5 Essential Honeymoon Planning Tips
One: Check the Weather Before Booking Your Trip. Before you book your honeymoon, find out what the weather is usually like in your destination at the time of year in which you will be married. Hurricane season in the Atlantic happens to coincide with prime wedding season, so if a beach honeymoon is your dream, think Hawaii rather than the Cayman Islands.
Two: Check Your Documents. Plenty of people do not have passports, but you now need one to travel to any international destination, including Canada and Mexico. Applying for a passport can take a couple of months, so this is not something you can leave until the last minute! You may also need a visa for travel to some countries. Check the US State Department’s website for specifics.
Three: Plan For Your Spending. It is a good idea to have some cash in whatever the local currency is where you will be going. Your best bet is to exchange your dollars for euros or pesos at your local bank before leaving town to avoid the fees and surcharges at hotel and airport currency exchange desks. If you plan to put your souvenirs on your credit card, call the issuing banks of all your accounts beforehand to find out which one has the lowest fees for international transactions.
Four: Pack Wisely. Even if you are just going to the beach, pack nice quality shorts and polo shirts rather than cut offs and ratty old t-shirts. It is nice to look good for your new spouse after all, and the locals where you honeymoon will appreciate the effort as well. If heading to Europe, bring stylish walking shoes (no white sneakers!), and skirts instead of shorts. Leave your expensive jewelry at home, and instead bring along your crystal bridal jewelry for dressing up in the evenings.
Five: Keep Memories Alive. A key piece of wedding advice is to hire a great photographer to capture your wedding day memories, but what about your honeymoon? Bring along a high quality digital camera with plenty of extra batteries so you can take lots of photos. Save tickets and programs for a honeymoon scrapbook, and if you like to write, keep a travel journal of your adventures. You will enjoy revisiting the memories of your perfect honeymoon year after year.
Filed under Honeymoons, Wedding Planning | Tags: honeymoon tips, Honeymoons, wedding advice | Comment (0)Fun Ideas For Active Honeymoons
In the springtime, you will have many great possibilities for a active honeymoon. The nice thing about spring is you can head for a warmer or colder climate to pursue your favorite type of sport. It is not too late to head up to Canada for spring skiing. In March and April, resorts in Colorado and Idaho can also still have some great skiing going on, although the Eastern resorts may be winding down. If you are tired of the cold, head south for your honeymoon. Spring golf is beautiful in places like Hilton Head, SC before the summer heat and humidity hit.
It would be marvelous to go on a sailing honeymoon. There are some great companies that will rent you the sailboat and crew. You can sail when you want to, and then let someone else captain the boat when you want a break. Sail around the islands of the Caribbean, have picnics on private islands, and swim off the side of the boat. Another great active summer honeymoon is hiking in the mountains of the Appalachian Trail. Check out the northern end of the trail, such as the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The temperatures will be comfortable for hiking, and of course the scenery is breathtaking. Book a night or two in a romantic hotel like the Mt. Washington Inn so you can dress up in a pretty dress and your wedding jewelry for an intimate fancy dinner. It is your honeymoon, after all!
In the autumn, cycling, horseback riding, and hiking make great honeymoon trips for the sporty couple. It would be just wonderful to go on a cycling trip in the Great Smokies in the autumn when the leaves are starting to change. Check out areas like Asheville, NC and eastern Tennessee, which will have pleasant temperatures and beautiful scenery. The fall is also a good time to head out West. You could go horseback riding in the deserts of Arizona once the intense summer heat has subsided. Or stay at a dude ranch in Wyoming and ride every day. It would be a fun and unique vacation for the newlyweds who like to stay busy.
There are certainly many great honeymoon options in the winter months for active couples. It is the perfect time of year for outdoor winter sports like skiing and snowboarding, whether you are in the East or the West. Don’t overlook the charming ski resorts in the mountains of the Southeast, either, such as Wintergreen in Virginia. If downhill skiing isn’t your cup of tea, you can honeymoon at a romantic country inn in New England that offers great cross country skiing and snowshoeing trails. You can go out and enjoy the frosty air by day, and cuddle by a roaring fire in the evenings. Some inns even have guest rooms with fireplaces right in the room. Put on a special piece of your wedding jewelry and a sexy dress and enjoy a night in.
