Quick Tip #6: Make Reservations Under Your Maiden Name

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

If you’re:

a) planning on changing your last name, and

b) going on your honeymoon less than 4 months after your wedding,

MAKE YOUR HONEYMOON FLIGHT RESERVATIONS UNDER YOUR MAIDEN NAME!!!

The name change process is time-consuming and complicated, and you can’t fly anywhere under your married name unless you have the proper documentation. First you need to get your marriage license, then you need to change social security, then you’ll have to get a new drivers license/passport, etc… it basically takes forever. I know you’re probably all giddy about being Mr. and Mrs. So-and-so, but just do yourself a favor and use your maiden name.

As for hotel recommendations, some say that hotels will discriminate against couples if they think you’re you’re unmarried. Personally, I “traveled in sin” for years and have never experienced anything like that.

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Honeymoon Destination Recommendations For… Party Animals!

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Not everyone has the same thoughts in mind when they think about a “perfect honeymoon.” For some couples, the ideal honeymoon means relaxing on a beach with cocktails in hand. Other couples prefer to go somewhere with plenty of sightseeing options. And some couples, you’ll know who you are, just want to party their pants off. In this installment of my “Where To Go” series of posts, I’ll share my top 3 honeymoon destinations for party animals.

1) Ibiza, Spain

Ibiza, Spain

Ibiza may be naturally gorgeous, but I think the Spanish island is most famous for its unparalleled club scene. I haven’t been there myself, but friends of mine who have gone there recently raved about the fresh seafood, indulgent spas, and breathtaking hotels on the island. But of course, the real draw is the nightlife. Ibiza Spotlight has a great informational page for Ibiza Virgins that is helpful for navigating the club scene and buying advance tickets.

Ibiza is just a 50 minute flight from Barcelona, and I definitely recommend spending a few days there either on your way to or from the island. Barcelona also has a surprisingly good man-made beach that was created for the 1992 Olympics, so you can split your days between sightseeing and sunbathing.

2) Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand

Full Moon Party drink buckets via A.Haldun ONUK

You’ve probably heard about Full Moon Parties before, but did you know that they originated on the small island of Koh Pha Ngan in Thailand? There are plenty of imitation parties now throughout Southeast Asia (and “Half Moon Parties” too), but nothing compares to the original.

These parties occur once a month (duh), so either make hotel reservations in advance or plan on arriving to the island a few days before the party in order to arrange your lodging. Some people even take the ferry over from one of the neighboring islands like Koh Samui or Koh Tao just for the night of the party, but believe me, you won’t feel like getting on a ferry too soon afterward.

Full Moon Party dos and don’ts:

Do: use common sense, buy yourself a drink bucket or two, and check out the ladyboys. (Yes, those hot Thai ladies are probably not women after all.)

Don’t: accept food or drinks from strangers, bring too much cash or any valuables with you, or wear nice clothing. Someone is bound to spill drinks or rub body paint on you at some point during the night.

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Real Honeymoon: Kauai

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Liz and Pat are one of the busiest couples that I know, so they really wanted their honeymoon to be a chill vacation. Read about their relaxing Hawaiian honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

Kauai [August 2012]

How long was your trip?

10 nights

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

Pat had never been to Kauai and I hadn’t been since I was in 1st grade. I always vacationed there when I was young so it was really special to me. We wanted the most relaxed atmosphere so Kauai was a clear choice of all the islands. We had gotten engaged in Italy last year so we wanted to change it up and go somewhere tropical and relaxing and just spend time together.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Waking up and drinking mimosas on our patio and playing cards every morning. To spend time like that is almost impossible when we are both working so much and it was just a time I will never forget.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

Nothing :)

How much planning did you do in advance?

[The trip] was very easy to plan. Booked hotel early and everything else was very easy to book while we were there. Great location choice for busy people who don’t have time to do a bunch of planning in advance.

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Delaying Your Honeymoon? Travel in January!

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

A lot of people choose not to go on their honeymoons directly after their weddings for a variety of reasons. As I wrote in a previous blog post about timing your honeymoon, I think it’s really important for a couple to consider where they want to go, what their work/school situation is like, how they want others to treat their honeymoon, and their finances.

