Sweeter Than Honeymoon

When doing research about Italian wedding traditions, I learned about the origin of the honeymoon. Apparently, newlyweds would eat honey every night during an entire moon phase after their wedding, thus the honeymoon. Others say is was mead the couple drank for a month after the wedding. Mead was made of fermented honey and water. Guess "meadmonth" didn't catch on for the post-wedding trip moniker.

These days the honeymoon is the much needed getaway the couple takes after their wedding. It's a time just for the couple, one of intimacy, love and fun. Of late, lazy mornings and sweet, sultry nights ... or vice versa.

Now some folks will use this as a vacation time to go see something new and do some touring. But let us make something very clear to you if you don't already know this: the honeymoon is for sex. Lots and lots of sex. If you plan on making your honeymoon a touring time, you truly have a sad view of the honeymoon. Now we're not saying you can't go see new things and take adventures. We're saying if you plan a day-to-day schedule of places to go and things to see, that is just messed up. It's supposed to be a sweet time with your honey. A time to relax and get to know each other on a personal and physical level. It is also a time to have fun after the sometimes stress of wedding planning and before you return to normalcy and the regular work day.

I know Ayla and Rob have tossed around the idea of seeing the Florida Keys. And Anton and Kayla have mentioned going to the Garden City Beach, SC condo we have frequented where Ayla and Rob were engaged and where Brad and I had our honeymoon. Both ideas are good choices because you can do pretty much whatever you want without feeling pressure to sightsee. I will share that the most recent episode of Brides magazine surveyed 136 brides to ask them if they could do the whole wedding planning over again, what they would splurge on and most brides said "an even better honeymoon." Food for thought.

Did you know the honeymoon is sorta mentioned in Scripture? In Deuteronomy 24:5 it says, "When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be charged with any related duty. He shall be free at home one year, so he can bring happiness to the wife whom he has married." A whole year! Imagine!

Notice that the honeymoon in ancient times was to last a month. These days, that's pretty hard for full-time employees to try to pull off. But we would recommend the honeymoon last not a week, or month or even a year ... but a lifetime. Not the trip, of course, but the giggly, tender, loving, passion you have during that time. Don't ever let it wane.

So make your plans for a fun, stress-free, sweeter-than-honeymoon ... the trip and the marriage.

Discussion: Where would you like to go for your honeymoon? What do you want to do on your honeymoon? Do you plan on going immediately after your wedding?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you tell us when a couple is married that two become one flesh. The honeymoon is the place where that all begins in glory and honor to You. Thank you for what you have created for couples. In Jesus' name, Amen.