That title is a lie. I would love to, after the stress of planning our wedding, which was over a year in the making, be able to take a honeymoon. However, with the economy and jobs pulling the drawstrings on vacation days, it's just wasn't in the cards for Tim and I.
I feel like I am not alone with having a honeymoon months or even years after the wedding. One of my father's friends, who were invited to the wedding but respectfully declined, offered their Maui vacation home. It would be great to go to Maui after the wedding. I've never been to Maui. However, because Tim and I left the islands 4 days after the wedding, it just wasn't practical. Initially, when I was requesting leave from my new awesome job for the wedding, I bracketed 3 full weeks home. Plenty of time for planning and after wedding relaxing. I was granted 2 weeks, completely fair on their part but getting married in a different state, it doesn't leave a lot of time for “enjoyment” once the stress of the wedding wears off.
The other problem with taking a honeymoon is Tim and I have whittled our wallets down to leather stubs over the wedding. We don't even have an extra $900 to go island hopping to Maui, rent a car, buy food and buy Maui tourist crap.
Granted we are getting married in a popular honeymoon destination but for me, Oahu is just home. It is not a vacation. It is where I was born and raised. Tim lived there 5 years or so total, also. Hawaii, though beautiful and honeymoon-ish, is for me at least, not a honeymoon or a vacation. This is my home, I love my home and my family but going home has never been a “vacation,” it's been home.
Once our wallets and paid time off have had a chance to replenish themselves we'll be off to either a Maui vacation home, a cabin in Maine, a metal cruise through Caribbean waters (http://www.70000tons.com/) or a European adventure. But until then we'll take peace and comfort in the fact that we are married and in love and that is all that really matters.
The honeymoon is an afterthought. As wonderful as it would be to be able to afford (financially and time off-wise) a honeymoon immediately following the wedding where we can be tourists, relax and revel in the sanctity of marriage, we will steel our honeymoon for a later time. However, to those couples who do get to take a honeymoon after their wedding, I give you the slow clap.
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