Top reasons for a UK mini moon
For decades, people expected a wedding to be followed by a luxury holiday abroad. But these days many are swapping long, costly, high-carbon breaks for shorter UK stays that are more eco-friendly but no less luxurious. To help you decide if a UK mini moon is right for you, we’ve researched the benefits they can bring. And have come up with some inspiration about where you might like to go and why.
No - they’re not smaller versions of the lunar globe that rises daily above the horizon. Instead, they are literally smaller honeymoons. Also called micro honeymoons, mini moons are short holidays enjoyed by newlyweds. They’re usually taken soon or immediately after the wedding and typically last between three and seven days.
From expense and excitement to being more eco-conscious – there are plenty of reasons to consider a UK mini moon.
Let’s face it – a wedding is an immense event, with an array of things to think about and prepare for. Some couples find they simply don’t want to organise a honeymoon at the same time. Arranging two huge life events back-to-back is quite a task. So a UK mini moon is a handy way to arrange a beautiful break, without piling the pressure on.
Others prefer to stagger the experience. Weddings are fabulous, meaningful, memorable events. And honeymoons are too. Having these two experiences, one after the other, can leave you feeling a bit flat when you get back. After all that activity and excitement, regular life can loose a bit of sparkle. Having a UK mini moon, but knowing you’ve still got a dream holiday to look forward to keeps the mood high.
With the average honeymoon costing around £4000, taking a UK mini moon before a longer honeymoon abroad means you can stagger the expense – which can be especially tricky as it comes hard on the heels of the wedding itself.
Instead you can opt for a shorter UK break that’s less expensive but still fabulous – and put those pennies aside for a foreign honeymoon in anything from six months to a year or two’s time.
With money being particularly tight for many at the moment, opting for a UK mini moon might not be about staggering the expense of honeymoons and weddings – it might be about replacing the honeymoon completely.
And if you think of that average £4000 honeymoon bill, imagine just what you could get for a mini moon right here in the UK. You could use a percentage of the money on a luxury UK stay and use the rest for more lasting investments. From furniture and washing machines, to a fancy home entertainment systems – your UK mini moon leaves money left over for something supremely practical, or fabulously fun.
Or you could divide the money into any number of separate UK breaks – imagine knowing you’ve got X many UK mini moons in the bag.
Flying half way around the world for a honeymoon creates a pretty big carbon footprint and for some couples that’s reason enough to opt for a mini moon in the UK. And with many couples organising more eco-friendly weddings, a UK mini moon can feel like a natural choice.
So just by dodging that international flight and instead treating yourselves to a memorable, luxurious UK mini moon you’re starting married life in a more environmentally friendly way. And the good news is the UK has some pretty stunning places to explore.
Even if the team at the Great House weren’t based in South Wales, the region would be our favourite one in the UK. And its perfect for mini moons too. Why? Because it’s memorable and magical and a great place to be in love.
Here you can set off on romantic walks in verdant valleys and on dune-fringed beaches, or enjoy exciting days and nights out in culture-rich Cardiff. From the golden beaches of the the Wales Coast Path, to the rolling beauty of the Wye Valley via thriving cities – South Wales really does have it all.
And there’s no better base for a brilliant mini moon than the beautiful, bewitching Great House Hotel. Packed with warmth and character, our 15th century mini-manor house has been lovingly restored. Rich fabrics sit beside burnished wood; mullioned windows frame inglenook fireplaces and oak beams.
There’s a cosy bar to unwind in, a superb restaurant to dine in and deeply luxurious rooms to snuggle up in at the end of the day. And the location is superb. With a setting in the pretty conservation village of Laleston, Bridgend, the Great House is just 10 minutes from the seaside town of Porthcawl, while Cardiff and Swansea are only 25 minutes away.
And you could even go one better. Because the Great House isn’t just the perfect place for a UK mini moon, it’s the perfect place get married in as well. We offer exclusive use of our spectacular house, and pride ourself on exceptional, friendly, flexible service.
Our award-winning chefs use the freshest local ingredients to create a wedding menu that’s bespoke to you. Our wide range of drinks and drinks packages spans everything from a specialist gin menu to Champagne Bellinis.
We also offer great-value packages and an array of options and features that range from a sumptuous bridal suite to BBQ buffets and a vintage candy cart. That’s why we have incredibly positive testimonials from many happy married couples. And are the perfect place for your UK mini moon.
Find out more about your stay at the Great House today