Just a realistic suggestion.. TELL everyone you're going away and just stay home... or take a honeymoon a couple of weeks after the wedding. You'll be too exhausted to enjoy wherever it is you're going to anyway.
Here's my suggestion:
Say you get married on a Saturday... go home Saturday night, rest up... Sunday morning, take a day trip to New England and stay at a bed and breakfast for a night or two. Go home, get settled, then a month later take a week-long honeymoon vacation. You'll be in a better frame of mind and can enjoy each other, as well as the place you're shelling out the big bucks to go to, even more.
When I went on my honeymoon, we went to San Francisco. No joke, the first place we stayed at (like one night, I think) we slept for about 20 hours with some breaks. I barely remember the place. Then the other 2 places we were at for the rest of the week were better, but we were in a strange area getting used to each other and it was a big shock... I will do it differently with wife number 2...
Oh, I haven't read through everything here, but how about a cruise?
Sorry, Brian.. I didn't see that...
interesting thoughts on the subject, but we're def. going away right after. and no cruise. I don't want to be stuck on a ship eating dinner every night with 14 worldly strangers at my table. the same 14 people. all week long. We actually just booked a place outside of Playa del Carmen. it looks real nice.