Sunset at Ko Olina, Oahu

So if you do want to delay your honeymoon, when is the best month to travel? That, of course, depends on where you’d like to go. There are certain places that have great weather all year (e.g. Hawaii), but obviously the major European destinations like Italy and Greece are going to be quite cold. Beach Tomato’s “Follow The Sun” map is an awesome tool for finding sunny destinations all year round.

Financially speaking though, January is a great month for traveling. Prices are usually at all-time highs around the December holidays, but they drop dramatically after January 1st once kids go back to school. And for spontaneous couples that don’t need a lot of time to plan ahead, you can get really great travel deals if you actually book your January trip at the last minute.

What are my favorite January destinations? If you’re looking for warm weather, it’s a great month to visit the Southern Hemisphere, and I especially recommend going to Australia, New Zealand, or Argentina. I’d also looove to visit South Africa in January one day, too.

But if getting a tan isn’t high on your honeymoon priority list, January is also the perfect time to visit world-class ski resorts throughout the U.S., Canada, and Switzerland.

Cheers to 2013!

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Happy New Year from my favorite city in the world: San Francisco!

Views of the Golden Gate Bridge never get old : )

As 2012 comes to an end, I feel very grateful for all of the traveling I did during the past year, especially my honeymoon in Bali and Vietnam.

But even though 2012 was pretty great, I seriously can’t wait for what 2013 has to offer. We already have trips lined up for Chicago, Scottsdale, Dallas, Los Angeles, and IRELAND (!!!), and I’m hoping to get up to Tahoe as much as possible during the ski season.

Here’s to a 2013 full of exciting travels and memorable adventures!

Real Honeymoon: Seoul & The Maldives

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Where do you go on your honeymoon when you have a million frequent flier miles and hotel points racked up? Everywhere! Specifically, my friends Seema and Tommy chose to check out both South Korea and the Maldives during their honeymoon. Because Seema is a consultant and travels constantly for work, they were able to upgrade their long flights and they only had to pay a fraction of their costs out of pocket. Read all about their awesome honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

Seoul & the Maldives, in September 2012

How long was your trip?

12 days

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We wanted to do a BIG trip to somewhere that we had never been before and some place we might never go again.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Being on a secluded island in the Maldives & the food in Seoul was amazing!

Korean Street Food

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

I’d spent 1 more day in each spot!

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Real Honeymoon: Bali & Lombok

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Peonies to Palm Trees

One of the reasons why my husband and I chose to visit Bali during our honeymoon was because our friends Ashley and James had such a great time there. Read all about their awesome Balinese honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

July 2010 – Bali and Lombok, Indonesia

How long was your trip?

10 days

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

A friend’s father owns Bali Island Villas, which is beautiful AND reasonably priced. We decided to splurge on the exotic location because you only live once, and it was definitely worth it.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Exploring the different areas in Bali. While it is a small island, each region has a completely different flavor. We enjoyed staying in Seminyak the most, because it offered great beaches and amazing restaurants. Taxis are ridiculously cheap so it was easy to explore and go on spontaneous adventures.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

Going to the neighboring island Lombok. We spent 2 nights in Lombok at the end of our trip. It was incredibly unfriendly, the downtown area is sparse, and my husband got food poisoning.

How much planning did you do in advance?

Probably a few months. We mostly just booked our flight, and I would highly recommend booking your flight in advance. It’s not a cheap flight and the more notice you have the better. I would also be sure to do your research on where to stay. I would definitely recommend finding a hotel in a good location that is walking distance to restaurants and the beach.

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Real Honeymoon: Kauai & Maui

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Peonies to Palm Trees

College sweethearts and fellow Michigan Wolverines Megan and Mike didn’t want to choose between Hawaiian islands, so they decided to go to two! Read all about their fun and adventurous Hawaiian honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

Hawaii in the beginning of September (2011) – Kauai (Grand Hyatt in Poipu) and Maui (Hyatt Regency in Lahaina).

How long was your trip?

5 days on Kauai and 5 days on Maui.

