Newlyweds Are Surprised With All-Paid Honeymoon Getaway Trip, Find Out Groom’s Parents Invited Themselves In, Drama Ensues After They Ask For Privacy
Going on a honeymoon is supposed to be one of the most joyous weeks of any married person’s life. After months of stressful wedding planning and ensuring that every detail for their big day was perfect, newlyweds finally have an opportunity to relax and enjoy one another. A few days on the beach or atop a scenic mountain to bond and spend some quality time together is the best way to begin a marriage.
For one couple, however, their honeymoon was rudely interrupted by an overbearing set of parents. One bride reached out to the “Am I the A***ole?” subreddit asking if she would be the jerk for running away on her honeymoon. Not away from her husband, she would be running with her husband away from his parents. Below, you can read the bride’s story detailing how her overbearing in-laws have been unable to take a hint, as well as an interview with Dan and Michelle of Honeymoon Always to hear from some experts how important a honeymoon can be.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and then if you’re interested in more dramatic newlywed content, we’ve got the perfect Bored Panda piece for you to read next right here.
After her in-laws invited themselves onto her honeymoon, this bride reached out to Reddit asking if her and her husband would be wrong for abandoning the parents and going to another hotel
Image credits: Anastasiya Vragova (not the actual photo)
After being unable to have any privacy, the couple scouted out options for where they could escape to
Image credits: veerasak Piyawatanakul (not the actual photo)
We reached out to Dan and Michelle, creators of the blog Honeymoon Always, to hear why they think honeymoons are so important for couples. “From the moment a couple gets engaged until the wedding is over, couples are usually bombarded with planning and dealing with the expectations of others,” they told Bored Panda. “The honeymoon gives couples a chance to unwind together after busy and stressful months leading up to their wedding. The honeymoon is important as a time to start marriage renewed together and to set the tone of the new life ahead. It is a time to reflect back on your wedding and move forward with new memories.” Next, we asked them what the best part of going on a honeymoon is. “Spending time together and making new memories. In the months leading up to the honeymoon couples are likely spending a lot of time with other friends in family in preparation for the big day, but once it is over they can finally relax and enjoy these moments of their new life together.”
For couples that are on a tighter budget, Dan and Michelle have some tips: “There are so many ways to enjoy a honeymoon without breaking the budget. Consider opening credit cards with signing bonuses and putting your wedding expenses on them to get travel points. Be careful to pay them off immediately or this will end up costing you in interest. Many couples have paid for their entire honeymoon this way. You can ask wedding guests to contribute to your honeymoon fund as a wedding gift. If you still have a tight budget after this you can go on a trip closer to home. A honeymoon can be as simple as a weekend trip away since what is important is that you spend time together. If you are not happy with your honeymoon plans, consider it a ‘minimoon’ and make plans to save for the trip of your dreams on your 1 year anniversary.” Lastly, Dan and Michelle added some words of wisdom, “Remember to ask yourself what is most important for you and your spouse on your honeymoon before you start planning. Keeping focused on this will make sure you have an enjoyable time and make meaningful memories.”
While wedding discussions usually revolve around the logistics of the ceremony and reception (indoor or outdoor, what kind of cake to have, dj or live band, etc.), couples usually look forward to the honeymoon just as much, if not more. The bride in this story mentioned that her in-laws paid for their stay at the all-inclusive hotel, but most couples invest a pretty penny into their honeymoon trips. According to a study including 15,000 couples who got married during 2021, the average honeymoon costs $4,600. Not to mention that prior to that, the average wedding costs $34,000. While 68% of the couples studied went on a honeymoon, and almost half of the trips lasted over a week, it’s no secret that these trips can be a great financial burden. For couples with tighter budgets or harder times getting off work, “mini-moons” are a nice alternative to a traditional honeymoon. The name is pretty self-explanatory, but a mini-moon is just a shorter trip either in lieu of a honeymoon or prior to having a more extravagant trip in the future.
Honeymoons have been steadily rising in price in recent years, with most couples seeking destinations far away from home. Beaches are consistently the most popular honeymoon getaways, though, with 52% of couples choosing to relax in the sand. And for couples who value travel over household appliances and dishware, a fund can be set up for wedding guests to make donations to their travel costs instead of purchasing traditional wedding gifts. This is a great way for newlyweds to feel more relaxed and at ease on vacation, without having to worry about the cost of their grand getaway.