Filed under Honeymoons, Wedding Jewelry | Tags: honeymoon ideas, Honeymoons, Wedding Jewelry, what to do on honeymoon | Comment (0)Easy Ways to Make Your Wedding More Eco-Friendly
One: Use Less Paper. Think about how much paper is used in a traditional wedding: save the date cards, invitations, response cards, double envelopes, bridal shower and rehearsal dinner invitations, programs, menus, escort cards, table numbers, gift wrap…the list goes on and on! It is actually pretty easy to reduce the amount of paper you use for your eco-friendly wedding. Skip the response cards, save the dates, and double envelopes. Write the reception menu on a chalkboard, bistro style. Wrap the bridesmaid jewelry gifts in pretty scarves instead of wrapping paper (plus the scarves will be nice bonus gifts in addition to the bridesmaid jewelry!). And for the essentials like the wedding invitations, opt for recycled paper or an alternative fiber paper like hemp or bamboo.
Two: Think Beyond Cut Flowers. Every wedding needs beautiful decorations. That does not mean that you necessarily need to buy hundreds or even thousands of cut flowers that will be thrown away at the end of the reception. For the centerpieces, consider potted flowering seasonal plants that can be planted in the ground after your wedding. Little pots of herbs displayed in groups in the middle of the table could be not only eco-friendly centerpieces, but can also be taken home as the wedding favors. Grow them yourself from organic seeds to save money. If you do opt for cut flowers, choose organic locally grown blossoms whenever possible.
Three: Serve Organic or Local Food. Wouldn’t your guests enjoy a wonderful meal made from wholesome fresh ingredients grown without the use of pesticides? And wouldn’t they prefer a flavorful piece of free-range chicken that is not full of hormones or antibiotics? Food that is raised or grown with care is both better for the environment and tastier. Local produce and meat are also good options, even if they are not organic. At least you will be supporting local farmers and reducing the amount of fuel used to transport the food from the farm to your reception table. Consider working with local farmers to produce something special like farmhouse cheddar or goat’s milk soap for the wedding favors.
Four: Plan a Green Honeymoon. For couples who want a relaxing honeymoon with a reduced impact on the planet, a trip to an eco-lodge is just the thing. They are located in naturally beautiful spots around the globe, and are retreats which focus on conservation and appreciation for the local culture. At the same time, the amenities at many eco-lodges are top-notch, so don’t feel like you will be roughing it as you lounge in solar powered splendor. Isn’t it wonderful when you can green up your wedding without sacrificing a thing?
Filed under Bridesmaid Gifts, Bridesmaid Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: bridesmaid jewelry gifts, eco-friendly wedding, green wedding, Honeymoons | Comment (0)Prepare for Your Winter Beach Honeymoon
What could be more wonderful than jetting off to a balmy tropical vacation in the middle of winter? Oh yeah – jetting off to a balmy tropical destination for your honeymoon! Get prepared now for your winter beach honeymoon to ensure that the trip is all that you dreamed it would be.
If you are leaving the U.S., step one is to make sure that you have your passport. They are now required for almost any non-domestic tropical destination, so if you do not already have a passport, now is the time to verify whether or not one is needed for your trip. Before you head to the airport, make a photocopy of your passports and leave them with someone in case you lose yours while traveling. It is also smart to make a copy for yourself and to pack it in a different bag than the original passport.
Then there is the matter of what to bring for clothing on your beach honeymoon. Most resorts are fairly casual, so you will not need a lot of dressy outfits. That said, you still want to make an effort to look good for your new spouse, so don’t just pack ratty old shorts and t-shirts. For the guys, a wardrobe of golf shirts, a few button down shirts, nice shorts, khakis (and maybe a navy blazer for an elegant dinner) will look relaxed but put together. For the new wife, pretty sundresses will look cute worn with a piece of beach wedding jewelry for those romantic dinners and sightseeing. Finding a new swimsuit in the winter can be challenging, so take advantage of late-season sales now, or allow enough time to order and return swimsuits from an online retailer.
Depending on the exact timing of your winter beach honeymoon, you may also wish to consider purchasing travel insurance, in case your trip is disrupted by a storm. Something else to look into is the average temperatures at the beaches that interest you. “Tropical” does not always mean that a place will be warm enough to swim and sunbathe. While the weather in the Bahamas around Thanksgiving will be much warmer than in Chicago, some days may be a little chilly for sunbathing, especially if there is a breeze. More Southern beaches like Aruba, however, have perfect beach weather all year round. Bon voyage!
