Real Honeymoon: France & Italy

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

My friends Alex and Sarah went on a seriously incredible European honeymoon last summer, and it has (understandably) taken them nearly an entire year to write a blog post worthy enough to do it justice. (Spoiler alert: they nailed it.) For those of you who may be interested in honeymooning in France or Italy yourselves, Sarah provided lots of great information that should help you plan your trip. Read all about their travels, and check out their gorgeous photos below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

France/Italy in August/September 2012.

We started in Paris (4 nights) and rented a car and drove through Burgundy (2 nights at B&B in Pulingy Montrachet near Beaune), the Rhone Valley (2 nights at B&B in Avignon) and Monaco (2 nights). We dropped the car in Nice, flew to Naples and stayed 5 nights in Sorrento on the Amalfi coast. After that we took trains to Rome (3 nights) and Florence (3 nights).

Sunset in Florence

How long was your trip?

3 weeks (but don’t remind our bosses). We were married on a Saturday and flew out on the next Wednesday to be able to enjoy all the friends/family in town, rest up, and get cheaper flights. Highly advisable to take a few days after the wedding.

Ravello, Amalfi Coast

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

We wanted to take advantage of the excuse we had to take 3 weeks off of work and tour some parts of Europe that we hadn’t experienced. We live by the beach and knew that we wouldn’t be able to sit still on a beach for more than 2 days. While going to Paris is cliché, it certainly did not disappoint and was just as romantic as people say. As for Italy, we can’t wait to go back.

Sunset in Monaco

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Seriously not even sure where to start. How about a top 10?

10. Renting city bikes in Paris and using them to bike all around the city. Sign up on their website and pay about $2/day. Bike depots all over the city allow you to park. Great way to see the city, save money, and get a little exercise.

Yes, that is a baguette in Alex’s hand

9. Hiring a driver in Sorrento to take us around the Amalfi peninsula and an amazing meal at Ristorante La Tagliata in Positano. If we ever make it back to this area, we will stay in Positano.
8. Running after the tour bus as it pulled away nearly leaving us in Sienna. Since when do Italians run on schedule?
7. Shopping in Italy for clothes and shoes
6. Private wine tour around the Rhone valley

Rhone Valley Wine Tour

5. Raiding the chocolate shop free samples in Tain L’Hermitage (Valrhona)
4. Limoncello tasting along streets of Sorrento
3. Gambling at Monte Carlo dressed to the nines
2. Somehow partaking in “Fashion Night” in both Rome and Florence where the shops stay open late, have live music, complimentary cocktails/champagne/appetizers.

Fashion night in Italy, no big deal

1. ALL meals in Italy (especially their amazing house wine by the jug)

Wine by the jug in Sorrento

Continue reading →

Real Honeymoon: Bahamas

Posted on June 24, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

While some couples love to plan all of the details of their honeymoons to a tee, others feel burned out by all of the actual wedding planning that they have to do at the same time. I don’t blame them – I felt the same way! Alyssa and Brian decided to make things easy for themselves and chose the all-inclusive route for their honeymoon in the Bahamas. Read all about their wonderfully relaxing honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

We honeymooned at the Sandals Emerald Bay Resort in the Bahamas in January of 2012.

How long was your trip?

We spent 9 days at the resort.

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

It was a difficult decision for us. We knew we wanted a relaxing trip in a tropical location. In the end, we decided on Sandals because it met those expectations and it was all-inclusive.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Relaxing by the pool for days on end!

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

I wouldn’t travel as far — it took us a day to get there and a day to get back. I think there are tropical locations closer to us!

How much planning did you do in advance?

Sandals made it very simple — one booking and everything was taken care of.

Continue reading →

Real Honeymoon: Scotland & England

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

I’m really excited to share this week’s Real Honeymoon with you while I’m in Scotland because 1) massive soccer fans Julia and Mike went to Scotland too (!), and 2) Julia has really mastered the art of leaping solo shots. You’ll see what I mean below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

Mike and I went to Scotland and Northern England [in April 2013]. We stayed in three locations: Edinburgh, Newcastle and Loch Lomond.

Balmy Edinburgh

How long was your trip?

2 blissful weeks.

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

The number one question we got on our honeymoon was: why did you choose Scotland and Newcastle? So you would think I have a good, practiced answer for this, but alas no. Here is my best shot at it.

