For decades, the honeymoon of a newly married couple in India has been a topic of scrutiny, subjected to equal amounts of blessings and pressure. Until a few generations ago, it was a common practice for families, especially on the groom’s side, to accompany newlyweds on their honeymoon, or for it to serve as a patriarchal pretext for the marriage to be consummated immediately and for the wife to perform her procreative duty.. As these oppressive guidelines now begin to dissipate, what we’re left with is the opportunity for a relaxing vacation that has no expectations attached to it. After the chaos and congregation that happens at Indian weddings, most couples choose to spend their honeymoon in leisurely isolation. However, a new trend is emerging, where couples are going on a honeymoon with their closest friends. Cue: the buddymoon. A way for the wedding celebrations to be prolonged with chosen family, a buddymoon is an intentional expansion of the nuclear unit of a couple that destabilises the hierarchy that has been traditionally established around romantic coupledom.. Shortly after wrapping up their wedding celebrations in Hyderabad, Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda checked into a beachside Airbnb villa in Koh Samui for a buddymoon with a close group of friends. For a couple as in the public eye as they are, the choice to spend their first post-wedding getaway with friends felt like an intentional choice to reconnect over unhurried dinners curated by a private chef, reminisce over long walks along the beach, revel in music and pool games, and chat late into the night.