Filed under Honeymoons, Wedding Jewelry | Tags: beach honeymoon, Honeymoons, winter beach honeymoon | Comment (0)Honeymoon Planning 101
Just getting started on planning your honeymoon? Great! Before you make any arrangements, get the tips you need to make planning a romantic and memorable honeymoon trip a breeze. Welcome to Honeymoon Planning 101.
When it comes to a memorable honeymoon, the most important thing is to do something that you both enjoy as a couple. The beach honeymoon is very traditional, but if neither of you enjoys the sun or water, it would be a poor choice! Perhaps your style is checking out all that a big city has to offer or maybe you have always dreamed of seeing Alaska. A festival could be just your cup of tea or perhaps you have both always longed to see your ancestral homelands. Think about what would make the trip really special, and plan it based on that, rather than tradition.
Knowing what to bring on your trip is also important, as is knowing what to leave at home. Check the local guidebooks for your honeymoon destination to find out how casual people typically dress. Make an effort to look your best; it is supposed to be a romantic trip, after all! A few common packing tips include bringing nice shoes (no sneakers!) and skirts or pants instead of shorts for a tour of Europe. Beach vacations are usually fairly low-key, but you should definitely bring along a pretty dress and some of your wedding jewelry to wear for intimate dinners. Then there is what not to bring: anything very valuable, especially very flashy jewelry or watches. Bring a minimum of jewelry; the earrings and necklace from your wedding jewelry set should be plenty, especially if you will be spending most of your time lounging on the beach.
Finally, be sure you make plans to capture all of those beautiful honeymoon memories. A good camera (bring extra batteries!) is a must. You may also wish to bring a small travel journal to record your memories and impressions, as well as a folder to save tickets and other memorabilia for scrapbooking. Meaningful souvenirs will help you to remember your wonderful honeymoon for years to come. Skip the tacky tourist stuff like t-shirts and pick up one or two really special local items, such as a piece of Venetian glass from a honeymoon in Italy. Even a collection of seashells would make a lovely honeymoon memento when artfully displayed in a shadow box. Choose that special something that will always remind you of your first ever vacation as husband and wife.
Filed under Honeymoons, Wedding Jewelry | Tags: Honeymoons, Wedding Jewelry | Comment (1)Wedding Compromises Worth Considering
When you start planning your wedding, of course you hope to have everything necessary to make your dream wedding come to life. The reality, though is that wedding planning involves a lot of pieces which need to all be fit together, including budget, family, and schedules. The result is that no one gets everything their heart desires, but it is possible to have a wedding that makes you happy even if you might have to make a few changes. These are some wedding compromises worth considering to get to a final result that is great for all concerned.
The venue is one compromise that is often worth making. It may be that you fall in love with a location that is too small to fit your entire family or one that is so expensive you would run out of money for everything else. In the long run, it makes no sense to stubbornly cling to a venue which does not suit all of your needs. It is far better to find a reception site that has good bones and make it into what you want than to try to change your wedding to fit into a venue which is not right for you.
I firmly believe that no bride should have to compromise on her wedding gown, but the bridal accessories should be open for discussion. Maybe your mom is disappointed that you chose a wedding dress with a sweep train; appease her by wearing the cathedral length veil she loves. Or perhaps your mother had always imagined that you would wear her bridal jewelry when you get married. Maybe you can wear one piece of her bridal jewelry set along with a modern piece of your own choosing to update the style. Sometimes the location of the ceremony dictates compromise; your favorite Jimmy Choo stilettos simply will not be practical for a beach wedding, for example.
Your honeymoon should be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but that does not mean that the trip will be what you had initially envisioned. Perhaps the plane tickets to Europe are too steep, so you head to Quebec City in Canada for old world European charm instead. Or maybe you picture frolicking on the beach as the perfect honeymoon, but your wedding will take place during peak hurricane season. It might be worth it to choose a different type of trip or to delay your honeymoon until after the hurricane threat is past. As with all of the aspects of your wedding, as long as you are there with the one you love, the rest is really just a matter of keeping a positive attitude and enjoying what you have.
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Honeymoons, Wedding Planning | Tags: Bridal Jewelry, Honeymoons, Wedding Planning | Comment (0)