A new couple deserves to have the honeymoon of their dreams, before returning to the stresses and responsibilities of their hectic lives. While it’s wonderful to have in-laws who will provide a luxurious honeymoon as a gift, they should understand boundaries as well. I’m glad the couple in this story was able to salvage the last few days of their trip by finding some privacy in another town, even if they had to step on some parents’ toes to do so. Below you can read responses that the story received on Reddit then let us know in the comments what you think about this situation. And if you’re married, we’d love to hear about your own honeymoon!
Most of the readers responded reassuring the bride that her in-laws were out of line
But a few readers called out the couple for not being confrontational enough
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This is a crime if not of the law then of morality.
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A honeymoon should be between the 2 involved. Leave them alone to have fun and relax and whatever the heck they want. This is a horrible thing the parents are doing. Leave them be ffs. Hop on the train, run, do it.
Plus imagine what a fun story that will be to tell the friends back home. Hopping on a train and running away together is straight out of a romance movie!
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You want intimacy with your new husband, in-laws say that's what your room is for AND THEN KEEP KNOCKING ON THE DOOR TO SAID ROOM!!! At 6am no less! These are in-laws who are not ready for their precious little boy to have flown the nest. That stuff about being adults is just so much pig c**p (no offence to pigs, but their also poo smells the worst out of all the farm animals).
The parents know exactly what they are doing. They want to drive a wedge, and c**p up a new marriage. Running away together and having that bonding experience will probably deepen their relationship.
Are people so dependent on the opinions of strangers on the internet that they have to ask questions with such an obvious answer?? Take the train! Get the f**k out of there! You get one honeymoon, enjoy it!
I always wonder that too, does the only path to a solution lie in some internet stranger's opinion? Especially when the answer was obvious, and even the internet agrees...maybe it's validation they seek, or ego? "Hey guys, I have this interesting issue and a great idea to fix it, so I just want to see if I can get lots of people to talk about it!"...smh
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"Thank you for the very kind and generous offer, but we really need alone honeymoon time. If you expected 'family time', you should have made your intentions clear beforehand. If you cannot respect our wishes, we will be leaving tomorrow for our alone time."
Oh, I wouldn't give them advance notice at all - these parents are way to invasive & will do everything they can to keep the newlyweds from leaving! Leave a message for them at the front desk of the hotel, do not let them know the destination, and just go. If the parents have any idea of where the couple goes, I guarantee they will follow.
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My In-Laws paid for a honeymoon at the same resort. Different cabin, came up tho mid week,so we had 3 days alone. Hubby & I met up with them when we wanted. We knew they would be there at the same time, long before the week came. The difference with our story, the road between cabins was NOT used both ways. If we were seeing each other, we walked or drove TO their space, never did they come to the honeymoon cabin. I don't recall how much time we spent with them (it's been 40 years). I'd guess perhaps a meal or two. We spent the week hitting the spots that most tourists go, by ourselves, as they golfed and did their own thing as well.
Now that's the way to do it. Everyone gets to do their own thing. Much less creepy and everyone has a fun time.
Load More Replies... This doesn't ring totally true - who in the world would think it's ok to rap on someones door at 6 am?? On vacation/honeymoon?? Who goes and 'sits with' a couple who is sick?? If they only see each other 2-3 times a year - now they want to eat three meals a day with them?? Who goes along on someone's honeymoon - and it's a couple (not one person) who BOTH think this is all OK. And it all was a total surprise that they booked the same vacation? Somethin's off here - but a good story..
Overbearing parenta have 0 self awareness. It's their way or the highway, this couple chose the highway.
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Dear Clingy Parents, When your children get married, you need to learn to let go of them and allow them to be adults. You do not invite yourself along on their honeymoon, or anything else for that matter. You wait to be invited. You are not, contrary to popular delusion, entitled to every single aspect of your adult child's life. Get hobbies, do something with your house now that it's not all about raising kids anymore, plan things with your significant other, just don't go hover parent 5000 on your adult children. And if you feel the overwhelming compulsion to hover over them, get help, seek therapy before your child cuts you out of their life. It's not love, it's about control and you don't get to have it after they move out and start their own lives. I hope those two ditched the parents at every turn. It's what the hovering nuisances deserve after acting so entitled and creepy.
What's next, do they want to be in the room while you try to conceive your first child together? Dafuq.
Hahaha 😁! I had to laugh out loud! It reminds me of the movie "She's Having A Baby" and they're having a tiny bit of difficulty conceiving. In her husband's nightmares, her mother and father are sitting in chairs at the foot of the bed with mining helmets on with the spotlights turned on, giving him instructions on how to get the job done. He wakes up in a cold sweat. It's fantastic!
