This is What Newlyweds are ACTUALLY Doing on Their Wedding Night
Yes, many couples do "seal the deal" on their wedding night—but that's not all they're doing! According to a new study, these are the other wedding night activities couples are partaking in.
Many couples imagine their wedding night to be something out of a romance novel. And for many newlyweds, that is indeed the case. According to a new WeddingWire survey of over 350 recently-married couples, nearly 40 percent of newlyweds had sex on their wedding night (and 22 percent of brides donned special lingerie for the occasion). But you might be surprised to learn that “sealing the deal,” so to speak, isn’t the only thing couples are doing on their wedding night.
So what’s actually going on after the after-party? These are some of the, er, activities, couples are partaking in on their wedding night.
Staying in a hotel
There’s something so special about staying in a hotel, from the cozy bed to the housekeeping to, of course, room service. But never is a hotel stay more amazing than on your wedding night, providing privacy and an added sense of luxury and romance that you probably wouldn’t find if you just headed home. At a hotel, you’ll be removed from the stress and chores you might find at your house or apartment (hello, giant laundry pile!) and allow yourself to focus on your first night together as a married couple. It turns out that 46 percent of newlyweds stay in a hotel on their wedding night. And, in case you’re curious, over 11 percent of newlyweds order room service, too. Which brings us to another popular wedding night activity…
Eating food
You probably won’t be surprised to learn that many couples can’t find the time to eat during their wedding reception—there’s too much mingling, dancing, and smooching to be done! But this meal-skipping can cause newlyweds to become hangry (hungry + angry)—and big no-no for the wedding night! To avoid this, over 26 percent of couples admitted to eating food in bed after their reception, whether it’s the aforementioned room service, takeout, or leftovers provided by their caterer.
Looking at photos from the wedding on social media
Many brides and grooms might experience “wedding withdrawal” immediately after their big day has ended. All the planning and preparation and now…it’s over. But there is a way to relive your wedding—through all the photos and social media posts that you can easily scroll through via your wedding hashtag. And it turns out that one in four couples spend at least some time looking at photos of their wedding posted on social media on their wedding night. Yes, it might seem pretty vain to look at pictures of the wedding instead of, you know, actually enjoying being married, but we think it’s simply a way to look back on the day fondly, and laugh at the antics you may have missed while you were chatting with your great-aunt.
Opening gifts
It can be pretty exciting to amass that pile of envelopes during your reception and for some couples, waiting to open those wedding gifts can be downright impossible. According to the WeddingWire survey, nearly 23 percent of newlyweds open gifts on their wedding night. If you choose to go this route, just be sure to keep track of who got you what (an online guest list tool can make this super easy), and stash the gifts in a safe place before turning in for the night!
Partying all night
For some couples, the wedding night extends until the wee hours of the morning. Over 21 percent of couples stay up all night partying, even after their reception technically ends. If you and your new spouse are the party-all-night types, we recommend hosting an after-party so that your pals know where you’ll be post-reception. Whether this means hitting a favorite bar or drinking around a campfire, the celebration can continue as long as you have the energy to keep partying!
Passing out in their wedding attire
On the other hand, there are some couples who are just plain exhausted after their reception. Weddings can be pretty tiring, especially for the guests of honor, so some couples save the sex for another day in favor of some zzzz’s. In fact, nearly 7 percent of respondents admit to passing out in their wedding attire post-reception. Remember, though, that you only get one wedding night, so consider holding off on sleeping to spend some romantic time together so there won’t be any regrets later on. If you end up being late to your post-wedding brunch to catch a few extra minutes of shut-eye, your guests will understand!
