Newlyweds Opt for Dream Honeymoons Over Lavish Weddings
In a trend that is gaining popularity among couples, more and more newlyweds are choosing to forgo traditional lavish weddings in favor of dream honeymoons that are not only more affordable but also more meaningful.
Oscar Avilez Marquina and Luis Lopez, a couple from New York, recently embarked on a two-week city-hopping tour in Europe, visiting Nice, Paris, and Amsterdam. The decision to have a trans-Atlantic honeymoon was one the couple prioritized after eloping at a courthouse in Durham, N.C. The cost of having a bigger wedding was a major factor in their decision, with the couple estimating a $60,000 budget for a larger party.
Similarly, Haley and Mon’Darius Black from North Carolina opted for a small wedding ceremony on the Greek island of Santorini, followed by a honeymoon full of excursions and sightseeing. The couple wanted to focus on celebrating themselves rather than spending a tremendous amount of money on a traditional wedding.
Erika Hernandez, a wedding and elopement planner, noted that combining an elopement with a honeymoon is becoming increasingly popular due to its affordability. Many couples are choosing to prioritize travel and experiences over extravagant weddings, citing reasons such as avoiding the stress of planning a big event, busy work schedules, and a desire to focus on their relationship rather than being the center of attention.
While skipping a big wedding may disappoint some family members, many couples feel that the advantages of saving money and creating lasting memories on a dream honeymoon outweigh any potential drawbacks. For couples like the Blacks, the money saved from opting for a smaller celebration was used to close on a home in their hometown.
In a world where the average cost of a wedding in the United States is $35,000 and the average student loan debt is over $37,000, more couples are reevaluating their priorities and choosing to invest in experiences that hold more personal significance. As the trend of choosing dream honeymoons over lavish weddings continues to grow, it is clear that for many couples, the true value of a wedding lies in the memories created and the experiences shared with their loved ones.
