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The honeymoon has had a good run. For centuries, newlyweds have carved out a few post-wedding days to enjoy some well-deserved alone time. And while the tradition isn’t going anywhere, it’s evolving: More couples are bringing loved ones along for the ride.
Welcome to the buddymoon.
What exactly is a buddymoon?
A buddymoon—sometimes called a friend-moon—is a post-wedding trip where the couple invites close friends (and sometimes family) to join for part or all of the celebration. It’s not a bachelor or bachelorette party sequel. Nor is it just a group vacation that happens to follow a wedding. It’s a way to carry the wedding-weekend energy forward, with the people who matter most.
That’s not to say buddymoons are replacing honeymoons outright. “They can be an extension of the wedding, but also an extension of a honeymoon,” says Fora Advisor Edward Santos. Many couples do both: group time with friends, then a romantic chapter on their own.
Why couples are choosing the buddymoon
At its core, it all comes back to people—the guests who showed up, the friends worth lingering with, and the couple’s own vision of what a post-wedding trip should look like.
Here’s what’s driving the shift:
The destination wedding effect. When guests have traveled far to attend a wedding—sometimes on a 20-plus-hour flight, extending the trip makes the journey even more worthwhile. “I’ve seen this a lot with weddings in Asia, where guests are spending thousands on flights just to attend,” says Edward. “It makes sense to create extended programming and give people the opportunity to experience a longer trip.”
Shared experiences over solo luxury. Post-pandemic travel priorities have shifted. People aren't just looking at trips as vacations, they’re looking at them as intentional time spent with the people they care about.
The rules have changed. As we saw in our recent Wedding and Honeymoon Trend Report, couples today are building trips around what sounds fun, not what’s expected. There’s no etiquette guide that says a honeymoon has to look a certain way. And for a growing number of newlyweds, “fun” means having their people around. As Edward puts it, “Any couple who loves group travel and has done group trips before will find a buddymoon a fun opportunity.”
Where to take a buddymoon
The ideal buddymoon destinations have a few things in common: a shared home base, enough flexibility that the adventure-seekers and pool people can happily coexist, and uncomplicated logistics.
The Mediterranean coast: The South of France, the Amalfi Coast, the Greek islands, Mallorca were made for villa living. Get a house with a pool, eat long meals outside, and explore nearby towns at your own pace. The infrastructure in these regions naturally supports groups without forcing everyone into the same itinerary.
The Caribbean and Mexico: With so many resorts in these regions, tacking on a buddymoon feels less like planning and more like just... staying. That makes saying yes to a buddymoon a relative no-brainer for friends and family. All-inclusive resorts simplify budgeting, and places like Tulum and the Riviera Maya offer the right mix of relaxation and nightlife for a group that wants options.
Southeast Asia: Countries like Indonesia and Thailand solve the two biggest group-travel issues at once: value and variety. Everyone finds something they want to do, and nobody winces at the bill. A weeklong villa rental in Ubud with a private chef and yoga instructor? That’s a buddymoon people will talk about for years.
A U.S. adventure: Not every buddymoon needs a passport. Many Fora clients are prioritizing domestic travel right now, and a look at recent booking data shows there are plenty of exciting options within the 50 states, whether your crew prefers a rustic ranch getaway or a swanky Napa estate.
A cruise: Built-in structure with built-in freedom is a win-win. Everyone can eat, explore, and relax at their own speed, then regroup for dinner or a shore excursion. Cruises are especially smart for groups with mixed travel styles.
Why a travel advisor makes all of this easier
When the whole point of the trip is to keep the party going, you don’t want to be the person bogged down by figuring out room blocks, group rates, and transfers, among other logistical needs. Your Fora Advisor is the one point of contact for the group, handling all of those moving parts from finding the right property to coordinating room assignments and building an itinerary that balances togetherness and independence.
Organizing as a group also means better pricing. A Fora Advisor can negotiate rates that bring the per-person cost down significantly and get you perks such as complimentary suite upgrades, spa discounts, fee waivers, even complimentary rooms depending on the size of the booking.
And maybe most importantly, a Fora Advisor becomes the point person for coordination so you and your partner can actually enjoy the trip, too.
Making sure the more really is merrier
Weddings have a way of pulling off the seemingly impossible feat of getting the people from every chapter of your life in the same room at the same time.
At some point, you’ll look around to soak up the scene: your siblings finally getting along, your parents dancing with your new in-laws, your oldest friends laughing like no time has passed, your college roommate rallying everyone for one last dance. Everyone you love, together, possibly for the first time. And you’ll think, why does it have to end?
It doesn’t—at least not yet.
Ready to plan your buddymoon? Connect with a Fora Advisor to get started.
