In addition to registering for gifts at department stores like Macy’s and Bloomingdales, many couples are now registering for their honeymoons on sites such as Honeyfund and Traveler’s Joy.
On one hand, it is pretty awesome to receive a surprise wedding present like a bottle of champagne or a pre-paid massage during your honeymoon (thanks, Laura!). But actually asking for these gifts in advance? One of my favorite bloggers East Side Bride said it best.
I’ll leave it at that.
My friends Natalie and Josh are the first to kick off the “Real Honeymoons” series on Peonies to Palm Trees. Read all about their incredible honeymoon below:
When and where did you honeymoon?
In September 2010, we went to the Maldives, Dubai, and Sri Lanka.
How long was your trip?
We kicked it off with 8 nights in the Maldives, then 2 nights in Sri Lanka, and 12 hours in Dubai. Plus 34ish hours on planes and another 10ish in airports ;)
Private pool at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?
Shortly after we got engaged, my then-fiancé and I went to Paris for a long weekend. (Damn, we sound like serious jetsetters. I promise, post-baby, this has changed.) I bought a French bridal magazine in the airport and saw an ad for the Maldives. That was it, that was what I wanted to do. We looked into some other island destinations that would have been considered unique for Americans but totally normal for Europeans (Seychelles, Mauritius), but ultimately the Maldives spoke to us. Being the sort of couple whose interests span beyond sand & sea, and knowing that we were going to trek 17 hours to get to this part of the world, we decided to make the most of it. Throw in a long layover in dubai where J’s college friend could give us a full-day tour? And a few days in Sri Lanka since the civil war had just ended and it would be…. different? Sure! Sounds perfect.
The best part about our honeymoon was…
The Maldives. That place is just unreal. Each resort is its own island, as is the airport. You land in the main city, Male, and then take a seaplane or boat to your hotel/island. We did it up — half the time in an overwater hut where you are practically IN the ocean, and half the time in a private beach villa with a personal plunge pool just for us and direct access to the most gorgeous beach on the planet. Breakfast buffets, lazy pool days, an underwater restaurant, jetski adventures, and a sunset cruise were just some of the highlights. I’m proud to say we started a bit of a Maldives trend in our worlds, with now 4-5 couples having gone there for their honeymoons since as well!
Jetskiing in the Maldives
Peonies to Palm Trees 