Every blushing bride has their own wedding style! Some choose to get married barefoot on the beach in a simple dress, while others walk down the aisle in a fancy hotel or country club in a designer ball gown. There are destination weddings, backyard weddings, themed weddings, and yes we have all seen pictures or videos of underwater weddings (do they make waterproof yarmulkes?) Where you get married and how you get married says a lot about who you are and what’s important to you. Choosing where to go on your honeymoon is very similar, while you don’t get the luxury of visiting possible vacation venues, you do have the ability to dream up the perfect location that fits your honeymoon style.
First ask yourself about your honeymoon style. Are you looking for adventure? Do you dream of white beaches in paradise? How about a Euro Moon? There are many exotic locations in each of these categories, and I, for one, can help you find the perfect match for every budget, but it’s up to you to find your style and how you want to spend your honeymoon days and nights!
The Adventure Moon
If the traditional honeymoon doesn’t thrill you and lying on a beach is a bore, there are many exotic locales that will tickle your adventurous bone! How about kibitzing with zebras and lions? Break out your khaki pants, pith helmet, and leopard undies to get in touch with your wild side on an African Safari. You can visit places such as the Singita Game Reserves (“place of miracles”) which is world-renowned for providing “the best safari experience in Africa!” There are numerous award-winning lodges and safari experiences to choose from. Kruger National Park and its great lodge options is another South African locale that will benefit those who want to enjoy South Africa’s last great wilderness in peace. The Kruger is known for its superb bird-watching and its native creatures include buffalo and lion, kudu, leopard, warthogs (just like Pumba!), baboons, hippo and crocodiles. Visitors can slow down and experience the rhythm, sounds, and cycles of the bush and you can see for miles and miles, and never catch sight of another person!
The “All You Need is a Bathing Suit” Moon
I know its cliché but spending your honeymoon surrounded by crystal clear water and sipping a pina colada with your toes in the sand is sometimes just what the doctor ordered after a stressful yet fabulous year of wedding planning. The sky is the limit when it comes to tropical luxury, so depending on your budget you have a plethora of places where you can get your relaxation on! Bora Bora and Moorea are perhaps the most popular honeymoon and reality-escape destinations! Resorts such as the Sheraton Moorea and the St. Regis Bora Bora are slices of heaven on earth. While the price tag on a Tahiti Moon will have you scream “Oy vey!”, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you should not pass up! When will you ever get the opportunity to stay in an over-water bungalow and go directly from snuggling in bed to snorkeling with the fishies?! To quote a very good friend of mine who spent her moon in Bora Bora… “It’s possibly one of the most incredible places in the world!”
If you merely want to brush up on your Spanish or stay in the States, you can have just as much of a tropical experience visiting the beaches of Mexico or the Aloha State. The Four Seasons Punta Mita is a breathtaking resort that is surrounded by nine unbroken miles of high sandy coastal dunes. Punta Mita is a local adaptation of the Aztec word mictlan, which means “gateway to paradise,” and that it is! The One and Only hotels around the world are amazing, one of which is the Palmilla in Los Cabos. With gorgeous accommodations and balconies looking out over the Pacific Ocean or Sea of Cortez, you will wish you could set up permanent residence there.
Island hopping is yet another great way to spend your sunny honeymoon. Hands down, my favorite spot in Maui is The Grand Wailea. This unrivaled property with tranquil gardens and magnificent views is a must stay! Don’t miss the artwork including the “Celebration of Marriage” statue by a renowned artist. A visit to Spa Grande is something you can’t miss during your stay, but don’t forget that even though you are on your honeymoon, it doesn’t mean you can’t be a kid at heart! Meander down the 2000 foot river pool, and take a ride up the world’s first water elevator and then whirl down the many water slides, followed by a hop up onto a seat at the swim-up bar to sip on your favorite tropical cocktail.
Honeymooners can also be found at the amazing Four Seasons Lana’i, Four Seasons Hualalai, and the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island, and many more fantastic properties in between. Hawaii will always be the vintage honeymoon getaway as it should be; there is nothing like sitting out on your lanai in the land of hula, watching as the sun sets into the Pacific, hand-in-hand with your honey!
The Euro Moon
This is not your backpacking, hostel-staying, college trip. This is your luna di miele, your ??? ??? (yerach d’vash), your mí?nas tou mélitos (that’s Greek)! You can honeymoon in any language, and enjoy the culture as you enjoy each other. You will be exhausted, not to mention spend a ton of moolah if you try to visit more than two places on this type of trip unless you do it the way my husband and I did, which was a fantastic Mediterranean Cruise on Princess Cruise Lines. In 12 days, most funded by the American dollar, we visited Monte Carlo, Nice, Cannes, Florence, Rome, Venice, Capri, Santorini, Mykonos, Corfu, Athens, and Turkey. It was the best of all worlds being able to see the majestic places we dreamed of while experiencing the food, culture, sights, and sounds — all via the most luxurious floating city! If you don’t have your sea legs just yet and cruising is not your cup of Turkish apple tea, I would opt for a land vacation and stay a few nights in Santorini and the outer Greek Islands. Oia on Santorini remain one of the foremost tourist attractions of the Aegean Sea, and is where I would love to go back to spend some more time. The views are something out of a travel magazine or painting, and the food is out of this world! Opa!!! If you wish to take a lune de miel in France, book your time in Nice and Cannes along the French Riviera; this would make an ideal, romantic ooh la la! During the Cannes Film Festival the InterContinental Carlton is the most prestigious place to stay, so even if you are not making your very own movie (wink wink) you can at least get the VIP treatment at this posh and famous hotel!
Explore the possibilities of your honeymoon style, cut out photos and ideas from travel mags, create a vision board, or simply take virtual tours on your computer. These honeymoon styles are just a few of the many. There are so many places to visit, so many lands to travel to, so many amazing and endless adventures to be had! However you wish to find your style and wherever you find yourself on your special moon, just know that this amazing journey is only the start of your new life and just the beginning of the many memories and adventures that you will embark on together.
Good Travels Bon Voyage ????? ???? ???? ??????! ¡Buen viaje! Buon viaggio!
Runya Simon is a Honeymoon and Wedding Travel Specialist. Just like a wedding coordinator helps your wedding dreams come true, she assists you with every step of planning and booking the “moon” of your dreams. Runya is based in Los Angeles, but can help jet-setting brides and grooms everywhere. Her vast knowledge and passion for travel make her your ideal honeymoon coordinator. You can email her with questions and reservations at runya.simon@gmail.com. Runya is looking forward to hearing from you! Enjoy the rest of your planning!
