Hawaii is a beautiful place for a destination wedding or a honeymoon. The weather is perfect year round. It is very relaxed and a different way of life. Each island is very different. Whether you prefer adventure, relaxation, or sightseeing each island is sure to have it. The islands are close together you can visit more than one. You can get married on a beach, by a volcano, or in front of a waterfall. You can have a traditional ceremony or do something a little more Hawaiian. If you would love to do a destination wedding but are worried some loved ones might miss it, you could have your reception back home. You can wear your dress again, a different one, or have it more casual. It would be nice to hire a good videographer so that you can show your ceremony at the reception. If you decide to get married there or any destination it is a good idea to hire a wedding planner. There is a lot of research to be done. Save yourself the time and trouble and let a professional handle everything.

9-12 Months Before

_ Make a budget, don’t forget to think about food, spending money, and transportation.
_ Decide where you want to go, remember to discuss what each of you want out of the honeymoon and research the weather at that time of year.
_ Buy your plane tickets, shop around on line to get the best deal.
_ Book your hotel, get this out of the way so you can start planning the fun stuff.


6-8 Months Before

_ Plan out your transportation, book a rental car, buy a eurail pass if you are going to Europe, or figure out however else you will get around.
_ Get or renew your passport if needed.
_ If you are going somewhere exotic you may need certain vaccinations.

3-5 Months Before

_ Plan your activities. Research different things you would like to do and see. You do not need to plan every detail (unless you want to), just the major activities.

1-2 Months Before

_ Shop. Buy anything you may need for your trip.
_ Plan special activities. Book spa appointments, excursions, etc. The popular ones tend to book up fast at resorts.

1-2 Weeks Before

_ Pack. Make a list and check it off as you pack. You don’t want to be packing the week of your wedding.
_ Pack a carry-on bag. Be sure to pack what you would need if your luggage was lost. You may need to wait a day or two for your luggage so be sure to have a change of clothes, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc.
_ Confirm hotel and transportation reservations.

Make sure the honeymoon you choose fits both of your lifestyles and energy level. If you are super athletic, laying on a beach will soon bore you. If you enjoy relaxing, sitting on the couch at home, sitting on a beach sipping margaritas would be right up your alley. Some places may offer both with different excursions. Although beware, excursions do get pricey. If you really like art and history, Europe would be an excellent choice.  If you want warm weather and want to lounge, Mexico, Hawaii, and anything in the Caribbean would be great. If you want to be adventurous I would suggest going to Bangkok, Barbados, or Hawaii.

Whatever place you choose to have your honeymoon make sure that you will both enjoy it and it’s in your budget! Do your research.

Top All-Inclusives

1 Sandals
2 Dreams
3 Secrets
4 Couples
5 Excellence

Top Cruise Lines

1 Regent Seven Seas
2 Celebrity
3 Crystal
4 Princess
5 Royal Caribbean

Top Romantic Cities

1 Paris
2 Venice
3 Florence
4 Rome
5 Barcelona

Top Romantic Beaches

1 French Polynesia
2 Hawaii
3 Fiji
4 St Lucia
5 Bali

If you do not want to go far, go for too long, or want to save a little cash, there are so many great places to honeymoon right here in the US.

1 Napa and Sonoma Valley-Why go? There are over 300 vineyards, hot springs, antiquing, and beautiful views.

2 Lake Tahoe- Why go? It is sunny 75% of the time, beaches, golf courses, biking, hiking, skiing and other winter sports in the winter, casinos.

3 New Orleans- Why go? The music, the Creole and Cajun food, the French Quarter, the Garden District, Beignets (fried doughnuts).

4 Nantucket Island- Why go? The beaches, the whales, the history.

5 Aspen- Why go? For an adventure, snow sports, four mountains, the dining and nightlife.

I am so glad spring is finally here! I hope that means warm weather will soon be here to stay. All of this cold weather in Michigan has left me dreaming about vacationing in a warmer climate. This week my blog will feature everything about honeymoons! At least I can day dream about all of these warm places :)

Hottest Honeymoon spots of 2011

1 Hawaii
2 French Polynesia
3 Fiji
4 Italy
5 Bali
6 Bermuda
7 Costa Rica
8 Greece
9 The Bahamas
10 France
11 Antigua
12 Aruba
13 Jamaica
14 The British Virgin Islands
15 The Cayman Islands
16 Australia
17 Anguilla
18 Barbados
19 Mexico
20 St Lucia