This article is brought to you by Michael John Photography, a Brides of Long Island Preferred Vendor!
Honeymoons are great, but should you swap it for an ‘earlymoon’?
Some brides of Long Island are more excited for their honeymoon than they are for their wedding. And hey, what’s not to be excited about? You get to relax and unwind in a scenic part of the world, exploring and spending quality time with your new spouse.
But there’s a growing trend of couples who’ve decided not to wait until after their “I do’s” to get away. “Earlymoons” are becoming more and more popular, and they’re an excellent way to de-stress from wedding planning and reconnect with your spouse.
What is an ‘Earlymoon’?
An earlymoon is a trip you take, well, early — before the big day arrives.
Whether your realize it or not, wedding planning can take its toll. Even if your experience has been a breeze, you still spend a lot of mental and physical energy deciding which vendors to hire, hunting down missing RSVPs, and navigating complex family relationships. That can not only cause you a whole lot of stress, but it can sometimes drive a wedge between you and your fiancé
An earlymoon allows you to relax, reconnect with your partner, and recharge in a beautiful setting away from home. Sometimes taking a break from the planning allows you to see things with fresh eyes and remember why you’re getting married in the first place.
Do earlymoons replace honeymoons?
So if you spring for an earlymoon, does that mean a honeymoon is out of the question?
Not necessarily. It all depends on your budget, and where you choose to go. If you have a month-long tour of Italy planned as a earlymoon, an expensive honeymoon to Bali might not be in the cards (unless you definitely have the funds for it). A quick weekend trip to the keys, though? That’s more realistic.
As with anything related to your wedding, it all depends on what you and your fiancé want. If you’d rather go all out on a trip before your big day, then do it! But even a quick weekend trip to some place drivable can give you stress-reducing benefits.
Where should I go for an earlymoon? And when?
Just like honeymoons, there’s no right or wrong place to go for an earlymoon. If you and your fiancé love upstate New York in the winter, that sounds like a great earlymoon to us! As long as you can spend quality time together, and as long as you don’t totally break the bank, any destination you choose would fit the bill.
When you decide to go is a bit trickier. Leaving when lots of things are still up in the air may not allow you to truly relax — you may find that your mind is elsewhere, even when you’re sunbathing on the beach or getting a massage at the spa. Some people treat their earlymoon as a celebration of getting everything done and squared away, which means you can really use that time to unwind.
For others, getting away in the middle of planning may actually be smart because — let’s be real — that’s when you need the break. Taking that time can give you some perspective (and maybe some inspiration) for when you get back into the thick of things.
The “best” time to go is probably somewhere in the middle: when there’s still some time left before the big day, and when you can spare a few days away from your email and phone to relax.
Don’t let planning the earlymoon stress you out too, though. Instead, rely on one of BOLIs Preferred Honeymoon Specialists to do all the booking for you!