Wedding mavens: Honeymoon planning???

[beckms]

Hello all...

Somehow, my wedding went from being an eternity away to being less than a year away...how did THAT happen? So we're set for June 2nd, and we've pretty much got everything planned. I just have to nail down some details (like the dress... :eek: )

I recently came into a honeymoon-sized sum of money (under sad circumstances, but at least there's a silver lining to it), so now we will definitely go on one instead of just hoping that someone might want to send us on one. We definitely want something tropical and beachy and luxurious...I'm usually all about culture and history and museums, but I think for our honeymoon, we want sand between our toes and fruity drinks with little umbrellas in them.

I have no idea how or when to start planning...I hope some of you experienced types might give me a little shove in the right direction! :D

ETA: Our budget will be between $4000-$5000 total.

[funnybone]

Congrats to you. Dates sure do creep up on us before we know it. As for destinations, I'm partial to Hawaii, but I also love the the Cayman Islands.

[Laura]

I love Hawaii. That said, my sister who lives in MD said she did not think she would likely travel to Hawaii again from the East Coast because so much time was taken up in traveling. I had a wonderful time in Cozumel many years ago; the snorkeling and the food were wondeful, but it really wasn't luxurious back then. Congratulations! :)

[beckms]

Laura--that's kind of my thought on Hawaii, too. PLus I hate flying, so the idea of spending so much time in the air would definitely detract from the experience!

I was just browsing through erinlovesmarc's photos of her wedding and honeymoon. I'm getting some good ideas, and that resort looks fabulous! :D

I'd really like to go on a honeymoon now. Doesn't that sound nice? :p

[Terri_A]

I took a cruise for my honeymoon when I got married and thought it was a great option. We went to Jamaica, Grand Caymen and....I can't remember the last stop. It was a 7 day cruise and it was nice to go diff't places, but stay in one spot. I think it was around 12-1500 each for the cruise and we spent well over $1000 en route, but that was almost 10 years ago.

We particularly loved Caymen, so if you're looking for 1 nice destination I would recommend going there.

Also, I have friends who go to Costa Rica often and love the laid back do nothing attitude!

[slknight]

Our favorite place in Hawaii is Kona Village. It is PERFECT for a honeymoon. LMK if you have any questions. No telephones, tvs, radios, etc. But total luxury:

http://www.konavillage.com

[acginkc]

We went to Mexico (just south of Cancun) for our honeymoon and it was great. Our resort was the El Dorado Royale (http://www.eldoradosparesorts.com/royale/?Lang=EN). It was all inclusive which was important to us. Your budget would more than cover a stay there in a very nice suite.

I know a lot of people who have gone on cruises and loved them, but if you and DF drink much it can really add up (my BF and her DH spent over $400 on drinks on the boat). Cruises give you multiple destinations and variety, I had been on several before and wanted something much more mellow.

There are some great resorts in the Caribbean. We used these sites a lot in our search.

Luxury Link (http://www.luxurylink.com/)
Trip Advisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com/)

Have fun. We had a blast on our honeymoon and even 6 months later still wish I hadn't had to come home. :o

[615bride]

We honeymooned in Aruba which was beachy and luxurious and being so far south we didn't worry about hurricanes (your wedding is early-ish for hurricanes but it may be somehting to consider). We loved it and hope to go back some day although I don't know how PC it is to say that in light of the recent events there.

[helios7]

We went to the same resort as acginkc this summer just for a vacation and loved it. It was definitely luxurious (albeit luxurious in Mexico, not luxurious in New York City) and we enjoyed the down-time. Your budget would definitely accommodate a stay in the casitas (which we couldn't afford), but we had a good time anyways! And the all inclusive is nice, because then you can sit back and enjoy and not be constantly shelling out cash. We thought the food was pretty good - considering we were in Mexico, and liked the smaller portions as it meant we could try more things!