Load More Replies... Although I agree they should be assertive and tell the parents to back off, I think it's the son that needs to do it. They are his parents, they don't like her so if she gets involved, the resentment will be even worse. Maybe they will think that she's the one that really has a problem and if they push hard enough, she'll leave him. But if sonny stands up to them and draws a line in the sand, they may realize they will run the risk of losing their son and back off. Running away to be free is romantic and exciting. You're NTA for trying to be alone. But consider how it will affect future relations in the long run before leaving unannounced.
He did tell them; they didn't listen. While it's not a good sign for his parents, it's good to see him starting off the marriage with a shiny spine
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dude stop recycling old reddit posts i remember reading this 2 years ago
"I bought you this, I now control what you do with it" why the ffuck do people use this logic? Once you hand over that gift it's no longer in your control, it's not the buyers anymore. It BELONGS, control and all, to who it was gifted to. This situation should never have gotten this far. Running away instead of FORCING the shittheads to swallow thier lies and excuses of getting thier way and making them go away. People need to face thier family and make them accept, deal with, or just go away. Family means nothing except what YOU make it.
Tell them you want to F**k like animals all day and all night, that's what honeymoons are for and they are interfering with your sex life.
Considering this happened over 2 years ago, it'd be interesting to get an update on how things are going with the in-laws these days. Still not respecting boundaries?
NTA! I would disown that family. It's his family and not yours, after this I would never have direct contact with them. Extremely creepy to join your son's honeymoon and interrupting sexy time. Gifts should be no strings attached, but apparently they made the gift so you'd owe them a seven week hotel fun. Disgusting. Myself and my partner see his family once every couple of years, we live 3hr flight away, but we are expected to live our own life. And when we do visit, his parents expect us not to be constantly with them, but to enjoy home and go out. These parents have zero boundaries. Also if your son is already married and you participated in the wedding and even joined them on honeymoon the least you could do is accept the wife. You know being nice goes both ways, but since they don't like the wife I would have given their gift back and say you didn't sign contract for them to join in your marital bed (ordering service to room, and staying)
Interrupting even if they are only reading a book or listening to music, you're right it's their honeymoon.
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At least he's not siding with his parents, but HE needs to make the boundaries perfectly clear. And I guess I don't understand how they "make" 2 grown adults do anything you don't want to?
These nosey parents are the arseholes no doubt about that. But the hubby really shouldn't accept those gifts. I wouldn't start a new life being in someone's debt, even my parent's or my partner's parents. Then and again, I don't have much of a relationship with mine.
They could also try to get a room right next to the in laws and then proceed to make the loudest animal sex noises they possibly can late into the night. Then, when they have their meals and go to activities with the in laws, act like they cannot keep their hands off of each other. If the in laws complain, they can tell them, " We are on our honeymoon. What did you expect would happen?" I bet the in laws won't intrude on their private time again. The taking the train to another town and setting clear boundaries is probably a better option, though.
I'm shocked this is even an issue. I wouldn't even have proper clothes packed to be around my in-laws. Mom will keep dad in the room after seeing my A. and titties everywhere. I would be so uncomfortable I'll have to leave.
I would be like it's 6am. We are up but we're having honeymoon sex wanna come in and watch....... Guaranteed honeymoon and wedding life clear of them overstepping boundaries again.
Good for you, this sets the tone for your future dynamic with them. You and hubby can be naughty conspirators in how to outmaneuver the in-laws. You've already made it fun and pissed them off; continue that trend and they might back off. If not, your creativity in foiling them gives a little extra mischief to your private time together.
It's like another post on BP where the BFF wanted to join too, without being invited of course. How can people think this is okay?
I would lose my s**t. Ofc they're going to whinge because they paid for it. There's nearly always a catch. They'll interfere in some way or they'll beat you over the head with it forever.
If a gift comes with strings attached, then it's not a gift. The in laws paid for the honeymoon not because they wanted to do a nice thing for the newlyweds. They did it so they get to do whatever they want and guilt trip their son and daughter in law when they object. Same with parents paying for a wedding and then push they views and opinions about it saying "I'm paying for this, we do it my way"
NTA but you didn’t have to do what they wanted just because they paid. They can’t stop paying midway through just to punish you - resorts are paid in advance. You and your husband need to be more assertive- don’t answer the door when they knock, don’t eat with them - if they stalk you and join your table, have the restaurant move you and make a scene if you have to. Leaving was a good idea but work on being assertive to their face and letting them be upset.
