Plan Your Dream Destination Wedding

Thinking of having a destination wedding? Watch today's episode of From "I Will" to "I Do" to learn what you should be thinking of before you book the trip and all the vendors you'll need to pull off your wedding day, weekend and even week away!

We have some of the industry's biggest names in destination wedding planning including, Erika Hueneke of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine, Mary Bartolucci from Island Style Weddings, Gabriella Risatti of Gabriella New York and Aimee Monihan of Tropical Occasions. 

My Mom Said I Need a Trousseau. What Is She Talking About?

A trousseau is a wardrobe for a newly married woman. Literally clothes and accessories, so if mom is buying you definitely want one. While the tradition of a trousseau has become outdated, some women have turned the trousseau into their honeymoon wardrobe or lingerie specifically.

Ask mom what she is thinking to find out what type of clothes or lingerie she wants to buy you. This could be a fun outing for the two of you to spend time together before the wedding.

We’re Really Looking Forward to Our Honeymoon, Can We Register For It?

There are a number of companies that offer Honeymoon Registries where guests can buy you meals and activities (tours, shows, spa treatments, etc.) at your honeymoon destination. Each program is different so I suggest doing some research on several companies before deciding which one to register at.

There was one bride who told me that the site she registered at looks like guests are gifting you specific things to do while on your honeymoon, such as dinners, massages, sightseeing tours, but in reality the site would send the couple cash, less a 10% fee. I do not recommend this type of program because it is deceitful to your guests.

If you do register at a honeymoon registry company I suggest you also register at a traditional retailer so guests who would like to buy you something for your home have that option. You will find that guests of your parents’ and grandparents’ age may go this route.

How to Save Money on Your Honeymoon

Your honeymoon doesn't need to cost a fortune. Just like planning your wedding, talk to your fiancé about how much you want to/can afford to spend on your honeymoon. Then start doing your research.

Price out all-inclusive packages as well as discounts you may be able to get by being a member of AAA or other associations. One idea is to pay for a lot of your wedding vendors and products with a credit card so that you can earn airline miles. Two popular programs are: American Express & Delta and MasterCard & American Airlines. Depending on where you want to go, you may be able to use your miles for a free flight or an upgrade to first class.

Check out online travel sites for deals. You may have heard of Hotels.com, Expedia and Orbitz, but there are other sites that offer great deals too. Travelzoo.com and Travel with Val are two of my favorites.

When Choosing a Honeymoon Destination

When planning your honeymoon, talk to your husband-to-be about what you want to do and what he wants to do. He may want to get in a few rounds of golf. You may want to treat yourself to some spa treatments. A good idea is to look at resorts that offer not only a great room, but also good food, spa facilities, a golf course and other amenities that both of you can enjoy.

Hiring a Professional Photographer for Honeymoon Shots

We honeymooned in Paris and since it was just the two of us most photographs are of me or Dave or one of the two of us that one of us took with an outstretched arm and heads very close together.  You know the type.  I came across what would have been a very nice shot of us at the Eiffel Tower if only we had asked someone to take the photo of us together instead of trying to do it ourselves.

Nice shots of what should be your most romantic vacation can be great additions to your wedding album as well as photos to frame around your home or you can use them for a holiday card.

So why not hire a professional photographer for your honeymoon?

I recently learned of Photo Trek Tours, a New York City based company that will take your around the city, to all the sights, and take great photos of you and it only costs a few hundred dollars.

This got me thinking...a local photographer will know the best places to get great shots of the two of you and the whole shoot would only take a few hours. This way you’re guaranteed great honeymoon photos.

Looking back I wish we would have asked someone to take photos of the two of us but since neither of us speak French that really wasn't an option.

I think I'm starting a new trend.  What do you think?

Lingerie for Him - Why Not?

Well maybe not something made of lace but satin PJs might be nice.  So many wedding night and honeymoon stories focus on what they bride should (or shouldn't) wear but why can't the groom get dressed in something sexy too?

Either on your wedding night or the night before when you and your groom exchange wedding gifts give him something that you would like to see him wear the night of your wedding.  You can buy him a pair of silk boxer shorts or satin pajamas or a thong if you'd prefer.

And if you really want to get down to details, treat him to a trip to the spa for a mani/pedi and even a wax before the big day.  You can make it a date where each of you get a full body treatment.

The Name Game

Are you planning on changing your last name to your husband's after the wedding?  There are number of companies and government agencies you'll need to reach out to - social security, department of motor vehicles, credit cards.

But since you won't be filing the paper work until after your wedding and probably after you returned from your honeymoon make sure you book your flight and hotel reservations in the name that appears on your current ID cards - passport, driver's license - and that would be your maiden name.

You can still let the airline and hotel that the reason for your trip is your honeymoon and enjoy any perks like free champagne on your arrival.

A Wedding Night Surprise for the Bride and Groom

The bride and groom may decide to stay at a hotel or in their own home on their wedding night, either way as a member of the bridal party - or a thoughtful friend - you may want to have a special gift waiting for them when they arrive or delivered soon after.

If they are staying at a hotel you can talk to the concierge about having champagne, chocolates or strawberries delivered to their room after their arrival or waiting when they arrive.

