“What is a Mini Moon in Connecticut?”

Your Mini Moon should be as long or as short as you want it to be.

The “Moon” part of “Honeymoon” originally meant “Month”, the length of one full cycle of the moon. The “Honey” part used to mean “Honeyed Wine” or mead, an ancient beverage fermented from diluted honey.

In the 21^st century, a Mini Moon may be only a weekend or a long weekend. (The average honeymoon lasts between seven and nine days.) Often couples stay within the state of Connecticut, making travel easy and quick.

Mini Moons tend to be very budget friendly. Because you’re likely to be travelling a relatively short distance by car (or possibly by train!), you won’t need to book a flight. Nor will you need a passport.

Think local for your Mini Moon. Either local to where you live or local to where you have your Minimony.

One couple whose Minimony I officiated thought about renting a small bare-bones place for their weekend Mini Moon. The groom-to-be asked about places near the ceremony site they had chosen. When I asked him if they were planning to mini moon at a bed-and-breakfast he said they were planning to cook for themselves. When I asked who was going to shop, cook, and clean, he thought hard and decided that a bed-and-breakfast (B&B) would be far better. The new Mr. & Mrs. were delighted with their stay in Mystic, Connecticut.

Please keep in mind that somebody must do the humdrum tasks. You probably don’t want either of you to do anything except relax and enjoy your stay.

If you are going to have your ceremony and Mini Moon near the Connecticut shoreline, you will find B&B locations near every city and town. Each tends to be unique, with its own personality. The House of 1833 in Old Mystic, Connecticut is a case in point. The decor is from the early 1800s, but the rooms have flat-screen TVs, cable, full private baths (some with oversize Jacuzzi hot tubs), and even Wi-Fi! The food is comparable to that in a fine restaurant. It has been a pleasure and an honor to marry several couples there, and each one raved about the hospitality. And did I mention that the Mystic Aquarium and Mystic Seaport Museum are a short drive away? (Icing on the cake!)

Hotels often offer more amenities than most B&Bs. Would you like a swimming pool? A view of the water and a beach? A lounge with live music? A restaurant in the hotel that is better than average for fine dining? One such place is Madison Beach Hotel in Madison, Connecticut. You can have your Minimony on the beach wearing shorts and flip-flops (or bare feet), go for a swim, and then celebrate in the lounge.

I can’t promise that it will happen to you, but one couple had just had their elopement on the Madison Beach Hotel beach when a charming lady struck up a conversation with me in the lobby. When she heard that the ladies had just been married, she identified herself as one of the owners and arranged a bottle of chilled champagne as a gift from the staff and management. Madison Beach Hotel is very highly recommended! The food and service are superb.

Is having your ceremony at Gillette Castle State Park more to your liking? Or by the magnificent waterfall at Devil’s Hopyard? The Gelston House, just a couple of miles away overlooking the Connecticut River, is a delightful place to dine and stay. Located right next door, within a leisurely walk, is Goodspeed Opera House, where plays and musicals are often tried out before going to Broadway (think “Annie”).

It is important to note that the Gelston House has no elevator to the second and third floor rooms and suites.

Full disclosure: I have no financial nor any other interest in where you have your Mini Moon. All offers have been and will continue to be politely rejected

A Weddingmoon is a combination wedding and honeymoon.

A Weddingmoon can also be a combined Minimony (or elopement) and Mini Moon.

If you and your guests were to travel to Mystic, Connecticut to have your Minimony aboard the Schooner Argia, for example, and you were to stay in Mystic for your Mini Moon, you’d be having a Weddingmoon.

My best advice? Don’t worry about what you call it. Just enjoy! It should be one of the most joy-filled times of your life.

An Earlymoon is a chance for you and your intended to get away and enjoy some quality time together.

An Earlymoon is sometimes called a “Pre-wedding Getaway” because it gives you two time to relax together before the stress of pre-wedding planning takes over. An Earlymoon is also a time to reconnect one-on-one and be reminded of exactly why you’re engaged and will be married soon.

Earlymoons don’t have to be expensive or complex. Yours could be as simple as renting a beach cottage or a mountain cabin for a weekend, or even a staycation.

Some sources report that Earlymoons are the latest trend in weddings and honeymoons. That answers the question “Can you have a honeymoon before the wedding?”

Good question!

Your guess is as good as or better than mine. So far, I’ve seen Mini-Moon more referring to a small natural or artificial satellite.

The term has caught on mostly through word of mouth, so only time will tell. In the meantime, take one and enjoy it!