my new husband, finish up laundry and pack before leaving for 2 weeks. Our flight was an overnight one, so we were super tired and jet lagged the first day but because we were both so excited to be in Italy for the first time we plowed through!” —Pam, Sept. 2015 Wedding
“We got married in South Carolina which was a destination wedding for us from NJ, so we decided to do our honeymoon travels a few months later, in November. We also bought a house the December before our wedding, so we wanted to spread out the milestones. It was the best decision ever. We still had something to look forward to and a special time ahead. It also helped with the post- bridal blues, which I definitely had. We went to Tulum for a week and it was incredible” —Christine, May 2015 Wedding
See More: 12 Foolproof Steps to Planning the Best Honeymoon Ever
“We are planning on taking a hint from our already-wed friends and doing a mini-moon directly after the wedding and then a honeymoon about 5 months after the wedding! We plan on doing an all inclusive in an easy-to-get-to destination for 3-4 days (maybe Bahamas?) followed by something a little more exotic for the real deal. Right now the front-runners are South Africa and Bali!” —Meredith, Fall 2018 Wedding
“We left the Monday after our Saturday wedding. We wouldn’t change a thing. After all the planning and stress of a wedding, a tropical vacation is just what we needed. I used to joke that what I was really looking forward to was boarding that plane. The wedding was simply a formality!! Also, Aruba was PERFECT for a fall honeymoon.” —Jennifer, October 2010 Wedding
“We left the Monday following a Saturday wedding and it worked out FANTASTIC! (Sans the unusual hurricane, of course. We asked some locals on where to buy provisions and walked back to the hotel with a case of Bud Lite, Doritos, and some candles. — We made the most of it!) In the end, we only would have wanted better weather, but you can’t really plan for that!” —Cara, October 2010 Wedding