For couples spending their wedding night at home try and get a key to their house or apartment and set up a romantic setting in their bedroom with food, drinks and maybe flower petals scattered around the room.  Stay away from candles since you don't want to light them in advance and unlit candles aren't as romantic.

You can also call the hotel the newlyweds are staying at on their honeymoon and surprise them with room service, dinner at the hotel, spa treatments or champagne.  I always find that when you tell a hotel that the couple is on their honeymoon they go above and beyond to make their stay memorable.

Really Quick Tip Because I Want to Go Watch Mad Men

We DVR'd it - I know it's Monday!

Dave has the worst luck when planning trips.  Not my Dave, a friend of his.

His bachelor party, the bachelor party he planned as a best man a few years back, and most recently his honeymoon were all ruined because of bad weather planning.

Each trip was planned during the destination's rainy or hurricane season and he either had to cut a trip short and catch an emergency flight, change his plans from a rented villa to a hotel airport or cancel the trip altogether.

So when booking your honeymoon - or any trip for that matter - make sure you look into what the expected weather is and book travel insurance if you're going to risk it.

Honeymoons: Finding the Ideal Locations.

I was talking to Vane from Brooklyn Bride this evening and we both realized that we both went to three destinations during our honeymoons.

Dave and I went to London, Paris and Cannes while Vane and Chad went to London, Paris and Amsterdam.

If you and your groom are having trouble finding the perfect destination for your honeymoon, why not split it up and each pick a location - geographically not too far apart - and split the trip between the two locations!

This way you can have the vacation you want and he can have the one he wants.  For example, I like to be busy and run around while Dave likes to relax by the pool.  So for the first 5 days we ran around London and Paris and then spent 3 days relaxing in the South France.

Both of us were very happy with the trip.

Honeymoon Compromise

Do you and your fiance have different ideas of what your honeymoon vacation should be? You want to visit the spa and relax on the beach, he wants to go mountain climbing.  Look for a location that will offer activities that will please both of you.

If you have more than a few days to get away you may want to consider flying off to a second location after a few nights at one destination. My advice is to do the relaxing on the second half of your trip.

You may want to visit a travel agent to discuss your options. He or she will have great ideas for honeymoon destinations that will please both of you and may be able to get you discounts on your flight, hotel,  activities and meals while you’re on your honeymoon.

Don’t forget to make sure everyone knows you’re on your honeymoon while you’re traveling. People and businesses love to toast newlyweds and you may get some wonderful perks while you’re on your first vacation as husband and wife.

Don't Wait Till the Last Minute to Pack for Your Honeymoon

Dave and I are taking the baby for a short vacation but with a baby our carry-ons only rule is impossible to enforce. Besides trying to remember everything we need for her I'm forgetting everything I need for me!

I made a list last weekend of everything she would need and it included some items for me but with work I saved packing for both of us till tonight and I'm scrambling to remember each and every item we'll need. I'm sure our destination will have basic necessities for all three of us but I hate having to spend money on a toothbrush or extra bathing suit when there's one at home that I forgot to bring.

The point of my post is that the week of -- and especially the day before -- your wedding you'll have a million things on your mind. You'll save yourself a lot of stress by packing everything you need for your honeymoon in advance and then you can just add last minute toiletries the night before you leave. And if you want you can call a luggage delivery service who will pick your bags up at your door and ship them to your destination for you. (LuggageFree.com is one service that comes to mind.)

With a luggage shipping service it'll be much easier to leave your reception and head straight to the airport. Imagine the perks you may get by showing up in your wedding dress and him in a tux! Or you could buy yourself a fun going away outfit to change into before you make your exit.

The #1 Travel Tip

For the past 10 years I’ve heard of more and more bridal parties planning getaway bachelor and bachelorette parties. About 10 years ago the trips were pretty simple: A long weekend in Las Vegas or Montreal, or even a few days at an all-inclusive spa.

But in the past five years I’ve heard of bachelor/ette parties in far off destinations, such as: Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Argentina. While at iVillage I hired a freelancer to write a story on some unique destinations for bachelor and bachelorette parties.

Last night someone told me a story of a college friend who planned her bachelorette party in Vegas, but because of weather conditions in her hometown the bride couldn’t get a flight out and her bridesmaids ending up celebrating her upcoming wedding without her. The bride lost money on her flight, the cost of her room (which the bridesmaids had to pick up) and tickets to a show.

I spoke with travel expert Camille Pepe Sperrazza about wedding-related travel and her #1 piece of advice: Purchase travel insurance.

“Always purchase travel insurance for any trip, including your honeymoon, a getaway bachelor/ette party, and even for a destination wedding. Anything can happen and it’s important to protect yourself in the event something unexpected occurs. The minimal cost involved can protect you if your luggage is lost, your flight is delayed or if your trip is interrupted or cancelled.
“Talk to your travel agent about the different travel insurance policies. Some cover different medical expenses in the chance you get sick before or during your trip. Rates will depend on the cost of your trip and your age.”

