Hat’s off to you, 2020 wedding couples! You guys are navigating these crazy times and uncharted waters with such grace! Postponing your wedding, switching up your event to a more intimate affair, discovering how to plan a wedding in the middle of a quarantine… You’re rocking it! We’ve shared lots of tips on Weddings and Covid-19, and we’ve also shared real-couple stories of people who’ve tied the knot global-pandemic-style, but we haven’t yet covered what happens AFTER the wedding!
Chances are, your plans to relax on a Caribbean beach for two weeks, or frolic through the Louvre while munching on macarons might have to be put on hold for a while. That doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate the fact that you got married!! We’ve put together a ton of great Staycation Honeymoon ideas to help you bask in that newlywed glow while staying safe and staying close to home. Even if you aren’t celebrating your Honeymoon any time soon, there are some great at-home date night ideas in here as well!
So light some candles, grab the champagne (just like these two cuties did in the pic above! Shot by Madeline Rose Photography Co.) and let’s celebrate your nuptials!
Have a Theme Night
photo: Peyton Rainey Photography
Were you planning to travel to Italy for your Honeymoon? Why not put on some music that reminds you of romantic Roma, decorate the patio with vibrant flowers and candles, order in some of your favorite local Italian fare, and make a whole theme night out of it! Italian, African, French, Caribbean- wherever you planned to journey, get creative and bring the world to you! Even better, travel the world with a Theme Week!
Online Museum Tours
When quarantine first started, the World’s most iconic museums and historic sites went online. They offered virtual tours and lots of educational content to bring art and history to the masses when the masses couldn’t come to them. Set up the big screen TV and grab your SO for a cozy night in, enjoying some of the World’s most incredible works of art. The best thing about this? You can do it wine-in-hand!
At-Home Wine Tasting
Speaking of wine- one of our favorite Staycation Honeymoon ideas is to plan an at-home wine tasting. Head to your local market and pick up a selection of different wines and complementing cheeses, fruits, snacks and other treats. It’s like you’re on a wine tour in Florence or Napa, yet in the comfort of your own home! Learn how to make your own Crostini Board here!
Online Classes
One popular Honeymoon activity? Taking a cooking class! You don’t need to travel far to do this! In fact, some of the World’s greatest chefs have uploaded delicious and free cooking classes online for everyone to participate in.
Another great online class that brings some serious romance? Online dance classes! We covered those in our editorial on How to Celebrate Your Anniversary at Home!
Turn the House into a Fancy Hotel
photo: Chrissy Gilmartin | via Love Isn’t Cancelled: A Last Minute Covid-19 Elopement
We’re sure you had your heart set on staying in the most romantic place you could find on your trip. A Staycation Honeymoon can be just as magical when you set the right atmosphere! Splurge a bit and transform your home into a fancy hotel! Get these luxurious bed linens, buy this men’s fluffy robe or this boho women’s robe and order these slippers. Stock the bar with every drink you could dream of, and RELAX! You’ve earned it, so treat yourselves!
Order in and Splurge on the Food
Is there a local restaurant you’ve always wanted to go to, but never thought you could justify the price tag? Now is the moment! One of our favorite Staycation Honeymoon treats is to order some delicious and delectable local food and not worry about the $$$. Just as you would on your “real” Honeymoon, set a nice table, break out that new wedding china, light a bunch of candles, and order in! We recommend going for multiple courses and getting dessert too!
Spa Night
photo: Elizabeth Messina | via Self-Care Rituals to Unwind and Energize
After you’ve treated yourselves to all of the food and wine you can handle, unwind with an at-home spa night. We love these self-care products and cozy at-home essentials, so plan ahead, order some to be delivered right to your front door, watch a video on how to give the perfect massage and bask in all the luxury that you would get at the resort spa! Best thing? You’ll get all that luxury at a fraction of the cost!
Set up a Backyard Beach
Many couples dream of just lying on the beach for a couple of weeks post-wedding. If that isn’t in the cards right now, don’t worry! You can “create your own beach” right in the backyard! Order this best-selling inflatable pool, get some fun tiki accessories like this palm tree and this umbrella, pull out those new Honeymoon swimsuits you ordered and soak up the sun. We love this activity because not only is it a blast to put the whole atmosphere together, but it’s super relaxing to just lay out in the sunshine together while sipping a yummy cocktail.
Set up Camp
photo: Tessa Tadlock | Styling + Design: Blue Daphne Events and Floral Design
Along the same lines as an at-home beach is an at-home campsite! Remember how much fun it was when your parents set up the tent in the backyard on a warm Summer night? Recreate the fun, but add in the romance! Set up a tent (we love this one!) and make it a whole glamping adventure! Think lots of luxe pillows and blankets, fun string lights, cozy lounge chairs and maybe even an outdoor hammock! (Here are our favorites!) Grill out, drink some wine or these yummy canned cocktails, and of course, don’t forget the S’mores!
Stay in a Fancy Local Hotel or Airbnb
If you’re wanting to get a little further away from home, why not hit up a local hotel or airbnb? Don’t be afraid to do it up big and stay in the “It” place in town! So many cities have gorgeous historic bed and breakfasts, modern and trendy boutique hotels, and secluded Airbnbs. They’re all doing everything they can to be Covid-friendly too! Treat yourself to a long weekend “staying away from home”, but close to home!
Be a Tourist in Your Own City
While you’re staying at that swanky local hotel, why not check out the local sights that you may not have ever been too because they’re in your hometown? So many of us are guilty of taking our local landmarks for granted. Look up the old and the new, hit up your city’s tourism website, and see what museums, historic places, parks and monuments are currently open. You’ll be surprised how much you can discover in your own backyard!
Plan a Secluded Getaway
photo: Michael Block | via 14 Hip Lake Houses You Can Rent on Airbnb
If you’re really itching to get out of town rather than plan an at-home Staycation Honeymoon, check out the many secluded vacation spots that you can book! Think of places that are relaxing or rural like a lake, a farm, or a cabin in the mountains. We just did a round-up of these killer lakehouses you can rent via Airbnb!
Unplug
photo: Emily Magers Photography
This may be hard to do if you’re staying at home for your Honeymoon, but we challenge you to fully unplug and enjoy this time together. Make it just like you would if you were traveling. Take some time off of work, close down the computer, and log out of the emails. Explain to friends and family that this is your time to celebrate as a newly married couple, so you won’t be able to call or text. Soak up this time alone together because it really is a rare treat.
Snap All the Photos!
Document your Staycation Honeymoon just like you would if you were traveling to some far-off place! These are precious memories, just like any other vacation. You can even use one of these journals to write down the fun things you did, ate or saw. Think at-home travel journal! It will turn into the sweetest keepsake. One fun idea that you can do is hire your wedding photographer to snap some cute Staycation Honeymoon photos. You most likely wouldn’t be able to have a cute and romantic photoshoot on a Honeymoon abroad, so cherish the perks of staying close to home!
photo: Chandler Kim | via This Boho, Modern Loft Tour
We hope these Staycation Honeymoon ideas help you celebrate the start of this beautiful journey together! We’d love to hear which idea is your favorite! Let us know what you plan to do first down in the comments!