Familymoons … Are the New Honeymoons

Newspaper article

By: Sarah Turner

Date: February 5, 2006

Source: Turner, Sarah. Guardian Newspapers Limited. "Familymoons … Are the New Honeymoons." (February 5, 2006).

About the Author: Sarah Turner, a journalist based in the United Kingdom, contributed this article to the Guardian, and also writes for the Observer on international news and travel.

INTRODUCTION

The twentieth century brought enormous changes to daily life. While some were technological, such as television, air-conditioning, and cellular phones, many of the more profound changes involved human relationships, in particular the form of the American family.

Marriage became less permanent, with divorce rates tripling between 1900 and 1981, then declining to about double the original rate. Divorced individuals, in turn, often remarry, though second and third marriages have even higher failure rates. Since first marriages frequently produce children, couples who remarry often have to decide how to integrate two discrete households into a blended family.

On television this process often seems relatively painless. The popular series The Brady Bunch portrayed a fairy-tale version of this story in which eight individuals and their housekeeper became one enormous happy family. In reality the process is often difficult; to help speed the integration process some couples have begun including their children in all wedding-related activities, including the honeymoon.

The "familymoon" is a market-driven phenomenon, as remarrying couples attempt to beat the odds and make a second or third marriage that includes a blended family succeed. Recognizing the importance of bonding among all family members, some therapists recommend a family trip rather than a couple-only honeymoon. One planning agency reported a twenty-five percent jump in such trips from 2001 to 2006.

PRIMARYSOURCE

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SIGNIFICANCE

More than 2.5 million weddings take place in the United States each year. Average wedding costs hover near $20,000 and total annual spending on weddings is conservatively estimated at $50 billion. Honeymoons, taken by 99% of all couples, comprise about $8 billion of this total, making them an important segment of the travel business. To p destinations for honeymooners include Las Vegas and tropical locations such as Hawaii and the Caribbean. Since the revenue from an eight-person familymoon will generally exceed that from a two-person honeymoon, these enlarged trips are a potential boon for travel planners and resorts.

Modern weddings are often a curious blend of old and new. While white dresses, tuxedos, and traditional vows remain de rigueur for many couples, a growing number opt for more individuality in their ceremonies and receptions. In her book The New American Wedding, author Diane Delaney describes a nontraditional wedding featuring a middle-aged bride, a canine bridesmaid, and a swimming pool instead of a diamond ring as an engagement gift. Delaney's collection of such unusual weddings lends support to her contention that more mature couples, particularly those remarrying, often prefer a more individualized ceremony than younger couples typically do.

As weddings have gradually become less traditional, companies have sprung up to support the shift. While traditional engraved white invitations remain common, brides often choose invitation scrolls or notes emblazoned with symbols of other faiths and traditions. Centerpieces, traditionally consisting of arranged flowers, can now be created from candles, candy, or anything else the couple chooses. Technology plays a growing role, too, as couples create rehearsal dinner slideshows depicting their earlier lives and videographers produce customized DVDs of the event.

While some critics may decry the loss of traditional weddings, today's ceremony and traditions are actually relatively recent creations. Medieval brides rarely wore white, for example, opting instead for the brightest, boldest colors available; those wishing to specifically symbolize purity chose blue. It was not until 1840 that England's Queen Victoria stunned onlookers by marrying in a brilliant white gown. The choice soon caught on and by 1900 the white wedding dress was considered the only appropriate choice in England and the United States. Whether the family-moon will become a new tradition, a short-lived experiment, or just one of a wide array of options remains to be seen. Given the difficulty inherent in synthesizing a new family from the remnants of two earlier ones, any arrangement which potentially smoothes the process appears worth trying.

FURTHER RESOURCES

Books

Delaney, Diane Meier. The New American Wedding: Ritual and Style in a Changing Culture. New York: Viking Studio, 2005.

Fields, Denise, and Alan Fields. Bridal Bargains: Secrets to Throwing a Fantastic Wedding on a Realistic Budget. Boulder, CO: Windsor Peak Press, 2002.

Lansdell, Avril. Wedding Fashions, 1860–1980. Bucking-hamshire, England: Shire Publications, 1983.

Periodicals

Levere, Jane. "Skip the Toasters. Help Us Pay for a Trip to Italy." New York Times. 154 (November 21, 2004):8.

Martin, Courtney E. "Saying 'I Don't' to Expensive Weddings." Christian Science Monitor. 98 (June 15, 2006): 9.

Weinbach, Jon. "Brides Gone Wild." Wall Street Journal, Eastern Edition. 247 (June 2, 2006): W1-W2.

Web sites

National Review Online. "The American Way of Wedding." January 3, 2003 〈http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-stolba010303.asp"〉 (June 21, 2006).

Newsweek Online. "The 'Familymoon.'" 〈http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10663352/site/newsweek"〉 (accessed June 21, 2006).