Honeymoon trends come and go, but one we think is here to stay is the buddymoon.
Rather than heading off on a romantic trip for two, increasing numbers of couples are opting to take their best friends along with them on their honeymoon, keeping the fun of their wedding going on for much longer than the morning after brunch.
With wedding traditions becoming more relaxed, it makes sense that the notion of a honeymoon has also become less traditional – it’s 2019 and anything goes!
When it comes to buddymoons, three or more is most definitely not a crowd – read on for our advice on how to plan the perfect buddymoon.
First things first, make sure both you and your partner are keen to book a buddymoon. While you might love the idea of taking your pals along, your brand-new husband or wife might be looking forward to some alone time, post-wedding.
Why to have a Buddymoon
After all the fun of a wedding, newlyweds can be left feeling a bit deflated as all of their guests depart, so inviting your inner circle on your honeymoon is a way to continue the wedding joy, and make the honeymoon feel like a celebration too – this is especially relevant if you’ve had a destination wedding.
Seeing as your friends have flown to your location of choice, it makes sense for your destination wedding to morph into your honeymoon, allowing you to make the most of being abroad with all of your friends in tow.
If you and your partner have different ideas of what counts as fun on holiday, a buddymoon means you’ll both be happy with your itineraries, content that you’ll have others to join you in your separate pursuits.
Another great reason to have a buddymoon is if you’re going on a very long honeymoon; think three weeks or more. In this instance, it’s nice to have different people join you for different parts of the honeymoon.
Lastly, for some people, their honeymoon is the last big blow out holiday they have before settling down and starting a family, so it makes sense to invite your friends along for the ride, before holidays take a family turn…
Who to Invite on your Buddymoon
Next up, it’s time to think about who you want to invite on your buddymoon. Don’t feel that everyone who was in your bridal party has to be invited on your buddymoon too.
Ideally, buddymoons should be kept to all couples, so nobody feels like a spare part.
When you’re thinking about who to invite, consider budget. While you’ll be willing to spend a lot of money on your honeymoon, given that it’s the holiday of a lifetime, your friends might not be so keen.
You need to invite people who will have a similar budget as you to spend, as well as friends who have a similar outlook as you when it comes to holidays. If you know your BFF prefers action packed holidays, and you prefer to lounge by the pool, they might not be the right buddymoon companion for you.
What to do on Your Buddymoon
Decide as a group if you want your buddymoon to be active, or relaxed, and the kind of things you want to do, from city sightseeing to watersports.
Like we said, the beauty of a buddymoon is that there will always be someone to join you in whatever activity you’ve got in mind.
Despite being on holiday as a group, don’t feel obliged to spend every waking moment with the squad. Schedule some evenings or excursions for just you and your spouse. Nobody will begrudge the newlyweds a few dinners out alone, just make sure you don’t make the friends you chose to invite feel like they’re not welcome after all!
Where to go on a Buddymoon
Some destinations are better suited to buddymoons than others; relaxed, romantic places like the Maldives and the Caribbean probably aren’t ideal locations as they tend to be geared towards couples – more than two people in your private plunge pool could be a little awkward!
Places with more activities on offer are best for honeymoons, where everyone is catered for.
Festivals and road trips are especially great buddymoon options – whether your friends just join you for the festival, or if they accompany you on the whole trip.
We think European destinations are the best places to go on your buddymoon; think Italy, Greece and France where you can drive from place to place, or even island hop.
Similarly, America is a fab buddymoon destination, offering something for everyone, from city breaks in New York, night life in Vegas and relaxation in Miami. And that’s before we think about hiking in California.
If you’re having a winter wedding, ski trips (ski-moons, if you will!) are a great buddymoon choice. It gives everyone the chance to ski with someone of their ability, the apres-ski will be extra amazing, and if you want to just chill in the spa or lodgeside hottub one day, there’s bound to be someone who’s keen to join you.
Where to Stay on a Buddymoon
Renting out a villa works really well for buddymoons; it negates the awkward waiting around in hotel lobbies for everyone to be ready, and with a bigger pooled budget, you’ll be able to afford a Love Island-worthy villa and a fraction of the price.
If you’re set on staying in a luxurious hotel, it’s worth asking the hotel if they can make sure you all have rooms on the same floor.
If you decide to go down the all inclusive route, we’d recommend staying in a resort with a variety of different restaurants to choose from each night so you don’t get bored all eating in the same location every night – even the closest of friendships can become challenged by spending every mealtime together!
Who Pays for a Buddymoon?
Normally everyone pays their own way on a buddymoon; despite the fact that you invited your friends along, it is not the responsibility of the newlyweds to cover everyone’s flights or accommodation.
If you want to make a gesture, you could offer to pay a larger share of the villa, or pay for a fancy dinner one evening, to show your friends how happy you are they came along.
If you ask us, a buddymoon spent with the most important people of your life is the ideal way to kick of married life – time to start deciding who you’re going to invite!
