15 February 2008 Honeymoon destinations
"Gone are the days of a buffet at the village hall followed by a honeymoon caravanning on the Cornish coast," Jason Hollands, head of group communications for F&C, said recently.
While there is an amount of truth in this statement, the comment is not entirely accurate, as honeymooning couples vary greatly - and for some, caravanning on the coast of Cornwall would be the perfect way in which to spend a honeymoon.
Nikki Nichol, head of PR for the Caravan Club, recently observed that the demographic of those who enjoy caravanning holidays "really is changing".
She added that there is a misconception of the caravanning couple, with many believing the pursuit to be restricted to older travellers, however she noted that it is also "very popular with younger couples".
Indeed, last month, hitched.co.uk reported that people can find good honeymoon destinations without leaving the UK.
Francesca Moore, spokesperson for hitched.co.uk, emphasised that "there's nothing about the word honeymoon that means it has to be taken abroad".
She defined a honeymoon as a break taken by a newlywed couple who seek the opportunity to be alone together.
And with the pressures of work and financial budgets, not all recently married couples can afford the time or money to travel abroad.
Also, time could restrict them to taking a long weekend or a short break in the UK.
Great UK honeymoon spots were listed as the Lake District, the Cotswolds or one of the many country hotels and spas in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Nonetheless, there is a growing trend for more and more exotic and adventurous honeymoons.
Trips Worldwide recently revealed that "more and more people" are honeymooning in Central America.
John Faithfull, product manager at Trips Worldwide claimed that the manner in which honeymoons to Central America have taken off is "incredible".
"We used to do the occasional one or two a year, but now we turn over a good amount of business with people wanting a slightly more adventurous, different trip" Mr Faithfull observed.
He added that they now offer honeymoon vouchers which allow wedding guests to contribute to the couple's once in a lifetime adventure holiday as opposed to a "toaster".
Francesca Moore, spokesperson for hitched.co.uk noted that while some couples enjoy a traditional style of honeymoon, such as relaxing on a deserted beach, the more adventurous styles of trip can include touring New Zealand in a camper van or exploring the Great Wall of China.
And last year, wedding planners Confetti reported that newlyweds are travelling to more exotic locations than in the past.
Carol Richardson, PR manager for Confetti claimed that the Far East, Mauritius and Cyprus were popular honeymoon spots.
However, Ms Moore, of hitched.co.uk, noted that there was no standard type of honeymoon, as "some people want sunshine, some people want skiing" and such breaks are unique to the couple that are taking them.
Long sandy beaches that are fairly isolated and places like the Maldives were listed as top spots for honeymooners seeking winter sunshine.
She noted that the weather is guaranteed to be good, while the beautiful scenery and luxurious accommodation added to the romance of the holiday.
Couples are more "active" in terms of what they want from a honeymoon, Ms Moore added, noting that twin-centre honeymoons could be good for adventurous couples.
Twin centre destinations could involve taking a break in South African and enjoying a safari for a few days before travelling on to a beach destination break.
Other destinations on honeymoons such as this could include flying to Sri Lanka for a period before continuing on to the Maldives.
Some couples also choose to get married in the same place as their honeymoon - with Las Vegas being one such example.
"The world is your oyster," she observed.
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