Bride Blogger Nicole: The Honeymoon

Hello all! Hasn't this fall weather been amazing lately? I'm loving it!

Ryan and I have started talking more about where and when we want to go on our honeymoon. We have came to the conclusion that we don't want to go right after we get married. We want to wait so we still have something to look forward to, and since we are helping pay for some of our wedding, it will help us save more money for the trip. So, we will each take a couple days off work after the wedding to relax and enjoy married life and plan to have our honeymoon at a later date.

Where we want to go for the honeymoon is a more lengthy discussion. We've decided we want to go somewhere tropical, as most people do. We are leaning towards doing an all inclusive resort like Sandals. We feel that it would be easier to have food and everything included already, and I've asked some of my friends who have gone to some of the Sandals resorts and they have really good things to say about them. We will definitely use a travel agent (check out NWD's website for some good local agents) to help things go more smoothly. Neither one of us has been anywhere tropical before, so this will be such a treat!

I have looked through Sandals brochures and checked out their website, and it's so hard to pick where we want to go. All of the resorts are so beautiful and have so much to offer! Right now we are thinking the Sandals Grande St. Lucian in St. Lucia looks pretty nice. It has amazing views (of course!), 8 different restaurants, 5 pools, 6 bars and many other activities. I don't think we'll get bored!

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Bride Blogger Amanda: The Mini-Moon

Since John’s a teacher and we’re getting married during the school year; and since I just started a new job and don’t have much time to take off, we decided to take a short “mini-moon” for a few days after our wedding. We wanted to do a little something to celebrate together after our wedding, but we won’t have the time to do something big for an extended period of time right now. A short trip to some place warm and fun was the perfect solution. We decided that next summer for our pre-anniversary, we’ll go on a big trip to Europe or something for a week or two and make that our “real” honeymoon.

For our mini-moon we decided to go to Las Vegas. We went last year for my birthday and had a great time, so we knew we would have a good experience again. Between the food, drinks, shows, swimming pools and entertainment, there’s plenty to do, and it will still be great weather there at the end of September.

We got a really amazing deal at a hotel just a block off the Strip. Our three days there will cost less than one plane ticket! If you want to take a quick trip to Vegas and not spend a ton of money, check out hotels off the Strip – you are still near all the action but for a fraction of the price of a hotel right on the Strip. Basically, you’re only in your hotel room to sleep anyway, so it doesn’t matter where you stay.

We also plan to get tickets to a show or two by going to the day-of ticket kiosk on the Strip. You can get really great discounts by waiting until the day of the show and purchasing tickets at one of these places. You can’t be picky about seats, but it can be a great way to save money. Other than that, we plan to find a really great restaurant to celebrate, and then - just go without a plan and see what happens. There’s always so much going on and so many places to go within walking distance, I know we’ll have a great time together no matter what we do!

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Off-the-Beaten-Path Destination Wedding Spot

If you dream of a beach wedding but are tired of the usual destinations like Hawaii and the Caribbean, maybe Auckland, New Zealand is the right spot for you. With gorgeous beaches (sailing!), fabulous city culture, wineries and vineyards galore, and amazing hills and cliffs (if you've seen Lord of the Rings, you know just how breathtaking New Zealand is), it's the best of all worlds. Visit aucklandnz.com or contact one of NWD's travel agencies for more information.

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Bride Blogger Bailey-Planning Stress and Honeymoon Excitement!

From day one, I have entered the wedding planning process saying, "I don't know how this works! Where do I start? What do I do?" This was my disclaimer as I began looking at wedding venues and talking with vendors. We all go into the wedding planning process for the first time, and hopefully the only time, with a bit of confusion and unfamiliarity.

Thankfully this is what the vendors do for a living and why they are the professionals. The vendors are comfortable, relaxed, and positive things will get done by the day of your wedding. But from a bride's perspective, I think sometimes there is some disconnect between the lost bride and the relaxed professional. This is not to say anything against any vendor but just a reminder to cut us (the bride) some slack.

