Tradition Tuesday - The Honeymoon

The honeymoon wasn’t always the fun and fancy-free vacation that we envision it as today. In fact, it originated during early Anglo-Saxon times when it was prototypical for the groom to abduct his bride from her family and hometown following the wedding ceremony—talk about taking “Will you take this woman?” literally.  This abduction soon turned into an enchanted escapade where the bride and groom would go into hiding for a full thirty days after the ceremony.  One friend or family member would remain informed of the newlyweds’ location and would bring them a cup of honey wine, better known as mead, to drink each night.  The honey wine was believed to ensure the new couple with happiness and fertility and resulted in one complete “honeymoon” by the end of the thirty days.

The honeymoons that we are familiar with today began taking shape in the early 19^th century when upper class couples began going on “bridal tours” to visit relatives that were unable to attend the wedding.  The honeymoonquickly transitioned into a pure holiday during the romantic and fanciful period of Belle Époque and honeymooners traveled to more exotic locations such as the French Riviera or Italy—particularly seaside resorts and romantic cities such as Rome, Verona, and Venice.  Couples would make a getaway during the middle of the ceremony to catch a late train and embark on a whimsical holiday together to celebrate their marriage.

While today’s honeymoons coincide with the idea of a pure holiday, couples generally don’t leave for one to three days after the ceremony and reception in order to tie up any loose ends with the venue and to enjoy the event to it’s fullest and allow ample time to recover and prepare before undergoing a long trip.

The Anniversary Box is one of the few wedding gifts that will allow the couple to revisit the excitement and joy that they felt when embarking on their honeymoon for years to come. On each anniversary, the couple will be able to open a letter written by a friend or family member during this happy occasion. The Anniversary Box doesn’t just preserve memories; it brings them back to life.