We are homebodies and not adventurous. This was our first big trip alone together, and we have been together for over 10 years. We wanted to have an adventure, but not too big an adventure. We have always wanted to visit Scotland, and I am English/Scottish. Mike is also a HUGE soccer fan and Newcastle United is his favorite team. It was the perfect opportunity to make his dreams come true and see Newcastle United play their local rival, Sunderland.

#1 Newcastle fan

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Getting to spend so much quality one-on-one time together. I work long hours and we don’t vacation much, so this was a really special experience for us. And of course the Newcastle United game.

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

Don’t rent a car from the Hertz in Newcastle. Otherwise, I can’t think of anything we would have done differently.

Awesome leaping solo shot #1

How much planning did you do in advance?

We booked the hotels in advance and Mike spent a lot of time researching different things for us to do. We did not have each day pre-planned out, but we always had options to pick from.

Awesome leaping solo shot #2

Continue reading →

Real Honeymoon: Hong Kong, Maldives & Tokyo

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Another couple of newlyweds who really took advantage of their travel points and miles are my good friends McKenzie and Curtis who spent the majority of their honeymoon in the picture perfect Maldives. As I’ve mentioned before, there are definitely perks to being a consultant when you want to go all out on your honeymoon. Read all about their “baller-status” honeymoon below ; )

When and where did you honeymoon?

We left the Monday after the wedding and our first stop was Hong Kong. We were in Hong Kong for two days before trekking to the Maldives. We were in the Maldives for 10 days and on the way back to the U.S.A. we stopped in Tokyo for a day.

Look familiar? Seema and Tommy took the same photo!

How long was your trip?

Two weeks total.

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

Your honeymoon is your one chance to do it big. When else in your life are given cart blanche to take multiple weeks off work and spend money like you are rockstars? It has been a dream of mine to stay in an over-water bungalow, and there are only a few places in the world that have those, one being the Maldives, the exotic and remote honeymoon were looking for! After deciding on the main attraction, we needed to determine which route to take. We wanted to make a stop on the way there and back for two reasons: 1) To break up the 36 hour journey and 2) If we are going half way around the world, we might as well make the most of it. Since we have both been to Europe several times, we decided to take the Asia route. We decided to visit China on the way there (Hong Kong) and Japan on the way home (Tokyo).

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Our resort in the Maldives. I can officially say that I have stayed on a private island. For the first five nights we stayed in an over-water bungalow, a dream come true. While sleeping you can hear the Indian Ocean lapping underneath you. During the day, we would hang out on our deck and whenever we wanted, we would just walk down the deck stairs and we would be knee-deep in the Indian Ocean. We could go snorkeling, swimming or just float in the 80 degree water. It was heaven, we almost did not want to switch to our second room, but we are glad we did.

For the second five nights we had our own private villa with our own private infinity pool. Privacy walls surrounded the villa so every morning when we woke up all we could see was our pool and the Indian Ocean. We spent our days lounging on our patio and when the 90 degree sun got too intense, we could cool off in our own private pool!

We also did several activities while at the resort. We had a spa day, we did two snorkeling trips and we went on a sunset dolphin watching cruise. Every night we would get drinks on the beach and go to one of the six restaurants on the island. In contrast to the couple Mexican vacations that Curtis and I have taken together, this vacation was heavier on the relaxation and lighter on the tequila.

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

I would have packed more casual clothes. Since it was my honeymoon, I packed cute dresses and heels for dinner every night; however, the paths through the island were sand and the one night I wore heels, I ended up walking home barefoot. Most people wore casual sundresses and flip-flops, and I wish I packed more outfits like that. During the day, we only wore bathing suits and cover-ups.

Continue reading →

Real Honeymoon: Thailand

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

I probably shouldn’t have worked on this post before lunchtime, but Megan and Mike’s wonderful honeymoon in Thailand has left me seriously craving Thai food! In a little less than two weeks, they managed to fit in tons of culture, beach time, and, of course, delicious food. Read all about their fun honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

We went to Thailand for our honeymoon in mid-December 2011. We spent a few days in Bangkok, 5 days in Ko Samui and 4 days in Chiang Mai.

The Grand Palace in Bangkok

How long was your trip?

In total, we were gone about 12 days, from December 12-24.

