Pros & Cons: Taking an Immediate Honeymoon

If you’re in the process of deciding when you and your sweetie will head off for your postnuptial vacation, and you think that perhaps an immediate departure would be in your best interest, here are some pros and cons to consider.

Pros

-  Who doesn’t want to start a vacation early? Leaving immediately – within 24 hours of the “I dos” – kick starts your big trip and allows for some well-deserved fun following the stressful planning period. The sooner you board that plane, train, or car, the sooner you’ll be relaxing on the beach, hiking up a mountain, or gallivanting through ancient streets with your new spouse.

-  No need to worry over post-wedding family plans. Travel plans for two are complicated as they are, but having to deal with travel plans for your entire family is a more challenging process. With your parents flying out Sunday, your sister flying out Tuesday, and your love’s cousin staying in town for a few extra days, you’ll have to manage farewell meet-ups and rides to the airport right after the wedding. Leaving right away will allow you a “pass” on handling these multifaceted plans.

-  It’s the smoothest and sweetest transition into married life. Your time as a husband or wife will not always be simple, so this is the time to enjoy one another’s company before returning to the real world. If you depart for your vacation right away, you go from the bliss of the wedding to the bliss of the honeymoon seamlessly, so the whole experience is incredibly fun and positive from start to finish.

Cons

-  You’ll be significantly more rushed after the nuptials. Forget sleeping in after your lively reception; even if you don’t have an early flight or train, preparing to travel is a job in and of itself, and you’ll have little down time the day after your event. Though it’s true you’ll be to relax on vacation soon, the hours after waking up following your wedding will be spent gathering your belongings, going to the airport or train station, and having to endure the travel process – a feat that can be made especially difficult with a slight hangover.

-  Flip side: you won’t get to see family and friends in the aftermath. Coordinating their travel plans may take a good amount of effort, but departing for your honeymoon immediately also means forgoing extra time with your nearest and dearest. The wedding will likely be hectic toward the end of the night, and you may not get the chance to say a proper “goodbye,” so your quick departure will omit the opportunity to spend quality time with your family and friends before they, too, must jet off.

-  You must deal with packing hassles in tandem with pre-wedding tasks. When you have to be ready to go straight away, you’ll have to have packed before your vows. Unfortunately, this means doing all of your honeymoon prep work around the same time that you’re putting all of the final touches on your big day. This may also be the time when out-of-town guests will be arriving, and you’ll want to focus on spending time with them.

Find out how to select the right honeymoon destination for you and read up on some experts tips for planning your postnuptial vacation!

Photo by Jen Yuson Photography