PM me if you want any more info....

http://www.eldoradosparesorts.com/resorts/index.php?Lang=EN

[katygirl]

We honeymooned in Aruba which was beachy and luxurious and being so far south we didn't worry about hurricanes (your wedding is early-ish for hurricanes but it may be somehting to consider). We loved it and hope to go back some day although I don't know how PC it is to say that in light of the recent events there.


I was going to suggest Aruba too. We went two years in a row and LOVED it. We stayed at time share, that we do not own, but just paid the owners, and it was amazing. Not a fancy place but an beautiful beach and view, not crowded and just bliss! Then we had a baby, and our life is bliss in a different kind of way :) Some day we'll go back. We also wanted a vacation where we could park our arses in the sun, and get fruity drinks when we wanted. I think I read a total of 8 books each vacation, we literally ate, swam, read and relaxed.

I don't think it is un pc of you to mention Aruba, do you say that because of Natalee Hollaway? In my opinion, you could get murdered ANYWHERE especially if you are drunk and get in the car with 3 strangers. Not that I don't feel bad for her or her family, I do. But it was an unsafe thing to do.

[RebeccaT]

Are you getting married in Texas (seems like you're from there, or did I make that up)? If so, Mexico is a great because it's so close to Texas - a short flight will get you there. DH and I went to Acapulco Labor Day weekend, and it was amazing. We stayed at Las Brisas resort - gorgeous, upscale, retro in a fun way... I think it would make a great honeymoon destination, especially one of their larger suites with private pool.

[beckms]

Are you getting married in Texas (seems like you're from there, or did I make that up)? If so, Mexico is a great because it's so close to Texas - a short flight will get you there. DH and I went to Acapulco Labor Day weekend, and it was amazing. We stayed at Las Brisas resort - gorgeous, upscale, retro in a fun way... I think it would make a great honeymoon destination, especially one of their larger suites with private pool.

We're getting married outside of Rochester, NY, my hometown. DF is from San Antonio, and we met in college in Houston. We lived in Austin for a year after college, and we will probably move back there after I graduate from vet school in May. So technically I'm not from Texas, but as they say, I got there as soon as I could. :D

I'm intrigued by Mexico as a desination because it seems like I could get a nice combination of beach time and cultural/historical stuff, too. DF could spend 24/7 on the beach or in a hammock, but I worry that I would get bored after a few days. I've never been on a tropical vacation, so I don't know. :confused:

[HejazSunKat]

I'm intrigued by Mexico as a desination because it seems like I could get a nice combination of beach time and cultural/historical stuff, too. DF could spend 24/7 on the beach or in a hammock, but I worry that I would get bored after a few days. I've never been on a tropical vacation, so I don't know. :confused:

Well then as an insurance policy I would definitely choose a destination with some of both: sand/sun and stuff to do and see. Until I actually took one (to Cabo San Lucas when my husband was in a golf tournament down there) I didn't have any inkling how totally freaking bonkers I could be driven by a beach vacation. Hated it! :D In theory it sounds awesome, what's not to like, right? I discovered on that trip that sitting on a beach all day is just not my personality unless I am really, really burned out. I think you need to know yourself and how you like to relax when it comes to successful vacation planning.

[mcgeiger]

We're getting married outside of Rochester, NY, my hometown. DF is from San Antonio, and we met in college in Houston. We lived in Austin for a year after college, and we will probably move back there after I graduate from vet school in May. So technically I'm not from Texas, but as they say, I got there as soon as I could. :D

I'm intrigued by Mexico as a desination because it seems like I could get a nice combination of beach time and cultural/historical stuff, too. DF could spend 24/7 on the beach or in a hammock, but I worry that I would get bored after a few days. I've never been on a tropical vacation, so I don't know. :confused:


I don't know, after boards, a never ending senior year followed by a wedding---you might be surprised how much doing nothing could be good ;) That said we did Hawaii (big Island) and alternated days of beach with Volcano National Park, or hiking to the green sand beach, etc. Mexico is something we are thinking about soon, as we haven't taken a non-family vacation in 6 years :eek:
You should post pictures of the dress choices--we'll be happy to help out :)

