Yes, I want (to the sun)

You become happier from vacation than from getting married

Those who are engaged inevitably start looking for interesting facts about weddings and everything that comes with it.

 
So I soon found myself – with my ring on my finger – in a large-scale, worldwide study by booking.com. They reported: ‘Forget that wedding day, you become happier from a beautiful trip.’ Of course, they benefit from positive news about travel, but still. The study, which involved 17,000 people from seventeen different countries, shows that the majority becomes happier from traveling than from new possessions or major life events like getting married.

 
So here I am, with that wedding planner and price tags for flowers and cakes in front of me. You could buy quite a few bikinis and cocktails on white beaches with that money, yes.

 
According to the researchers, it’s about both sporty trips with a backpack on your back and a relaxed sun-sea-sand vacation. Traveling not only makes you happier than a wedding day, but also happier than other major life events. Like when you get engaged or when you have a new job. How come? The anticipation is what makes the difference.

 
That anticipation is much greater in the lead-up to a week away than when you start a new job or put on a white dress. Many brides-to-be experience more stress in the lead-up to the big day instead of enjoying that special time. And that new job undoubtedly gives you a bit of stress over time (think: meeting deadlines, overflowing schedules; you name it).

 
And well, you don’t have that many worries when you’re strolling along the Côte d’Azur, of course. Just quickly googling for flight tickets, you know. Who knows, it might still fit in the wedding budget…

 
Another fact from the study: ‘More than half of the participants (56%) prioritize vacations over possessions like clothing, jewelry, and gadgets.’ Hmm. I understand that collecting moments is more important than collecting things, but uh, I can hardly go to those beach clubs in a hobo bag from four years ago and without my golden Chanel sunglasses, right? I’m now sure: this is not exactly my type of research.

 
A bit wistfully, I flip through my magazine with wedding venues. Luckily, I just packed my suitcase for a week in sunny Marbella. And… Wait a minute. After a wedding day comes a honeymoon. Right?

Good to know:

– In 2016, 65,249 couples tied the knot. Of these couples, 63,813 are man and wife.
– Last year, there were 254 couples in the Netherlands who had been married for over 71 years. In 2016, there were 62,225 people who had been married for exactly one year. (Source: CBS)