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

First and foremost, we were looking for a warm location. Getting married in December, we wanted to spend some time in warm weather, relaxing on the beach. We also wanted to go somewhere new, a location that neither of us had visited before. That criteria led us to consider South America, southern Africa, and Southeast Asia. We quickly focused our efforts on South American and Southeast Asia, eliminating southern Africa. After speaking with friends and family, and doing research online, we narrowed our choices down to 3 spots: Costa Rica, Brazil, and Thailand. Ultimately, we selected Thailand because we felt like we would easily be able to do a short trip to either Costa Rica or Brazil later in life, but it would be hard to do the same for Thailand. The greater distance appealed to us as we saw it as a rare experience that would be perfect for our honeymoon.

River rafting in Chiang Mai

The best part about our honeymoon was…

The food was probably the best part of our honeymoon. From the street food in Bangkok, to the seafood on the beach in Samui, to a cooking class we took in Chiang Mai, we loved all of the food we ate. Some of the highlights include fresh pineapple all throughout Bangkok, and a cooking class on traditional Northern Thai food in Chiang Mai where we learned to cook dishes like Khoa Soy.

Cooking class in Chiang Mai – yum!!!

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

I would have spent less time in Bangkok and more time in Samui. Relaxing on the beach was great, especially after the hectic schedule we had in the months leading up to the wedding with school, work, and planning. We could have used a few more days on the beach relaxing and less time in the busy capital.

How much planning did you do in advance?

We worked with a travel agent to plan the specifics of our trip. We picked the cities we wanted to visit and told her a few of the types of activities we enjoyed, and she was helpful in selecting hotels, arranging for private transportation and providing us with options for a few activities. We read numerous different travel books to help figure out what we wanted to do in each location, as well as talking to a few friends who had either vacationed in Thailand, or who had lived there. Overall we did a fare amount of planning to determine where we wanted to go, but left a lot of gaps in our plans for us to explore and be spontaneous.

Continue reading →

Real Honeymoon: South Africa & Mozambique (Part 2)

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Yesterday I published the first half of Becky and Bryce’s incredible African honeymoon. The second half is below – enjoy!

[A continuation of “The best part about our honeymoon was…“]

Benguerra Island, Mozambique – Marlin Lodge

Again so many amazing moments so here are a couple:

We arranged to take a tour of the island with two locals who worked at the lodge. We took a jeep around the entire island – saw where all the villagers lived and how they lived (all in grass huts). It was a very humbling experience to say the least. Every time we drove by the kids on the sand streets they would run behind the jeep smiling, waiving and laughing. We also visited their local school and got to talk with and meet the headmaster and some of the children. The children were a bit shy at the beginning but once we showed them the picture we took sitting with them at their desks, we instantly bonded!!!

Hanging out with the kids of Benguerra Island, Mozambique

Maybe my favorite moment was a private picnic lunch the lodge put on for us. They boated us to the other side of the island where they had the most incredible arrangement waiting. There was an umbrella with a blanket and chairs set up as we arrived. They had a gourmet lunch laid out as well along with our drinks of choice – Rosé and Mozambican beer, Manica! There was nothing around us but warm Indian Ocean and white sand – it was surreal! They then left us there all afternoon – we really felt like it was our private island at this point. We liked it so much we did it again the next day!

A private picnic on Benguerra Island

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

Nothing, other than we would have gone for 3 weeks instead of 2!

How much planning did you do in advance?

A lot!! I give all the credit to my amazing husband, Bryce, who put a lot of time and effort into making this the best trip of our life!!!!! He found all the hotels and lodges we stayed at and worked with a travel agent to set up the logistics.

A beautiful Mozambique sunset

What was your biggest honeymoon splurge?

Once we got there everything was already paid for which was very nice. The only place to shop was in Cape Town where I bought some jewelry and my husband got an African warrior shield.

Where do you want to go on your next big trip?

Now that we’ve come to grips that it will be next to impossible to top this trip, we can’t wait for our next adventure. We’re thinking about Russia, Colombia, Sri Lanka or Antarctica.

Continue reading →

Real Honeymoon: South Africa & Mozambique (Part 1)

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

When Becky sent me the following information about her honeymoon, my jaw hit the floor. She and Bryce took a KILLER trip to South Africa and Mozambique, and now all I can think about is when I can plan a similar trip myself. Since Becky sent me so much great information and a bunch of photos, I decided to split it up into two Real Honeymoon blog posts. Enjoy the first half now, and come back tomorrow to check out the second part.

When and where did you go on your honeymoon?

