Belated Honeymoons Have Never Been More Chic

The movies always made jetting from your wedding reception to your honeymoon look so dreamy. I think of Annie in 1991’s Father of the Bride, calling her dad at the airport to thank him for her lavish nuptials before boarding her flight, or Kimberly and Michael in My Best Friend’s Wedding, driving away to their honeymoon. But when it came time for me to say “I do” last year, I could not imagine having to go to an airport, deal with TSA, and then be stuck in a metal tube for hours after my wedding.

And I’m not alone. More and more couples are choosing to have a belated honeymoon, delaying their travel plans by weeks, months, or even a year. (A 2026 Fora Travel survey found that a whopping 59% of newlyweds delay their honeymoons, opting for mini-moon trips in the meantime.) A longer delay not only gives you one less thing to plan before the big day but also lets you give it the attention it deserves, while giving your bank account a break. Thanks to the Capital One Travel app, booking my dream vacation to Hawaii was a breeze.

My husband and I had Hawaii in mind for a while because we both wanted a tropical destination we hadn’t visited before. Through the Capital One Travel app, we easily booked first-class flights, a stunning five-star hotel, and an array of adventurous and luxurious activities in Maui within three months of setting off. It’s so easy to become overwhelmed by planning (so many options!), and if you have decision fatigue (like me!), it helps to plan everything in one app. I found that cardholders can redeem their existing Capital One rewards for travel bookings, and depending on your card, you earn up to 10x miles on hotels and rental cars and 5x miles on flights, vacation rentals, and activities.

Nothing is chicer than having a dream honeymoon and not overly stressing over planning it. Need proof? Here’s a recap of my belated honeymoon, which my husband and I planned for our first wedding anniversary in October.

Day 1: Settling In At Hotel Wailea

My husband and I aren’t big-box resort people, so we wanted a luxury hotel that felt more low-key. Nestled near Maui’s west coast, Hotel Wailea is a five-star boutique property with only 72 guest suites. The adults-only resort is a perfect choice for couples who want a serene, relaxing stay in paradise.

We spent our first day settling into our Celebration Suite with a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean. We stopped by the pool bar for a quick, delicious bite of poke nachos.

Day 2: A Beachy Day For A Luau

After a delicious breakfast at Hotel Wailea’s aptly titled The Restaurant (highly recommend the crabcake Benedict), we headed to nearby White Rock Beach to swim in the ocean and relax on the sand. Later that day, we headed to Marriott’s Wailea Beach Resort for the Te Au Moana Luau, where we dined on traditional Hawaiian dishes family-style and enjoyed the show, which included live music, hula, and Polynesian dances along the oceanfront.

Day 3: A Four-Wheeling Adventure

In the morning, we headed to the West Maui Mountains for an ATV adventure. Since I’m a city kid through and through, I don’t drive, so I played passenger princess as my husband navigated the rugged paths, following our guide to breathtaking views of the Waiheʻe Valley and coastline.

After a fun day, we wound down with a romantic sunset dinner at The Birdcage, a Japanese grill located at Hotel Wailea. The snow crab claws, garden salad, and burger were delicious, but the Japanese A5 Wagyu steak was to die for. Even after all that, we still had room for dessert: a Hawaiian variation of Baked Alaska.

Day 4: A Spa Day & Sunset Cruise

After an early breakfast, my husband and I took advantage of Hotel Wailea’s in-room spa treatments, and each of us got a relaxing deep-tissue massage. The rest of the day, we took it easy, lounging at the pool cabanas for lunch and then heading to Maalaea Harbor for Alii Nui’s Royal Sunset Dinner at Sea. Aboard a catamaran, we enjoyed a five-course meal as we watched the rain clear up and rainbows appear before a magnificent Maui sunset.

Day 5: The Road To Hana

On our last full day in Maui, we had to experience a ride on the Road to Hana, a winding, scenic roadway through the island’s tropical east coast. We had a private tour with Epic Maui Hikes, which took us to gorgeous rainforest sights, a black sand beach, and beautiful waterfalls (we swam in one). Our guide also fished for fresh shrimp and grilled it for lunch, and on the way back, we stopped by Hoʻokipa Beach Park to see sea turtles lounging in the sand.

It was an exciting way to wrap up our honeymoon in Maui, which was as adventurous and relaxing as we had wanted from the start. I don’t think that would’ve been possible if I had to worry about planning it before my wedding.