8 Reasons To Go The Non-Traditional Route And Take An Engagement Honeymoon Instead
Tradition might lead you to believe that you must follow a wedding timeline that goes a little something like this: engagement, wedding, honeymoon. But today’s couples are bucking that trend in a big way by going on their honeymoon first.
Of course, they’re not just doing this because they want to go on vacation ASAP. Here are eight reasons why you should consider taking an engagement honeymoon, too:
1. Boost the Pre-Wedding Romance
Whether you’re planning your nuptials now or you’ve helped a loved one prepare for theirs, you know how much work goes into a wedding. The truth is, many couples lose focus on the reasons why they got engaged in the first place. In other words, wedding planning can fizzle the romance in your relationship.
But if the pair of you get away at the start of the process, you’ll have time to just enjoy one another. Then, you’ll also have recent romantic memories to pull from when you dive into planning.
2. De-Stress Before the Big Day
Again, all that planning can be a headache. From venues to table linens to seating plans, you have a lot to do, and that lengthy list will undoubtedly cause stress. An engagement honeymoon allows you to escape from your pre-wedding anxieties, at least for a few days. Make a promise that you’ll both turn off your phones or, at least, that you’ll refrain from discussing your nuptials until you’re back home.
3. Deepen Your Bond
You already have a serious connection with your fiancé; if you didn’t, you wouldn’t be engaged. But jetting off together can make that feeling even stronger. Travel has been proven to fortify connections between family members, friends, and even strangers as they experience new corners of the world together. And that kind of memory and feeling will only reassure you as you say “I do.”
4. Practice Traveling Together
If you and your fiancé have already traveled together, this might not be a good enough reason to hit the road pre-wedding. If you haven’t, though, you should start packing your bags now. That way, you can learn all about how your fiancé likes to travel and vice versa. And, if you decide to honeymoon after your wedding, you’ll know what to do to make your two styles gel.
5. Have Real One-on-One Time
Even if you live together, you and your fiancé will rarely find a spare moment alone together in the next few months as you plan your wedding. From appointments with vendors to parties with family and friends, you will be together but not alone. A pre-wedding honeymoon allows you to sneak away and enjoy each other as you should before tying the knot.
6. Avoid Honeymoon Scheduling Conflicts
Even after you nail down the date of your wedding, you’ll likely face scheduling conflicts for the rest of your nuptial-centric events. This is especially true for your honeymoon, which is supposed to come right after your wedding day.
More and more couples are finding that they can’t schedule these dates off from work, whether they wait too long to request vacation time or they simply can’t afford to take more wedding-related days so close to the actual ceremony. This forces many of them to postpone their honeymoon for weeks or months after they get married. But other pairs have realized they can plan a pre-wedding getaway instead, which also gives them a bit more wiggle room to travel.
7. Perform Pre-Honeymoon Reconnaissance
How long is your list of potential honeymoon destinations? If you want your first vacation as a married couple to be perfect, take an engagement-moon to scope out the spot you want to visit. You can also use your pre-wedding trip as a way to find the ideal location for a destination wedding if that’s what you and your fiancé envision.
This point also sheds light on the fact that an early honeymoon doesn’t necessarily have to be your only wedding-related trip. You deserve to celebrate your nuptials whether you do it before or after the ceremony, or both.
8. Experience Serious Gratitude
You already love and cherish your fiancé, and those sentiments will only be amplified after the two of you have seen a new corner of the world together. Traveling always makes us grateful, whether it’s for the experiences we have, the lives we have at home, or both. And, feeling that warmth and gratitude together will make you feel closer than other, the perfect way to walk into your wedding
Get Going
Your engagement honeymoon doesn’t have to be a round-the-world affair; it can be something as cost-effective and simple as a staycation in a nearby hotel. No matter what you choose, though, you and your fiancé will benefit greatly from the one-on-one time you carve out before your big day.
That’s because your wedding is ultimately about the two of you. No matter how much you mull over the details, all that matters is that you’re declaring your love for one another. An engagement honeymoon can help you keep your eyes on the prize: a lifetime of togetherness. So, plan your perfect pre-wedding trip and let your love continue to grow. 