We left for our honeymoon the night after the wedding, September 30, 2013. We had some long flights ahead but our final destination was worth it! We spent our honeymoon in South Africa and Mozambique. Our adventure started in Cape Town, South Africa and we were there for 3 days. Then we flew to the Sabi Sands Reserve where we went on a 4 day safari. From there we flew to Vilanculos, Mozambique and took a boat to Benguerra Island for the finale of our honeymoon. Here we had 5 days of relaxing on the white sand beaches of the most incredible island we have ever been on!

Becky and Bryce in Cape Town, S.A.

How long was your trip?

All in all, we were gone for 2 weeks.

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

Africa was always our number one. We threw around several other ideas but we always came back to Africa. We both are well traveled and we wanted to go somewhere neither of us had ever been so we could experience it for the first time together. We also wanted adventure, culture, and beach! At the end of the day we new Africa was it – so we decided on South Africa for the culture and adventure, and Mozambique for the beach (but there was definitely culture and adventure there as well)!

On safari at Sabi Sand Reserve

The best part about our honeymoon was…

The entire trip was a highlight, a few of them include:

Cape Town

We had the most amazing dinner and experience at Gold Restaurant. We started the evening with learning to play the African drums. We then had like a 15 course dinner – all African cuisine. Throughout dinner the staff performed singing and dancing throughout the restaurant, it was truly amazing. I even got pulled up to dance with them, had gold flakes sprinkled over us and they also painted our faces. At the end of dinner they pulled everyone up to dance together. Sooooooooooo fun and so delicious!

Dinner and dancing at Gold Restaurant

Sabi Sands Reserve, Notten’s Bush Camp

We have so many amazing moments from the safari but our top two was when we saw a pride of lions and a pack of elephants.

During our morning game drive we came up on about 2 female lions in the bush. As we got closer, there was an entire pride of lions walking towards a little hill area to try and find shade. There were about 15 female and young male lions all gathered together – they looked like they were waiting for something. A few minutes later we saw the male lion (the leader of the pride) slowly walking in. As he approached every lion got up and greeted him with a gentle embrace then went back and sat down. We were so close to all of them we felt like we could reach out and touch them. Once they decided it was too hot – they all got up one by one and left!

Lions!

Continue reading →

Real Honeymoon: France

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

I’ve made it pretty clear in previous blog posts that I’m a total beach person, so when I was planning my own honeymoon I only considered tropical places with white sand and warm water. However, Lauren and John’s incredible honeymoon in France is a completely non-beachy honeymoon that I would have been thrilled to go on. Planned around their love of good food and wine, they ventured all over France and went to some of the world’s best restaurants. I’m salivating just writing this, so I’ll let Lauren take it from here. Foodies, enjoy!

When and where did you honeymoon?

John and I headed to France in April of 2013. We spent time in the Loire Valley (Orleans, Blois, Amboise and Tours), Bordeaux, Toulouse, Montpelier, Lyon, and of course Paris.

Posing in front of a Loire chateau (Azay-le-Rideau)

How long was your trip?

Two weeks.

Amboise Chateau in the Loire valley

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

John and I have always loved France (and French food and wine!), and have been a couple of times together. For this special trip, we picked cities and towns where neither of us had been, so that we could explore them together. We started with the Loire Valley because it’s our favorite wine and cheese region in the country; then, based on train routes and lengths, planned a loop around France.

So much ham!

The best part about our honeymoon was…

This is a tough question! We had an amazing time in each and every place we visited. Like most of our trips, we tried to avoid museums and most tourist attractions so we could focus on the heart of the city. We always ask for recommendations at our hotels and bed & breakfasts, and were able to try some amazing restaurants which we would never have found otherwise.

Our biggest surprise stop was Bordeaux. No one we had spoken to mentioned the actual city, although many had visited the vineyards in the area, so we didn’t know what to expect! The city went through a renovation about 6-7 years ago, and now is clean and beautiful, with a long riverfront for strolling. Our b&b there, Ecolodge des Chartrons was also spectacular, and the owner, Veronique was very helpful for where to explore…and where to avoid! We were also lucky enough to end up in Bordeaux during the annual Antique Fair and Ham Fair, so we poked through French antiques and enjoyed some delicious ham sandwiches from tiny purveyors.

Overlooking the village of St. Emilion in the Bordeaux region

Continue reading →

Real Honeymoon: Kauai & Maui

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

This week’s real honeymoon blog post features another California couple who took advantage of the West Coast’s proximity to Hawaii. Jessie and Jon really nailed the perfect balance between beach/relaxation time and doing exciting activities during their trip. Read their fun recommendations and check out the beautiful photos below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

We left one day after our wedding and spent 10 days in Hawaii…..six nights in Kauai and four nights in Maui! [July 2011]

How long was your trip?