I also know a groom whose bachelor party in Costa Rica was shortened because of a hurricane. The poor guy and his groomsmen had to leave their rented villa early – losing the rest of the money they spent on it AND each of them had to pay an additional $1000 to get on an earlier flight back to the states. So I strongly advise listening to Camille’s expert advice and purchase travel insurance.

We used to plan trips ourselves but to be honest neither Dave nor I have the time to do the research and find the best deals. I definitely recommend working with a travel agent. If you’re looking for a great deal on your destination wedding, honeymoon or any other trip – wedding-related or not – you should check out Camille’s Web site, TheWorldAwaitsTravel.com. She can do all the research for you, and she’ll know about air and hotel deals. Camille’s site also has some great travel tools, including a currency calculator, weather info and my personal favorites – a WiFi Hotspot finder and Internet Café locator.

Honeymoon Planning tip

When planning for your honeymoon, do your research on what type of weather conditions you can expect while you’re away. Remember that hurricane season lasts from June 1st through November so the Caribbean is probably not a safe bet.

You can find out potential weather situations online or talk to a travel agent about when is the best time to go to your chosen location. And if you want to risk it, you may want to look into travel insurance just in case your destination gets hit with a storm before you get there, or hits while you’re away, so you can get back the money you spent on airfare, accommodations and any other related expenses.

Saving Up for Your Honeymoon

I think I told you that we moved recently. While we were packing we found a lot of change. So much change that we filled quite a few Tupperware containers. We took the containers to our local Duane Reade and tossed all of it into one of those machines that tallies your change up for you, for a fee of 8 cents per dollar.


We could have gone to the bank for free, but then we would have had to separate each coin by denomination and wrap them into paper rolls.


Anyway, we couldn't believe it, but we had over $100 in change! I think after the store took their cut, we walked away with $94. That paid for groceries, some dry cleaning and dinner that night. Why am I telling you all of this? Well, I found this Honeymoon Fund container on this new shopping site, Love, Me. The site has great accessory and gift items for weddings and baby.

This $27.50 jar is a great place to keep all of your spare change. If you start collecting it right after you're engaged you may have well over $100 for your honeymoon! Now I realize that this is not going to pay for all of your honeymoon, but it might cover a few meals, a spa treatment or give you just enough to splurge on an upgrade.

First Class

So I'm off to Barbados for a destination wedding. My husband is a groomsman, and we've been looking forward to this wedding/mini-vacation for almost a year. No computers and cell phones allowed.

I picked up the PB Travel First Class Travel Package and plan on taking it with me for the flight. The set comes with a blanket, pillowcase and eye mask.

The comfy blanket ensures that I'll be warm and the pillowcase will give me an extra layer of protection from an unsanitary pillow. (The person who used it last might have been a drooler.)

PB Travel makes a variety of travel items that you should think about picking up for your honeymoon. Their products come in great colors and are an inexpensive treat that you're sure to use for many years.

As for the wedding, I'll post pictures and blog about the details next week. Enjoy the weekend, and don't forget to wish mom a Happy Mother's Day.

It's Easy Being Green

I received the May issue of Body + Soul magazine today and they had a very interesting article on "green" hotels. Many brides, and the media, have picked up on eco-friendly weddings - recycled paper invites, organic food. Why not carry the eco-theme to the honeymoon?

With style, comfort and the environment in mind, hotels have been cropping up all over with interesting takes on how they can help save Mother Earth.

Hotel Green by Vanessa Noel, featured here, is located in Nantucket and uses energy-efficient light bulbs, all-natural organic flax bed linens, organic hemp towels, organic milk-based paint and chemical free cleaning supplies.

At the Orchard Garden Hotel in San Francisco the room key controls everything from lighting to air conditioning. Remove the card when you leave the room and the power automatically shuts off.

A few big chains are also getting on the green bandwagon - Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels, Ritz-Carlton and ALOFT by Starwood Resorts are all pitching in to help Mother Earth.

Even if you don't have a completely green wedding wedidng think about adding at least one eco element. Every little bit helps.

Travel Size

Whether you're planning on relaxing on a beach or climbing every mountain during your honeymoon, you'll still have to worry about small loads of laundry.

Make sure you have everything you need to clean your lacy delicates, sexy swim suits, and stain removers for red wine, fab food or anything else that may spill on your clothes.

The Laundress has a complete line of detergents and fabric care formulas to make sure your trousseau is picture perfect for the whole trip. They also carry garment and shoe bags so you can protect your clothes and accessories while on the plane.

Honeymoon Hideaway

With winter approaching, many of us are starting to think of warm places for vacations. Your next vacation will probably be your honeymoon.

When planning your honeymoon, talk to your husband about what you want to do, and what he wants to do. He may want to get in a few rounds of golf. You may want to treat yourself to several spa treatments. A good idea is to look at resorts that offer not only a great room but also, good food, spa facilities, a golf course and other amenities.

The Four Season Hotel and Resort chain offers luxurious accommodations for all of their guests but especially newlyweds. From romantic dinners for two to couples massages in your room and of course a bottle of champagne when you arrive, The Four Seasons can offer you everything for the perfect honeymoon. And with locations around the world, including: Hawaii, Europe and the Caribbean you are sure to locate one that offers services both you and your fiancé will enjoy.