It's a honeymoon. If you're not part of the marriage, you're not invited.
This is a crime if not of the law then of morality.
Load More Replies... A honeymoon should be between the 2 involved. Leave them alone to have fun and relax and whatever the heck they want. This is a horrible thing the parents are doing. Leave them be ffs. Hop on the train, run, do it.
Plus imagine what a fun story that will be to tell the friends back home. Hopping on a train and running away together is straight out of a romance movie!
Load More Replies... You want intimacy with your new husband, in-laws say that's what your room is for AND THEN KEEP KNOCKING ON THE DOOR TO SAID ROOM!!! At 6am no less! These are in-laws who are not ready for their precious little boy to have flown the nest. That stuff about being adults is just so much pig c**p (no offence to pigs, but their also poo smells the worst out of all the farm animals).
The parents know exactly what they are doing. They want to drive a wedge, and c**p up a new marriage. Running away together and having that bonding experience will probably deepen their relationship.
Are people so dependent on the opinions of strangers on the internet that they have to ask questions with such an obvious answer?? Take the train! Get the f**k out of there! You get one honeymoon, enjoy it!
I always wonder that too, does the only path to a solution lie in some internet stranger's opinion? Especially when the answer was obvious, and even the internet agrees...maybe it's validation they seek, or ego? "Hey guys, I have this interesting issue and a great idea to fix it, so I just want to see if I can get lots of people to talk about it!"...smh
Load More Replies... "Thank you for the very kind and generous offer, but we really need alone honeymoon time. If you expected 'family time', you should have made your intentions clear beforehand. If you cannot respect our wishes, we will be leaving tomorrow for our alone time."
Oh, I wouldn't give them advance notice at all - these parents are way to invasive & will do everything they can to keep the newlyweds from leaving! Leave a message for them at the front desk of the hotel, do not let them know the destination, and just go. If the parents have any idea of where the couple goes, I guarantee they will follow.
Load More Replies... My In-Laws paid for a honeymoon at the same resort. Different cabin, came up tho mid week,so we had 3 days alone. Hubby & I met up with them when we wanted. We knew they would be there at the same time, long before the week came. The difference with our story, the road between cabins was NOT used both ways. If we were seeing each other, we walked or drove TO their space, never did they come to the honeymoon cabin. I don't recall how much time we spent with them (it's been 40 years). I'd guess perhaps a meal or two. We spent the week hitting the spots that most tourists go, by ourselves, as they golfed and did their own thing as well.
Now that's the way to do it. Everyone gets to do their own thing. Much less creepy and everyone has a fun time.
Load More Replies... This doesn't ring totally true - who in the world would think it's ok to rap on someones door at 6 am?? On vacation/honeymoon?? Who goes and 'sits with' a couple who is sick?? If they only see each other 2-3 times a year - now they want to eat three meals a day with them?? Who goes along on someone's honeymoon - and it's a couple (not one person) who BOTH think this is all OK. And it all was a total surprise that they booked the same vacation? Somethin's off here - but a good story..
Overbearing parenta have 0 self awareness. It's their way or the highway, this couple chose the highway.
Load More Replies... Dear Clingy Parents, When your children get married, you need to learn to let go of them and allow them to be adults. You do not invite yourself along on their honeymoon, or anything else for that matter. You wait to be invited. You are not, contrary to popular delusion, entitled to every single aspect of your adult child's life. Get hobbies, do something with your house now that it's not all about raising kids anymore, plan things with your significant other, just don't go hover parent 5000 on your adult children. And if you feel the overwhelming compulsion to hover over them, get help, seek therapy before your child cuts you out of their life. It's not love, it's about control and you don't get to have it after they move out and start their own lives. I hope those two ditched the parents at every turn. It's what the hovering nuisances deserve after acting so entitled and creepy.
What's next, do they want to be in the room while you try to conceive your first child together? Dafuq.
Hahaha 😁! I had to laugh out loud! It reminds me of the movie "She's Having A Baby" and they're having a tiny bit of difficulty conceiving. In her husband's nightmares, her mother and father are sitting in chairs at the foot of the bed with mining helmets on with the spotlights turned on, giving him instructions on how to get the job done. He wakes up in a cold sweat. It's fantastic!