Our trip was 10 days! Wish it was more :)

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

My husband and I discussed where we wanted to go….we both wanted a place that was fun, chill and beautiful! Since I planned a majority of our wedding, my husband was happy to plan our honeymoon. I had been to Hawaii before and thought it was a beautiful place that would let us just chill and enjoy being married without to much travel or stress :)

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Staying at the Four Seasons in Maui….and just being able to enjoy being husband and wife! It was the first time in a long time that I allowed myself to just chill!

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

Really nothing…we had a great time, the service, the side trips we planned, our days just relaxing at the pool…. everything was just “us” and gave us the time to enjoy one another’s company instead of getting caught up in the day to day obligations!!!

How much planning did you do in advance?

My husband did most of the planning….which was very difficult for my OCD tendencies! But he did an amazing job planning awesome activities as well as massages! Here are some of the best activities we did:

Helicopter Tour: Jack Harter Helicopters
We went on a helicopter tour, which was amazing. About 70% ok Kauai is only accessible by air, so this definitely gave us a chance to look at some of the amazing views of the waterfalls, beaches, etc that would not have otherwise been able to see.

ATV Tour:
This was by far one of the best, most fun activities we did. Amazing, kind, nice guides! Really fun drive, got to see where movies were filmed, provided lunch! Just awesome :)

Catamaran Tour:
This was really fun! Beautiful views, got to go snorkeling, saw dolphins, provided breakfast and lunch! One word of advice, if either one of you or your fiance get motion sickness I would recommend taking something before, a couple people got sick on the boat….mostly kids though!

Continue reading →

Real Honeymoon: Turks and Caicos

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

When Danielle first contacted me about her honeymoon in Turks and Caicos, I was really excited to hear about her trip because I haven’t been there yet and it’s definitely on my travel to-do list. But by the time I finished reading her draft, I was shocked/totally impressed by how ballsy she and her husband Gary were to plan a Caribbean vacation smack dab in the middle of hurricane season! If you don’t recall, a recent real honeymoon post featured Sarah and Patrick, who had to cancel their September 2007 honeymoon in Aruba at the last minute due to a hurricane, and ended up going to Hawaii instead. Fortunately though for Danielle and Gary, their risk paid off and they enjoyed great weather and off-season discounts. Am I brave enough to plan a similar trip during September? I doubt it, but I’m so glad that everything worked out in their favor. Read all about their incredibly relaxing honeymoon below, and check our Danielle’s super cute blog Les Bon Enfants as well!

When and where did you honeymoon?

Turks and Caicos, September 2011.

How long was your trip?

Two weeks.

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

We did a lot of thinking about what we wanted our honeymoon to be. We love to travel, and we want to see the world, but the thought of planning a huge wedding, and immediately after embarking out on a major sight-seeing vacation (and all the meticulous planning that goes into such a trip) sounded more exhausting than relaxing, and we needed to relax! Something tropical, romantic and luxurious was in order. I have been all over the Caribbean many times with my parents, and really wanted to go back to St. Bart’s with my new husband – I knew he would love it – but mom made a comment that made me think twice about my decision: she said our honeymoon should be a place neither of us has ever been before. That way, over time the memories won’t get tangled up in the memories of our family vacations. It will be our own special place. With that in mind, we decided on Turks and Caicos, and it really fit the bill for us.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Our hotel, The Regent Palms. It looked like an old plantation house! The rooms were huge with a pretty patio and a little kitchenette (which we used to make espresso every morning and stored Caribbean beers in the fridge). The staff was amazing and really went out of our way to make us feel pampered and at home. It was right on Grace Bay Beach, arguably the most beautiful beach in the Caribbean, so we never even felt like we had to leave the hotel grounds.

I was also happy that we booked such a long time (two whole weeks!.) It took the pressure off of having to cram in things we wanted to do and count the days until it was over. We could truly chill out and unwind without even having to worry about what day it was!

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

Not. A. Thing. A few of my friends thought we were nuts for planning a trip to the Caribbean during hurricane season, but really, I’ve done it before and I’d do it again. The hotels and airlines are so great about re-booking you for a hurricane-related delay (or offering a full refund) since they know days ahead of time that when they are coming that we felt totally comfortable taking a chance. Prices are a fraction of what they are during high season, the beaches are way less crowded, and the weather is perfect.

Continue reading →