Six Awesome Ideas and Tips for Your Upcoming Buddymoon
In the run-up to any wedding, plenty of couples fret about all sorts of pomp and circumstance. From bachelorette parties to picking the right caterer, the process is absolutely exhausting and can make the entire process dreadful. Such is tradition for most weddings, though. These expectations are not accepted by everybody. One reason why so many people are bucking the traditional wedding ceremony and planning process is because of these stressful ordeals. Why put yourself through all of this frustration just to please others?
As more and more traditions fall by the wayside, even honeymoons are being rethought. One new twist on an old idea is the “buddymoon”, a honeymoon that – wait for it – brings close friends along for the ride. Let’s talk a bit more about the buddymoon and several awesome ideas if you choose to have one.
What Is a Buddymoon?
A buddymoon is best thought of as a honeymoon with several of your closest friends. You might choose to travel to a far-away locale or spend time a bit closer to home, but the only real change is who comes along.
Buddymoons can occur for any number of reasons. For instance, if close friends are scheduled to get married around the same time, maybe they coordinate their weddings and vacations to reflect that. Some people just truly value their friendships and want to have at least one big trip before the reality of married life settles in.
Whatever the motivation, more and more people are now choosing to seek information on buddymoons. Because of this, we want to give you some ideas for what to do if you’re considering one.
Hire a Photographer
Wedding photography is a must-have element – even for smaller weddings. For those planning a buddymoon, why not make light of the situation and have some bon voyage photos made before departing?
One photographer, Mitch Lenet Weddings Ottawa Wedding Photographer, said that the number of buddymoon photo requests has materialized out of nowhere and grown rapidly in the past couple of years. Whether you’re looking for a few fun photos before the buddymoon or a photographer to follow you around at the destination, this can be one fun way to capture memories after the wedding has ended.
Take a Cruise
One of the biggest potential hurdles in planning the ideal buddymoon is juggling the financial constraints. On one hand, you’d expect friends to pay their own way whenever you go on a shared vacation. On the other, you’re inviting them to tag along – which is the appropriate approach?
Whether you have limited funds or want to limit the potential costs for each person attending, a cruise can be one great idea to alleviate this issue and reduce the logistical hurdles of travel. Not only can you find great package deals on cruises when booking larger numbers of tickets, but the all-inclusive nature of the trip means you and your friends won’t be nickled and dimed to death on vacation.
With plenty of festivities on cruise ships, tons of food choices and multiple stops along the way, you’ll be able to enjoy a fun-filled adventure that’s affordable and that keeps everybody near each other – while still being able to enjoy your own private space.
Keep Things Local
It’s hard enough for two to get away on a honeymoon: how much juggling has to be done to get a group of several together on vacation at the same time? Because of these logistical strains, your buddymoon may take a more local turn, opting to travel or enjoy activities closer to home than a traditional honeymoon.
Not only will this help keep buddymoon costs lower, but it’ll make it possible for more of your friends to join you for at least part of the excursion. Finding nearby locales to visit on your buddymoon also gives you the opportunity to vary things up. Whether you want to plan a day of fishing, a day of skiing or a day of hiking, use the diversity of your geographic surroundings to mix and match activities.
Have the Best of Both Worlds
While some people are still debating whether a buddymoon is an acceptable alternative to a honeymoon, the reality is that you don’t have to choose. If you plan your trip and/or festivities carefully, you truly can enjoy the best of both worlds!
If it’s possible to coordinate everybody’s schedules, you can choose to embark ahead of schedule and enjoy a traditional honeymoon experience at your destination. Then, friends can join you there in the following days for the remainder of the trip. This makes it possible to have some one-on-one time with your new spouse and also enjoy the companionship of friends.
Pick Fun and Lively Locales
Even though it is possible to combine elements of both the honeymoon and the buddymoon, remember that there are two different ambiances at work here. Traveling with friends means that an explicitly romantic getaway may not be the best choice – especially if everybody isn’t happily married.
Ultimately, looking for destinations that are upbeat, celebratory, entertaining or are based around some kind of physical activity may be a better choice for a buddymoon. A romantic resort in the South Pacific and the feisty atmosphere of places like Ibiza don’t necessarily overlap in terms of appeal.
Travel with Like-Minded Friends
If you’re like most people, then you probably have friends with varying tastes, interests and life situations. While it might be tempting to invite everybody along for your buddymoon, keep in mind that the stresses of traveling together can exacerbate differences and personal tastes.
For instance, it would be impolite to invite friends to tag along who can’t necessarily afford to pay for a vacation. Likewise, some married couples may prefer to travel with other married couples, since the single life can create different preferences in terms of what a vacation should be.
Whether you choose to embark on a buddymoon or not, you now know what they entail and have some great starter tips for how to plan one. You may already have some ideas on what kind of buddymoon you’d like: if so, share your ideas with us below!
