When to Take Your Honeymoon: Right After the Wedding or Later?
Now that you’re engaged—congratulations!—it’s time to start planning not just your wedding, but also your honeymoon.
For many couples, the honeymoon is just as important as the wedding itself, offering a chance to celebrate and unwind in a destination that feels truly special. Among our luxury clients, we see two popular approaches:
Departing immediately after the wedding – embracing the romance and excitement right away.
Opting for a mini-moon post-wedding, with a more expansive honeymoon later – allowing for a more relaxed, curated experience at the perfect time of year.
There’s no right or wrong choice—only what best suits your vision, lifestyle, and travel preferences. Let’s explore the benefits of each approach to help you decide.
Option 1: Leaving Right After the Wedding
Traditionally, couples would depart for their honeymoon immediately following the wedding. While this is still a popular choice, we always recommend taking at least one day in between to unwind, bid farewell to guests, and ensure a seamless transition into your honeymoon.
Why You’ll Love It:
You’re still riding the high of the wedding celebration.
No post-wedding blues—just excitement and relaxation!
If you’ve received honeymoon-related gifts, you can enjoy them right away.
Things to Consider:
After months of planning and the wedding itself, diving straight into travel can be exhausting.
With limited time for meticulous trip planning, working with a luxury travel advisor ensures every detail is flawlessly handled—so you can simply pack and go, without adding another to-do to your plate.
Some destinations may not be in their prime season immediately following your wedding.
Option 2: The Mini-Moon First, Honeymoon Later
This is an increasingly popular trend among our clients—and it’s exactly what I did for my own honeymoon. I’m Lucie, Founder of Domino Travel, and my husband and I knew we wanted both a chance to decompress after our wedding and a larger, more immersive honeymoon experience.
We opted for a five-night mini-moon at One&Only Mandarina, a luxurious jungle-meets-ocean retreat in Mexico, where we could fully unwind. Then, a few months later, we embarked on our two-week honeymoon to my favorite place in the world: Hawaii. We timed our trip for January, during whale season, to make the experience even more magical.
We had also debated Thailand for our honeymoon but wanted to avoid monsoon season in October, so waiting allowed us to plan around seasonality. Ultimately, this approach was perfect for us—it gave us a serene escape right after the wedding and a bucket-list adventure to look forward to.
Why You’ll Love It:
A relaxing getaway right after the wedding helps you decompress without the stress of long-haul travel.
Allows time to plan a more indulgent, once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon tailored to your ideal season.
The chance to experience two unforgettable trips—first a mini-moon, then the ultimate honeymoon.
Things to Consider:
Some couples may feel a gap between the wedding and the "real" honeymoon experience.
Depending on work and personal schedules, it may be challenging to carve out time for an extended honeymoon later.
Factors to Consider When Deciding
Destination & Seasonality – Is your dream destination at its best right after your wedding, or would waiting allow for better weather and experiences? (For example, if you’re dreaming of St. Lucia, we recommend avoiding hurricane season.)
Work & PTO Flexibility – Do you have the flexibility to take an extended trip later, or does it make sense to do it all at once?
Personal Travel Style – Do you thrive on spontaneity and want to jet off immediately, or do you love the anticipation of a perfectly curated experience?
No matter when or where you go, your honeymoon should be an extraordinary experience tailored to your style as a couple. There’s no “right” way—only what feels best for you. After all, the hardest part is already done: you’ve found your perfect partner! Now, it’s time to celebrate your love in a way that feels uniquely yours.
Ready to Book?
As a premier luxury travel advisory and proud affiliate of SmartFlyer, a Virtuoso member agency, we specialize in curating exceptional, highly personalized honeymoon experiences. Through our SmartFlyer connections, we have access to the world’s most exclusive hotels, resorts, and experiences—ensuring you receive VIP treatment, including room upgrades, resort credits, and bespoke amenities at top-tier properties.
Whether you’re dreaming of a private overwater villa in the Maldives, a wine-soaked escape through Tuscany, or an adventurous safari under the African sky, we craft honeymoons that go beyond the ordinary. Our insider relationships and deep industry expertise allow us to secure special perks and tailor every detail to your preferences, making your first trip as newlyweds truly unforgettable.
Let’s start designing your once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon. Get in touch today!