Load More Replies... Although I agree they should be assertive and tell the parents to back off, I think it's the son that needs to do it. They are his parents, they don't like her so if she gets involved, the resentment will be even worse. Maybe they will think that she's the one that really has a problem and if they push hard enough, she'll leave him. But if sonny stands up to them and draws a line in the sand, they may realize they will run the risk of losing their son and back off. Running away to be free is romantic and exciting. You're NTA for trying to be alone. But consider how it will affect future relations in the long run before leaving unannounced.
He did tell them; they didn't listen. While it's not a good sign for his parents, it's good to see him starting off the marriage with a shiny spine
Load More Replies... dude stop recycling old reddit posts i remember reading this 2 years ago
"I bought you this, I now control what you do with it" why the ffuck do people use this logic? Once you hand over that gift it's no longer in your control, it's not the buyers anymore. It BELONGS, control and all, to who it was gifted to. This situation should never have gotten this far. Running away instead of FORCING the shittheads to swallow thier lies and excuses of getting thier way and making them go away. People need to face thier family and make them accept, deal with, or just go away. Family means nothing except what YOU make it.
Tell them you want to F**k like animals all day and all night, that's what honeymoons are for and they are interfering with your sex life.
Considering this happened over 2 years ago, it'd be interesting to get an update on how things are going with the in-laws these days. Still not respecting boundaries?
NTA! I would disown that family. It's his family and not yours, after this I would never have direct contact with them. Extremely creepy to join your son's honeymoon and interrupting sexy time. Gifts should be no strings attached, but apparently they made the gift so you'd owe them a seven week hotel fun. Disgusting. Myself and my partner see his family once every couple of years, we live 3hr flight away, but we are expected to live our own life. And when we do visit, his parents expect us not to be constantly with them, but to enjoy home and go out. These parents have zero boundaries. Also if your son is already married and you participated in the wedding and even joined them on honeymoon the least you could do is accept the wife. You know being nice goes both ways, but since they don't like the wife I would have given their gift back and say you didn't sign contract for them to join in your marital bed (ordering service to room, and staying)
Interrupting even if they are only reading a book or listening to music, you're right it's their honeymoon.
Load More Replies... At least he's not siding with his parents, but HE needs to make the boundaries perfectly clear. And I guess I don't understand how they "make" 2 grown adults do anything you don't want to?
These nosey parents are the arseholes no doubt about that. But the hubby really shouldn't accept those gifts. I wouldn't start a new life being in someone's debt, even my parent's or my partner's parents. Then and again, I don't have much of a relationship with mine.
They could also try to get a room right next to the in laws and then proceed to make the loudest animal sex noises they possibly can late into the night. Then, when they have their meals and go to activities with the in laws, act like they cannot keep their hands off of each other. If the in laws complain, they can tell them, " We are on our honeymoon. What did you expect would happen?" I bet the in laws won't intrude on their private time again. The taking the train to another town and setting clear boundaries is probably a better option, though.
I'm shocked this is even an issue. I wouldn't even have proper clothes packed to be around my in-laws. Mom will keep dad in the room after seeing my A. and titties everywhere. I would be so uncomfortable I'll have to leave.
I would be like it's 6am. We are up but we're having honeymoon sex wanna come in and watch....... Guaranteed honeymoon and wedding life clear of them overstepping boundaries again.
Good for you, this sets the tone for your future dynamic with them. You and hubby can be naughty conspirators in how to outmaneuver the in-laws. You've already made it fun and pissed them off; continue that trend and they might back off. If not, your creativity in foiling them gives a little extra mischief to your private time together.
It's like another post on BP where the BFF wanted to join too, without being invited of course. How can people think this is okay?
I would lose my s**t. Ofc they're going to whinge because they paid for it. There's nearly always a catch. They'll interfere in some way or they'll beat you over the head with it forever.
If a gift comes with strings attached, then it's not a gift. The in laws paid for the honeymoon not because they wanted to do a nice thing for the newlyweds. They did it so they get to do whatever they want and guilt trip their son and daughter in law when they object. Same with parents paying for a wedding and then push they views and opinions about it saying "I'm paying for this, we do it my way"
NTA but you didn’t have to do what they wanted just because they paid. They can’t stop paying midway through just to punish you - resorts are paid in advance. You and your husband need to be more assertive- don’t answer the door when they knock, don’t eat with them - if they stalk you and join your table, have the restaurant move you and make a scene if you have to. Leaving was a good idea but work on being assertive to their face and letting them be upset.
It's a honeymoon. If you're not part of the marriage, you're not invited.
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