The truth is there is no fixed time for a honeymoon. It could be as long or as short as you like. Some couples skip the honeymoon altogether, particularly if they’ve been together for a long time. And some couples like to drag it out for as long as possible. It all depends on your life commitments and your budget.
What is a honeymoon?
A honeymoon is a holiday taken after a wedding when the couple spends some quality time together. Couples would traditionally leave right after the wedding but it has become more common to simply plan a holiday for soon after your wedding to give yourself some time to wind down.
What is a minimoon?
A minimoon is a shorter break taken right after your wedding to get away, and this is usually followed by a longer trip at another time. For couples that struggle to get time off work, or have other commitments to plan around, a minimoon is a popular choice.
What is a familymoon?
A familymoon is popular with couples that already have children. Rather than leaving their kids behind, they will plan a trip for the whole family instead of planning a romantic trip for just the adults. If you choose a resort with lots of activities for the kids, you can be confident you’ll still get to enjoy some alone time.
How long should my honeymoon be?
There is no fixed rule about how long a honeymoon should be. Couples will typically head off for a long weekend, a week, or two weeks to celebrate the start of their next chapter. It’s not uncommon for couples to take longer, sometimes travelling for months on end. It all depends on your other life commitments, your work, and your financial situation.
A honeymoon weekend
If you have busy lives and struggle to get time off work, then a honeymoon weekend might be better suited to you. You could take a short city break somewhere in Europe, or you could stay closer to home and enjoy a staycation.
A week long honeymoon
With a week away from work and other life commitments, you can afford to travel a little further and plan more activities and sightseeing. This is a popular length of trip for couples with good holiday entitlement that still don’t want to use all of their paid time off at once. By only taking a week off work, you could enjoy up to 9 days away, which will be more than enough time to kick back and relax together.
Two week long honeymoon
With two weeks to fill, you could consider far-flung destinations or more adventurous trips. If you’ve always dreamed of swimming in the Great Barrier Reef or climbing Machu Picchu, now is the time to make your dreams come true together. With longer time, you won’t mind spending a few days getting accustomed to the time difference, so you can afford to travel further.
Longer than a month
If you can both afford to take time off work, then going travelling together could be a great way to start married life. Explore South America or Southeast Asia on a backpacking trip of a lifetime. This is a popular choice for couples that are able to work remotely. You can split your time between travelling and working, ensuring that you’re still earning as you make your way around the globe.
Am I entitled to time off work for my honeymoon?
If you are employed full or part time, you will have holiday entitlement included in your work contract. This will be general holiday entitlement for the year and is not specific to your honeymoon. Some companies offer paid time off for your wedding and honeymoon as an additional perk, but this is not guaranteed.
If you’ve used up your holiday entitlement for the year, your employer is under no obligation to give you more time off. You may be able to request unpaid leave, but you’ll need to consider the financial implications of this.
If you have no more holiday entitlement, you could plan a minimoon for the weekend after your wedding and then plan a longer trip for when your holiday entitlement is renewed. This is a popular choice with many couples as you get to enjoy the best of both worlds, and you’ll have a special trip to look forward to.
If you are self-employed or a contract worker, you can take as much holiday as you like, provided it fits your schedule. In this case, you will simply need to determine how much time you can afford to take off before you start earning again.
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