What is an earlymoon? The pre-wedding travel trend explained, how it's helped some couples save
A honeymoon gives newlyweds a chance to leave behind any leftover wedding stress, but another jet-setting trend has some couples trading the pressure cooker of prenuptial planning for some premarital rest and recovery with an earlymoon.
The short trip meant to help couples unwind before they walk down the aisle to say "I do" first bubbled up in 2017. The concept resurfaced in Vogue last year, and now the trend is taking off on social media.
Some are touting the benefits of taking an earlymoon, including Marco Escalera, who told "Good Morning America" it was essential to take a break from the wedding chaos.
"We took it as an opportunity to kind of recharge," he said. "We knew we weren't going to be able to do the honeymoon right away. So we wanted to make sure that we took that time beforehand to make that happen."
His wife Katy Escalera added that it was also an affordable route, giving them more time to save for the larger trip.
"The earlymoon was more budget friendly. And it's affording us the time to wait, postpone our honeymoon so we can have a bigger, longer trip," she explained.
Wedding experts say they've seen growing interest in these pre-wedding getaways. While some couples make the earlymoon an additional investment, others are swapping out the traditional honeymoon altogether.
"The purpose is to unwind, relax, be really checked in with each other ahead of the wedding," Gabriella Rello Duffy, senior editorial director at Brides, told "GMA."
Even if you don't earlymoon, Duffy said you may still be able to secure some classic post-wedding perks by mentioning you're about to tie the knot.
"People are going to be excited to help you if they can -- add it into that special note in your reservation or mention it to your server at dinner, and I think that people will always be inclined to do a little something if they are able to," Duffy said.
As for the Escaleras, they said they would encourage other couples to say "I do" to an earlymoon.
"Absolutely do it," Marco Escalera said.
Katy Escalera added, "Go for it. It's a great way to reconnect. You keep that spark alive between you and your significant other."