[beckms]

You should post pictures of the dress choices--we'll be happy to help out :)

Actually, I have the dress...I got it off of eBay. :D I figured I'd have more fun in a $250 dress that more or less met my qualifications than the $2500 Melissa Sweet gown from Priscilla of Boston that I fell in love with and could absolutely LIVE in, it's so gorgeous and luxurious and comfortable. And I looked totally hot in it. :cool: (weddding dresses are good for that...that's why they cost so much)

So I have the dress, but it's been hanging in a garment bag in the back of my closet with the train all balled up, waiting to be cleaned and pressed and altered (because the bust needs to be taken in and I want a smaller train and there are some fastenings that need to be replaced). But what with school and everything, I haven't gotten around to doing anything about it. Plus, most of the wedding dress places around here will only do alterations if the dress is from their shop.

[Delanl]

I just got back from my honeymoon last week! :D We went to Ochos Rios, Jamaica and it was absolutely wonderful! We stayed at Couples Sans Souci and it was AMAZING!! So lush and tropical and the food was OUTRAGEOUS! It was like eating in a 5-star restaurant every night. Even the buffet was phenomenal!

We loved Ochos Rios too, there are so many cool things to do. We swam with dolphins, climbed Dunns River Falls and took a trip up into the mountains to see where Bob Marley grew up and where he is laid to rest. Seeing the Jamaican country side was just awesome.

I would highly recommend considering Jamaica. Also, check out www.tripadvisor.com. Its a great website, with reviews of hotels, resorts, excursions, etc. I followed the reviews very closely for quite a few months.

If you have any questions or anything, feel free to PM me!

Leigh

[testkitchen45]

My honeymoon location has doubled in price since we went (not an old fogey yet, though! :D ), but with your budget, you should definitely look into exclusive, secluded, unique Caneel Bay on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. You will have an entire beach to yourself, plus scuba diving, fine dining, ocean breezes, few other people, five-star treatment.

Mmmmmmmm . . . I wanna go back!

:D :D :D

[ccooney]

DBF & I were talking this past weekend about vacations (no we're not getting engaged anytime soon, so it wasn't a honeymoon discussion). The subject just came up as a "where would you want to go on vacation if money were no object" sort of deal, not a discussion on planning a real vacation. We did stipulate that it would only be 2 weeks, or else I suspect we both would have said 'worldwide tour.' After thinking about tropical paradises & National Parks, we decided we would both like to see Ireland. Also, I had read an article a couple of years ago in BA about an inn there which arranged tours...on horseback instead of a bus! I thought that sounded really fun & he agreed. So if one of us wins the lottery, I'll post our itinerary in case anyone would like to join us. :D

[greysangel]

I think Hawaii is going to fall way outside your budget.

I would recommend St Lucia

www.thebodyholiday.com

all inclusive
no children
daily spa treatment

:D

[hrk]

If you are looking for beach with the possibility of history of cultural things to do, then Cancun Mexico and surrounding areas would be great. The beach there is very nice, there are some great hotels, most of which have been completely remodeled after the last hurrican hit them and there are some great trips to Mayan ruins, etc. You can aslo take a high speed ferry over to Cozumel if you are interested in going over there for any reason.

Any of the Caribbean islands would be beachy, but most of them don't have too many things to do in terms of sightseeing. Grand Cayman has a turtle farm where they raise Sea Turtles which is a great day trip.

Good luck and keep us updated.
Heather

[Lauren]

I would recommend St Lucia

www.thebodyholiday.com

all inclusive
no children
daily spa treatment

:D

OMG!!! That place looks so wonderful! :D

[Gracie]

So I have the dress, but it's been hanging in a garment bag in the back of my closet with the train all balled up, waiting to be cleaned and pressed and altered (because the bust needs to be taken in and I want a smaller train and there are some fastenings that need to be replaced). But what with school and everything, I haven't gotten around to doing anything about it. Plus, most of the wedding dress places around here will only do alterations if the dress is from their shop.

