Most people haven't heard of a buddymoon. And the ones who have, usually think it's a cute concept that doesn't really apply to them. I recently chatted with Fora on this budding trend, but here’s my extended take.

I’ve been helping plan them for a while now, so here’s the idea.

Instead of heading straight into a traditional honeymoon after the wedding, you invite your closest friends, and sometimes family, to extend the trip together. Just a few extra days, so you can spend some quality time with the people who showed up for you. Let’s face it, there’s never enough time to spend with everyone at a wedding. It’s a busy day, so why are we trying to cram it all into an afternoon or an evening?

It's not a replacement for a honeymoon. It's a chance to do both.

Why it makes sense

If you're having a destination wedding anywhere that requires a real flight, like Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, anywhere outside of a long weekend drive, your guests are spending serious money to be there. Flights, hotels, time off work. For weddings in Asia, some guests are looking at 20-plus hour travel days, spending thousands of dollars, just to attend a two-day event. Even though they love you. That’s a lot to ask.

The wedding ends. Everyone flies home. And the whole thing felt like it was over before it started.

A buddymoon solves that. It’s like it double underlines the reason to show up and turns the trip into something that actually feels worth the journey. You've already got a group of people with a common connection. The wedding becomes a launchpad instead of a finale.

What it actually looks like

I recently coordinated a buddymoon in the Philippines. Forty people. Small island. Getting there meant a van, then a boat, then an e-trike. The logistics can be challenging, but that's exactly the kind of thing a travel advisor is there to manage. I built a simple page so guests could self-coordinate flights, handled the full transfer route with one operator, and arranged overflow hotels for late additions.

It can look a lot of different ways though. All-inclusives work really well because the group dynamic is easy to manage and everything's taken care of. Private villas are great because guests have space to spread out while the couple still has their own corner of the experience. Resort destinations where people can do their own thing during the day and come back together at night? That's the sweet spot.

One of the biggest practical benefits is group rates. When you're booking for 20, 30, 40 people, you can negotiate in ways that individual travelers simply can't. The per-person cost comes down significantly, and that's before factoring in what a good travel advisor can do for the couple specifically. Suite upgrades, a private dinner on the beach, little touches that make it feel genuinely romantic even within a group setting. You don't have to sacrifice the honeymoon feeling. You just get more of everything.

Who it's really for

It skews toward destination weddings, especially the ones that are further out. But honestly, any couple with a close-knit group that loves to travel together is a candidate. If you've done group trips before, you already know how special it is when you've got a built-in crew with something in common.

The wedding just happens to be the best built-in common connection there is.

My honest advice

If you're planning a destination wedding somewhere that requires a real commitment from your guests to attend, and this seems like your vibe. Then, start thinking about a buddymoon as part of the plan. Let’s plan for an organized extension and give people something worth staying for.

It doesn't have to be complicated. It just has to be thought through.

That's what we do at Perks&Rec. If you're curious what it could look like for your wedding, let's talk.