As most people know, the honeymoon is a traditional vacation taken by a newlywed couple immediately after their wedding celebration is over. Generally, a honeymoon can last anywhere from a week to a month, though it is sometimes of a shorter or longer duration.

No one can say for certain what the origins of the word "honeymoon" are, though various theories exist. Many historians agree that the "moon" part of the word refers to the "Full Moon" of the wedding; in ancient times, Teutonic weddings were only held under full moons. Some people believe that the "honey" part of honeymoon refers to the tradition in some European countries of a newly married couple drinking honey mead for a month.

However, some other theorists believe that the word "honeymoon" is merely a corruption of "hymeneal," which refers to a wedding song. Whatever the case, the honeymoon has been a tradition ever since ancient times, though its function has changed somewhat.

The first uses of the word "honeymoon" appeared in the 16th century, though it did not refer to a vacation at that time. As couples were expected to remain chaste until marriage, the honeymoon was simply a time for them to get acquainted in a more physical sense. The inclusion of a vacation became part of the honeymoon tradition much later, first appearing in the 1800s, though it did not become a common practice for the general public until around 1930.