If we seem overly eager with details, we just don't know any better. If we seem confused, we are. And for my type A personality, give me a heads up. It's helpful to know if we need to meet once or twenty times. Let me know what you need from me and what your expectations are of me. This is my first time being a bride, so I really don't know what I'm doing! :-)

On a different note, I made it Evan's job to do the research and find us a good honeymoon spot. After he showed me quite a few different options, we finally picked Jamaica! We decided to do a Sandals all-inclusive resort. It's in Montego Bay and is called the Whitehouse Sandals Resort! Can't wait! Here are a few photos of the fabulous place we'll be staying!

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Honeymoon Getaways

It's Valentine's Day, and what better thing to think about than your romantic honeymoon?

The real key behind a great honeymoon is that you can choose a destination that perfectly fits you and your  fiancé's personalities. Feeling adventurous? Wishing for a honeymoon drenched in relaxation or romance? With a world of possibilities, finding the perfect honeymoon is all about what you want it to be.

Cancun, Cozumel, Cabo San Lucas, Jamaica, the Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, St. Lucia, Aruba, Hawaii - with so many to choose from, Enchanted Honeymoons can help find the perfect location for you.
 

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Get Away to the Mexican Riviera!

Are you trying to plan a destination wedding or fabulous honeymoon?

El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels and Azul Hotels are a collection of divinely favored award-winning luxury hotels & spa resorts on secluded white sand beaches of the Mexican Mayan Riviera. Each resort presents its own surprising indulgences and elite service that makes for a truly unparalleled relaxing vacation.

Gourmet Inclusive is a hospitality philosophy whereby every detail of a guest’s stay becomes part of an experience. From the quality of the food, to the variety of services, to décor and amenities, nothing is generic. And the inclusive part is merely a convenience of no cash transactions.
 

For more information on booking a honeymoon or wedding with these resorts, contact Jamie or Cheryl at Beach Bum on a Budget. There are NO service fees, and you won't regret asking for the extra help!

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Sunday Getaway

If you're like most Nebraskans, you're sick of this weather and ready to start planning your Hawaiian honeymoon. But really, who cares where you go as long as there's sand, surf and sun? Call any of our excellent NWD travel agencies to help you plan the perfect romantic getaway.

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Honeymoon Scrapbook

Your wedding isn't the only thing you'll want to remember...your honeymoon will make great memories for you and your hubby as well. Create a fun accordion-style scrapbook with maps, photos, a copy of your passport, ticket stubs, etc.

*Photo from Martha Stewart Weddings.

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Money-saving honeymoon ideas

With the economy in such bad shape, brides everywhere are looking for ways to cut costs. But when it's the day you've been dreaming of since you were 5, it's hard to let go of that gorgeous designer wedding gown or the fantastic floral centerpieces you've fallen in love with.

One great way to save money without letting it affect your big day is to scale back your honeymoon. Of course that trip to Jamaica would be nice, but your honeymoon is really all about spending some time together as a newlywed couple. You can just as easily enjoy each other a little closer to home, can't you?

There are plenty of options for great places to visit near Nebraska that don't even require a plane trip. Check out ngpc.state.ne.us for information on Nebraska state parks. You can even venture a little further out--to the Rocky Mountains or Estes Park in Colorado, Yosemite in Wyoming, or Mount Rushmore in South Dakota--without having to spend a ton of money on a flight or gas.

If getting back to nature isn't really your thing, another great option is taking a cruise. While that may not sound cheap, cruise lines are slashing their prices left and right, and most cruises are all-inclusive (room, board, entertainment, etc.), so you won't have to worry about bringing a huge amount of extra spending money. Look for a reliable travel agent to help you find an affordable flight to your destination and the best cruise for your money, and you could end up having that tropical honeymoon you dreamed about for far less than you imagined! Check out neweddingday.com for a list of reputable travel agencies in your area.

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