Oh, So Happy
Research out today indicates a new travel trend as many newlywed Brits are ditching the typical fortnight honeymoon, opting for a ‘honey month’ abroad,
Figures indicate that there has been a year on year increase in the length of time booked by this new generation of ‘honey monthers’, with over a third (34 per cent) of post-wedding trips booked in the last year being for four weeks or more, compared to twenty years ago when an average of 1.5 weeks was the norm.
Compared to twenty years ago, couples are now spending an average of £4,113 on their honeymoon break, compared with just £550 in the 1980s. Honeymoon destinations have also changed beyond recognition in the last twenty years with newlyweds seeking more for their money, but unwilling to compromise on standards.
The research, from travelmatch.co.uk, which has just launched its new honeymoon search feature, suggests that good value, long distance destinations, previously only regarded as backpacker and gap-year hotspots, are becoming more popular with Honeymooners. Destinations like Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam that offer better value for money as well as high quality accommodation, have seen a sharp rise in honeymoons in the past two years with bookings to these destinations up a quarter (25 per cent) on average.
Figures also indicate that couples are now saving up the majority of their holiday allowance to take one large break after their wedding. Over 65 per cent of those questioned have taken most of their holiday time for a honeymoon in one go, in order to facilitate longer travels in more distant locations.
Financial help towards a honeymoon is also high up on couples’ wedding lists, with 68 per cent of those questioned asking for money towards their travels as a number one wedding gift from family and friends. Due to longer engagements and partners living together for a significant amount of time prior to marriage, over 70 per cent of couples said they already owned all of the‘ usual’ items regarded as traditional wedding gifts by the time it came to getting married.
Newlyweds also cited the high levels of stress involved in organising the wedding itself as a reason to book a longer honeymoon break, with 72 per cent of those polled feeling they needed three weeks or more to fully recover from the pressures of organising their big day.