Hard-up Brits ditch traditional honeymoon for 'mini-moons'

The 'mini-moon' - a short break for a couple of days after the big day while saving up for a proper holiday months later - emerged in a study into how the credit crunch has affected young couples who have just tied the knot or are about to.

The poll, which was carried out by esure travel insurance, found a third of people went on a short trip away - lasting an average of two nights - immediately after their big day.

It also emerged that a fifth (22 per cent) of newlyweds delayed their honeymoon by weeks or even months. And 17 per cent of those said they simply couldn't afford to go on their dream trip ‘straight' after paying for the wedding.

Mike Pickard, Head of travel insurance at esure, said: "It's interesting to see how trends have changed over the years. With the rise in the number of people cohabiting before they get married nowadays, there are clearly a lot of newlyweds wanting to use their honeymoon as the ultimate break away before they can truly settle down to married life.

"The costs of a wedding alone can seriously stretch the finance of newlyweds and with the current added financial pressures of the credit crunch, it's not surprising that we have seen a sudden surge in the number of mini-mooners."

The poll of 3,000 adults revealed 53 per cent of Brits know of couples who are leaving their post-wedding holiday until later on in their married life.

And almost a third of married folk actually wish they had gone on a mini-moon before their proper honeymoon when they tied the knot.

The research also highlighted that eight per cent of those who delayed their honeymoon did it to make sure they had the best weather in their destination.

Seven per cent had no other choice after using all of their savings to pay for their wedding, and another ten per cent couldn't get the time off work for both the wedding and the honeymoon in one go.

And while 21 per cent of those who delay their honeymoon wait at least six months, ten per cent even leave it a year or more before finally going away.

The research also found that 28 per cent of couples plan the date of their wedding around their dream honeymoon destination - in order to jet off straight after their big day to visit the country at its best time of year.

Almost a quarter said their honeymoon was more important than their actual wedding day, and 35 per cent even admitted they preferred their trip away to their ceremony.

More than 26 per cent wish they spent more money on their first holiday as a married couple and less on their big day.

Mike Pickard, from esure added: "When you are planning your trip of a lifetime - be it a honeymoon or a wedding abroad - amidst all the excitement, it can be easy to overlook something as basic as travel insurance cover. Couples that are planning on spending significant money to make sure their honeymoon is a memorable one, should double-check before buying their travel insurance policy to make sure they are adequately covered - whether it be a mini-moon or a holiday of a lifetime."