Last Wednesday, The New York Times published an article in the weddings section that caught my attention. It was about a new trend of honeymoon called “solomoons” in which each newlywed travels to a different destination.
You read it right. After pledging, “Til death do us part” in their vows, each one grabs his or her suitcase and takes a trip alone or even with other people.
The first example in the article is an Irish couple, she 37 and he 40. While she went to Canada to visit a friend, he chose to go to France with three of his buddies and watch Ireland play at the Euro Cup.
According to the article, this couple had been living together for several years, so having a honeymoon didn’t seem special. Therefore, because they couldn’t agree on a common destination, they parted ways and traveled alone.
Other couples claimed they couldn’t fit the same date in their busy work schedules, and neither wanted to sacrifice their careers.
Every pan has a lid. Couples make decisions that suits their lifestyle, and nobody has the right to opine. However, a question remains, why get married then?
As I read the article, I thought this trend came from millennials or younger people who are known for breaking traditional rules. Surprisingly, the age group making these arrangements are mature men and women in their late thirties up to their fifties.
Although the mold of marriage has evolved over time, balancing and sharing the homework to allow both parties to pursue their goals, the purpose has been the same: sharing life together.
Otherwise, being married but living like singles sounds more like roommates. Nothing wrong with that. Not everybody is marriage material and the data shows it. In America, 40% of first time marriages end up in divorce.
In conclusion, leaving the romantic component out, marriage is a contract between two parties. That is why, when love walks out the door, attorneys are the ones who come in to negotiate the terms of its termination.
Nonetheless, if individuality displaces the concept of couple in the time-honored milestone of the honeymoon, what would happen when they are going to buy their first house or have children?
When I got married, we had to postpone our honeymoon for a month due to my emergency gallbladder surgery. If my husband would have chosen to follow the solomoon trend, he would have left me alone at the hospital and traveled to Hawaii by himself or with friends. Besides, that’s what face-time is for, isn’t it?
Thanks for reading and sharing.
Xiomara Spadafora
Good crazy woman 