The concept of a honeymoon dates as far back as the 5th century when couples were given honey wine to consume over one moon cycle (about one month) and spend their days trying to make their first baby.
While the idea of the honeymoon has evolved greatly over the years, the post-nuptial ritual of unencumbered intimacy between newlyweds is still unchanged.
One woman, called “selfish” by her brother after denying his request for a “couples’ honeymoon,” says her sibling may get the “wrong location” to keep him and his boyfriend from hijacking her romantic vacation.
Keep reading to learn more about the honeymoon and the squabbling siblings!
In mid-January, a 25-year-old woman shared her story on the ‘Am I the A******’ subreddit detailing a situation with her pushy brother and her upcoming honeymoon.
The woman explains that she married her 27-year-old husband almost one year ago, and because money was tight at the time, they were unable to afford a honeymoon.
After saving enough money for a romantic getaway, the newlyweds are planning a February vacation in Hawaii to celebrate their one-year anniversary.
Excited for the much-deserved vacation, the author said she regrettably shared the plans with her family, and her 23-year-old brother.
She writes, “My brother suddenly chimed in saying that Hawaii is a great idea and that him and his boyfriend will join too.” Shocked over the proposed intrusion, the original poster (OP) continues, “I was taken aback when he said that, and I told him that this isn’t a random trip and it’s supposed to be our honeymoon.”
Completely dismissing his sister’s pleas to enjoy the vacation alone with her husband, her brother persisted, next suggesting a “double couples’ honeymoon together, so him and his boyfriend can feel the experience of one as well.”
She pens, “I told him that if he wants to feel the experience of a honeymoon, they can just go to a separate trip instead of hijacking ours.”
Redditors jumped in with comments, supporting the OP’s position that honeymoons are not team activities.
One comments, “The very point of the honeymoon is to get one-on-one time. Your brother can and should most definitely have a honeymoon experience…somewhere far away from you. Entitled much?”
Another writes, “Honeymoons are not a group event, by design.”
‘Selfish’ sister
Unfortunately, her brother wasn’t on board with the idea of separate trips and took a different approach in convincing his sister to let him tag along.
The OP shares, “My brother went off at me saying that I’m selfish for not sharing this experience with him when I know that our country doesn’t allow gay marriages.” Trying to send his sister on a guilt trip, he lamented that he will never experience a real honeymoon “and this will be as close as he gets.”
Pointing out that same sex marriage is legal in Hawaii, another netizen offered a reasonable solution for the brother: “He can get married in Hawaii! At a separate time and place from OP’s stay.”
‘Wrong location’
Meanwhile, when siblings squabble, oftentimes parents get involved.
“My parents are now backing him up as well (well, mostly my mom, but my dad usually goes along with her in order to avoid family conflict).”
Before asking Redditors, “AITA for not allowing my brother and his boyfriend to come to my honeymoon?” the OP writes, “[Not going to lie], at this point I feel like giving my brother the wrong location of our honeymoon so there’s no possibility of him and his boyfriend somehow hijacking it.”
Online users rallied their support behind the OP, saying that her brother piggybacking on her honeymoon will not give him the experience he’s wanting.
One Redditor asks, “Your brother wants a ‘honeymoon experience’ but wants to go with another couple??” Aligning with that comment, another user writes, “If your brother wants the honeymoon experience, he can go on one. You going alone on your honeymoon doesn’t prevent him from going on an (unmarried) honeymoon with his honey.”
A cyber fan, looking to make sense of the bizarre situation, adds, “There’s a decent chance that the brother and his bf want to reduce costs by having OP and her husband pick up the cost.”
“‘Reduce costs’ is a nice way of saying mooch, sponge or freeload,” says another.
One Redditor was a huge advocate for the OP’s idea of providing them with the “wrong location.”
“Hawaii has multiple islands, be a shame if they somehow misunderstood you and ended up on the wrong one,” the user writes.
What would you do if your sibling insisted on being part of your honeymoon? Please share your thoughts with us and then share this story so we can get the conversation started!
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