Germany settle the honeymoon dispute for newly-wed couple

Germany settle the honeymoon dispute for newly-wed couple

Instead of opting for familiar honeymoon destinations like Paris, Bali and Venice, Singaporean newlyweds Tommy Hoo and Joyce Xu used Monday's World Cup final to help them decide.

Unable to agree on where to go for their honeymoon after tying the knot in April, the couple decided - before the tournament began - that they would head to the country who managed to bag the trophy.

Now, they will be making plans to visit Germany after the European nation beat Argentina 1-0 in the final on Monday.

Surprisingly, the idea came not from Hoo, 31, an export manager who supported Germany in the tournament, but from his wife who rooted for a Lionel Messi-led Argentina.

"The World Cup fever was creeping in after our wedding, and the idea struck me when my husband and I were discussing the countries competing in it," said Xu, 30, a retail planning executive.

Added Hoo: "I was game for it because this would not only spice up our life together as husband and wife, but also be a meaningful way of marking our marriage."

Like other newlyweds, the couple - who dated for seven years before settling down - wanted a honeymoon that was special, and held in a place which neither of them had been to before.

While going to World Cup hosts Brazil for their honeymoon fitted their criteria, they were unable to make plans in time for the tournament as they started thinking about the trip only after their wedding ceremony.

They also nearly got more than they bargained for, when countries like Costa Rica and Colombia threatened to go far in the quadrennial tournament.

"It was a huge risk we were both taking.

"On one hand, it'll be nice to go to exotic places like Colombia but the crime rate there meant it may not be a great honeymoon destination," said Hoo.

As their favourite teams made it to the final, that made watching the game more exciting for the couple, with so much more at stake. Although Xu was unhappy that Argentina lost, she has come to terms with her honeymoon destination, where they intend to spend two weeks at the end of the year.

"It'll probably be easier for us to move around in Germany since it's a developed country," said Xu.

"The only sad thing is that we won't be able to see the king penguins in Argentina."

terong@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on July 16, 2014.
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