Why is it called a honeymoon? Every year millions of newlywed couples go on what’s known as a “honeymoon”. A honeymoon is a short vacation taken bya couple after they get married. It is often celebrated in places that are famous for being romantic, such as Paris or Venice. Why is it called a honeymoon? The word probably came from an old English tradition. In the 16th century in England , many people drank mead at weddings. Mead is a beer-like drink made from honey, water and fruit. People believed that if the bride drank mead for the first month after the wedding, she would have children. This is where we get the “honey” part of the word. The “moon” part comes from how long the bride should drink the mead. This is because the moon changes from a new moon to a full moon in around 29 days, which is about the length of a month. So that’s why we call it a honeymoon!