Rebecca, I just sent you a PM on the most awesome place for your alterations/repairs.

Loren

[PAMMELA]

So technically I'm not from Texas, but as they say, I got there as soon as I could. :D



I just wanted to say I absolutely loved this, it's so cute!!! I haven't heard it said before, but I agree 100%!!! :)

[sab1976]

I've heard WONDERFUL things about Aruba. Plus, it's out of the hurricane belt which will be great for June.

We went to Ireland four our honeymoon and while I loved every minute of it - part of me wishes we had gone somewhere tropical.

Happy planning!

[beckms]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, I want to go to all of those places!!!! It sure is fun to fantasize... :D

[erinlovesmarc]

we went to this resort in St-Lucia for our honeymoon this past June and I can't say enough good things about it...we took the meal plan and honeymoon package...the food is amazing, the beach is great, the pool area is great, the activities were awesome, service was great...

www.tikaye.com

[beckms]

we went to this resort in St-Lucia for our honeymoon this past June and I can't say enough good things about it...we took the meal plan and honeymoon package...the food is amazing, the beach is great, the pool area is great, the activities were awesome, service was great...

www.tikaye.com

Erin--I have your suggestion at the top of my list right now. When you were there, was the beach really crowded, or did you feel like you were able to have some privacy?

[erinlovesmarc]

Erin--I have your suggestion at the top of my list right now. When you were there, was the beach really crowded, or did you feel like you were able to have some privacy?

No the beach isn't crowded at all...the beach doesn't belong to the resort but the whole time we were there we hardly ever saw a local...we saw maybe 4 the whole week...they are harmless and they try to sell you the odd thing but after you politely tell them that you are not interested they move on...there is a beach bar on the beach and the staff at Ti Kaye keep an eye on the guests...the only other time it got crowded on the beach was when a Sandals cruise decided to park right off the beach to go snorkeling but they only stay about an hour and then it's back to peace and quiet...

If you decide to go to Ti Kaye here are the things NOT to miss: the snorkeling trip to Soufriere...it's actually the Hilton beach...the fish there are really cool!!! Definitely do the sunset cruise...you go with about 4 other couples on a yacht and there's a bottle of champagne per couple and hors d'oeuvres...it was really cool! The massage in your room was amazing, the position the tables so you're looking out from your cottage at the ocean and they were very good. Also if you go don't miss the Fish Fry at the local village...it was really fun! I also really suggest the meal plan...of course, if you're both not foodies it's not worth it but if you are, you have to take it...for lunch try the cheese plate with wine. The dinners are AMAZING! Even I was suprised...we had beef tenderloin, rack of lamb, pasta with jumbo shrimp, duck, the deep fried brie was out of this world, and their cheesecake was amazing! You can save on alcohol by going to the bar for happy hour before dinner...they have alot of drinks that are 2 for 1...I drank rum punch all week and it was $2 for 2 at happy hour...half way through the week we discovered that we could buy a bottle of rum at the gift shop for $6 so we ordered a whole bunch of juices and had drinks in our cottage and it lasted us the rest of the week!

If you want to see our pictures I can send you the link to them on Shutterfly or you can always go to Tripadvisor.com and check out the comments/pictures others have posted...that's actually how I found out about the place...

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask...

[erinlovesmarc]

Oh sorry I forgot to answer your question...we were there from June 11-18, 2006...the weather was really great..always between 80F-86F and not very humid...it only rained one day and it was only for half a day...the days that it was really hot we hung out by the pool because it's elevated and we got a nice breeze off the ocean...by the way, all the cottages have A/C and the beds are really comfortable! You might see the odd gecko in your room but they are harmless... :D

[saserre]

Thanks for this thread. I'm getting married next June as well and we're in the planning stages for our "money-moon". Some of these options down in the Caribbean sound great, especially the ones on islands I can cash my Delta miles in to get to.

