Of all customs related to marriage， the honeymoon is<br > designed to set the stage for a couple s lifelong relation-<br > ship. For the first ttme， alone together， they begin life as<br > a married couple.<br > Although the modem custom of honeymooning dates<br > from about the last 200 years， the tradition may have<br > roots in the days of the Germanic tribes of Europe. The<br > word itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon custom of<br > drinking mead (a fermented drink of water， yeast， and<br > honey) at wedding celebrations and for a month， or a<br >moon， afterward， It is po~ible that the custom arose<br >when early Teutonic suitors had to kidnap their brides<br >and keep them in hiding fol: a month， to cement the<br >relationship and give warring in-laws time to cool off.<br > Although today s newly married couples are surely<br >better acquainted than their tribal ancestors， there is still<br >a need for time together， away from the distractions of<br >daffy life， in order to forge a new relationship.<br > Married life began for us on the Queen Mary in Long<br >Beach， California. After our wedding and a dinner with<br >fi iencls， we drove to the ship， now permanently moored<br >in Long Beach， for a one-night honeymoon. We still<br >vividly remember the sense of intimacy created by the<br >period decor and fine woods in our dassic stateroom. It<br >didn t take much to imagine we were crossing the Atlan-<br >tic in the golden age of the great liners. For the two of<br >us， who make our living by traveling， it was the perfect<br >beg~g.<br > While it may seem obvious to say that honeymoons<br >are intensely personal， our experience illustrates that the<br >perfect honeymoon can be anything that is meaningful<br >to a couple， Whether spending one night in a humble<br >inn or taking a grand tour of the world that lasts for<br >months， a honeymoon has the power to bond couples<br >and make lasting memories that are carried throughout<br >life. When deciding on a honeymoon destination， it is<br >important to think of places that mean something special<br >to you both， or are cherished dreams. Because the wed-<br >ding festivities can often be hectic， and travel under the<br >best of conditions is tiring， it s sometimes a good idea to<br >plan one night in a local hotel or inn， then leave on your<br >