When did weddings become so expensive? And when did honeymoons become such an industry? Times can be tight – and spending another five grand on a honeymoon package after the wedding of your dreams can feel a bit hazardous. To save some cash for your new home and your new life together, consider enjoying your honeymoon with family and friends. That’s right – barbeque with your college friends, enjoy a hike with your family! Your wedding day can be hectic and you might not have had the quality time to spend with everyone who attended. Well, here’s your chance.
One couple, in Vancouver, B.C., instead of flying away to a remote island, made an island for themselves in the centre of the city. They found a luxury hotel in the middle of the city and for the first few days, the honeymooners decided they just needed time to themselves. They hot-tubbed in their hotel, ordered room service and lounged by the hotel pool. After a few days, they felt ready to face the world again, and their loved ones had planned some special days for them.
One friend who had flown in from Los Angeles was crazy about seafood and was excited to try the Pacific North-West oysters. So he took the couple out to a ritzy seafood restaurant out by the water and wined and dined them to celebrate their nuptials. Afterwards, they went over to another friend’s house where more people were waiting to throw them an impromptu party with close friends. They spent the evening catching up with people that had not seen since college, and watched the firework competition over the water from the balcony.
The next morning, another friend had invited everyone over for a brunch-barbeque (noticing the theme here? The get-togethers need not be expensive!) at her house. At this small gathering of friends old and new, everyone shared stories of how they met the happy couple and got another chance to re-acquaint after the wedding. A group of friends had also put on a musical they had created to re-enact the meeting of the happy couple – probably the only type of honeymoon that can bring tears to the couple’s eyes from laughing so hard!
The same evening was spent at the home of the bride, sharing dinner with family and reminiscing about when she was young. The groom heard some stories that he had never expected to hear about his new wife. Then, with cousins, aunts and uncles visiting from abroad, this was the perfect way to catch up and spend some quality time together; they made plans for a family hike the next day to an area nearby.
After a few more days of relaxing at their hotel island, they made their way over to the parents of the groom’s house. Here, they surprisingly met up with a few more of their close friends who had rented themselves all a cottage nearby (the groom’s parents live on Vancouver Island, near Nanaimo). The next few days they enjoyed and reminisced by the bonfire on the beach, played badminton and swam in the ocean. Parents got to meet friends and friends got to celebrate the happy couple once more.
The people who come from far and near to share in your wedding are those you love and cherish the most. Spending time with them in such special and memorable ways is a great way to save on your honeymoon budget and reconnect in a different environment and atmosphere. Consider letting a few close friends know that you plan on staying close to home for your honeymoon, and let them know how much it would mean to you for them to host a breakfast or a barbeque. You’ll be guaranteed to come back home after a week or two, feeling very loved and blessed with such great people who support your new life together. |