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We wanted somewhere warm and tropical, where we could relax AND be adventurous. We knew we would be exhausted and need lots of pool and cocktails, but we also knew we would get restless if we couldn’t get out and explore. We also didn’t want to sacrifice too much time and budget of the vacation traveling, since we were already flying from Northern Michigan back to LA. We decided on two islands because we don’t get to travel very often, and we wanted to make the most of the time off. We chose Kauai based on recommendations from friends. It sounded more quiet, so we started our trip there to unwind after the wedding. We chose Maui as the second island b/c there were so many “adventures” we read about (volcano and watefalls!).

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Watching Michigan beat ND under the lights…jokes (but it was an added bonus)! This is actually really hard to answer because we got to do so many amazing things. I loved the day we spent in Waimea Canyon in Kauai because we were both totally in our element together. We found ourselves alone on most of the trails, we went off roading in our jeep wrangler (a must on both islands!), and just enjoyed some spectacular views. I also loved our day on the Road to Hana. Nothing is more Hawaii then swimming in a waterfall.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

The day we spent on the Road to Hana in Maui. It was an epic adventure, but there are two things I would have changed. 1) I would have charged our camera before we went or even brought a waterproof disposable for all the waterfall photos and 2) I would have bought water shoes for all the slippery rock climbing in the water fall lagoons. In Kauai, I also wish I would have known to get into Waimea Canyon Park early and up to the Napali Coast viewpoint at the top before the clouds roll in. We were lucky and got a quick sneak peak, but the longer you wait the less likely the view gets.

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Do You Need To Buy Souvenirs During Your Honeymoon?

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Peonies to Palm Trees

It really just depends on whether you like souvenir shopping or not. If you love it, then go for it! Shot glasses and magnets for everyone! But if you aren’t a huge fan of bringing tchotchkes home from all of your trips, you don’t need to feel obligated to do so on your honeymoon.

Souvenir Shop in Granada, Spain

If you’re still on the fence about souvenirs, here are a couple of things to consider:

1. Are any of your family members or friends going out of their way for you back home?

A token of gratitude will most likely be appreciated if you’ve asked anyone (or if you’ve accepted someone’s offer) to do any of the following for you:

– watch your dog/cat/goldfish/etc.

– water your plants

– pick up your mail (even though you should just sign up for hold mail service!)

– house-sit

– drive you to/from the airport

2. Is your honeymoon destination known for a cool product?

This is my nice way of saying, “don’t just buy someone foreign crap.” If you’re going to buy someone a souvenir, try to find something that’s popular in, or unique to, your honeymoon destination. For example, if you’re honeymooning in Italy, it’s a good idea to bring home high quality olive oil or something made of Murano glass. If you ‘re honeymooning in Hawaii you can always bring back macadamia nuts or Kona coffee. You get the picture.

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Real Honeymoon: Tahiti

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Peonies to Palm Trees

To me, Tahiti is one of the quintessential honeymoon destinations. Absolutely gorgeous scenery, impressive resorts, divine French cuisine, and plenty of daytime activities to choose from if you need a break from the beach. In fact, when I was faced with the decision to study Spanish or French back in 7th grade, I boldly told my parents, “I’m going to learn French so I can go to Tahiti one day.” Since we lived in California and 95% of my classmates were choosing the more “useful” language of Spanish, my parents just rolled their eyes at me. Seven years of French classes later, I finally got to go to Tahiti with my best friend and her family, and I was not disappointed. And through that best friend, I met Marissa and Pat, whose great honeymoon photos are below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

September 2011 in Tahiti (Moorea and Bora Bora)

How long was your trip?

8 days

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

While we debated the benefits of more of an “adventure” vacation, we speculated (correctly) that by the time the wedding was done, we’d want a honeymoon that allowed us to relax and unwind. We liked the fact that there were still plenty of options to be active (hiking, all types of water sports, etc.), but we would also have the ability to do nothing on a beach.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

There were so many it’s hard to pick! I loved our “shark and ray snorkel safari” – we saw incredible coral reefs, fed rays and swam with sharks! I also loved how somehow being on our honeymoon turned my husband into the uber tourist. Normally I’m the one clamoring to take a million pictures, but this time he was just as into recording every moment.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

I would have stayed longer, and might have gone to a third island.

If you plan to visit both Moorea and Bora Bora, I’d say it isn’t necessary to stay in the over-water huts in Moorea (if you’re looking to save a little money). We spent much of our time on this island exploring and being on the beach, very little in our room.

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