[mbrogier]

Actually, I have the dress...I got it off of eBay. :D I figured I'd have more fun in a $250 dress that more or less met my qualifications than the $2500 Melissa Sweet gown from Priscilla of Boston that I fell in love with and could absolutely LIVE in, it's so gorgeous and luxurious and comfortable. And I looked totally hot in it. :cool: (weddding dresses are good for that...that's why they cost so much)

So I have the dress, but it's been hanging in a garment bag in the back of my closet with the train all balled up, waiting to be cleaned and pressed and altered (because the bust needs to be taken in and I want a smaller train and there are some fastenings that need to be replaced). But what with school and everything, I haven't gotten around to doing anything about it. Plus, most of the wedding dress places around here will only do alterations if the dress is from their shop.


Good for you! Rob and I have been married for almost 6 1/2 years now, and I do NOT regret going with the inexpensive dress. Rob loved it, and no one had any idea it didn't cost $400 instead of $2000. (it was a consignment designer gown ;) )

As for a honeymoon spot without a lot of flight time, how about Bermuda? It's an hour and half flight from Charlotte. I don't know that it will be burning up hot in June. That's my dream tropical getaway. (I also don't think June is a prime month there, so you might get a break $$$)

June 2nd was our wedding date. ;)

[summer02]

If you like water sports/ nature-y things to do, my favorite tropical vacation so far has been to Bonaire. There aren't any all-inclusive resorts, but I can't imagine staying at one on Bonaire - you'd miss out on the grocery store and amazing restaurants :). It's known for scuba/ snorkeling - there is a reef within swimming distance all around the island - but there are plenty of other things to do including sitting on the beach with tropical drinks :D.

My second favorite is Aruba - definitely the place to go if you just want to sit on the beach all day. I wouldn't go all inclusive though - again too many restaurants, including some where your table is on the beach...and happy hours at the bars up and down the beach. My favorite non-beach thing to do was the wreck/ deep water snorkeling.

We've also been to St Lucia - it's incredibly beautiful, but what I found frustrating was that we didn't feel safe wandering around the island by ourselves. We only left the resort on guided excursions. I agree with Erin - don't miss out on the snorkeling and sunset cruise...also we really enjoyed the tour that includes lunch at one of the banana plantations and tastings of the local fruits and foods.

[beckms]

Yay! I just got off the phone with the nice lady at Ti Kaye Village (www.tikaye.com) on St. Lucia (pronounced Ti Kaye Villaahzz). I made a reservation for the 7 night Honeymoon Package. :cool: :cool: So much fun.

Except there's some $%#** other bride who has put a bunch of the cottages "on hold" until January for the dates that I wanted, so I had to reserve for a week later. I guess she's having a destination wedding and has to wait until her guests commit, but it's still kind of annoying that we have to wait a week to leave for our honeymoon because someone else might reserve the place...oh well. All I have to do is cal back in January to see if a place opened up for the dates we want, and they'll change my reservation no charge. No biggie!

AND, I bought a dress today! So I no longer have that hanging over my head. I had one in my closet that I bought on eBay, but it needs a good deal of alteration, and I made an impromptu visit to David's Bridal today to see if anything jumped out at me, and wouldn't you know, the last dress I tried on was just right. And I didn't even pick it off the rack, the saleslady brought it just to show me something different. I never thought I would wear anything lacy, but what can you do. And, at a perfect fit off the rack and marked down $50, it was the same price as I would have ended up paying to alter the other one, which I can now re-sell on eBay (hopefully). Here it is, complete with model pout:

Dress (http://www.davidsbridal.com/bridal_gowns_detail.jsp?stid=2339&prodgroup=10)

We should all be able to wear wedding gowns for everyday wear. They squish you in all the right places and make you look like have a perfect bod and nothing jiggles. :D

[Robyn1007]

Love the dress!