Where to Honeymoon in September?
We want to go on our honeymoon September 9, 2009 and we are worried about where to go because of the season. What options do we have with beautiful beaches and great weather during that season? -- submitted from Virginia
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and honeymoon! Yours is a good question because early September is the peak of the Caribbean and Atlantic hurricane season and is also a very active time in the Pacific hurricane season.
However, there are destinations located south of the hurricane zone. The far southern islands of the Caribbean--especially Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao--are considered south of the "hurricane belt" so they generally miss the storms which develop and move to their north. You'll find great beaches--and beautiful days on each island. Aruba is especially noted for its around the clock fun, from great beaches like Eagle Beach and Palm Beach to its shopping and nightlife fun (not to mention sports activity--it's a windsurfing capital). Bonaire is far quieter and is a real favorite with scuba divers. Curacao offers a variety of beach properties and natural attractions.
As far as other destinations during hurricane season, usually you'll be just fine...but always check and see if the resort you're considering offers a "hurricane guarantee." These guarantees will cover your honeymoon if it's interrupted by a hurricane.
Cruises are another option; most Caribbean and Mexico cruises make daily port stops so you can hit the local beaches. If there's a weather problem, cruises just reroute and head to another sunny isle!
Happy travels! Paris and John
Labels: Caribbean
posted by Paris & John /Click for permalink 6:33 PM
What are the Benefits of a Private island Resort?
Dear Lovetripper,I'm planning my honeymoon for August 2009 and have been reading about private island resorts. The places I've seen look great...but what's the benefit of staying at a private island resort rather than another small resort? Thanks, Patti, Seattle, WADear Patti,
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Private island resorts are a popular option for honeymooners because they do have two very important assets that many honeymooners are seeking: privacy and an island setting.
Since the public isn't allowed on the island, you'll find a quiet atmosphere any time of the day, giving the island a home away from home setting. Private island resorts are generally small properties so the limited number of guests also keeps the mood quiet (no games of Marco Polo at the pool). Couples have the amenities of a larger hotel but their villa or cottage becomes home base rather than busy public areas. Tucked away from the mainland, there's no traffic noise, no beach vendors. Security is almost a non-issue.
Also, the privacy afforded by this type of resort means you can ask for special extras that wouldn't be possible at other resorts. For example, at
Petit St. Vincent, a romantic private island getaway in the Grenadines, you can opt for private dinners for two anywhere on the island--you can enjoy champagne and lobster under the stars on your own white sandy beach, hammock or dock. In the photo above, honeymooners Danilo and Thais Teixeira selected the Windward Dock gazebo to celebrate their new life together.
Other private island options? A few others include Peter Island in the British Virgin Islands,
Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys,
Cayo Espanto in Belize.
Photo courtesy Petit St. VincentLabels: Caribbean, Honeymoons
posted by Paris & John /Click for permalink 8:39 AM
Ideas for a Quickie Wedding
I wouldn't say that my Fiance and I are lazy, but we are looking for the easiest way to get married. Can you recommend anywhere- possibly in Europe- where we can simply drop in and get married while on vacation with out dealing with a lot of the pre-planning of legal forms and licenses that usually accompany a typical wedding? Is there a service that might do it for us?Most of Europe has pretty strict wedding laws that prohibit really simple ceremonies like those you’d find in Vegas. Scotland has some of the easiest wedding laws but even there you’ll need a marriage visa and have some paperwork hoops to jump through!
In the US,
Gatlinburg, Tennessee is second to
Las Vegas in terms of both the number of weddings and ease of ceremonies; there are many, many wedding chapels in the area that range from touristy to beautiful.
Many islands in the Caribbean have very vacation-friendly marriage laws, a few make it possible to arrive and marry on the same day. You won’t find the many wedding chapels like Vegas on any of the islands but you will find many resorts that offer wedding packages...some free for guests...and wedding coordinators to handle every detail from paperwork to wedding officiant to wedding cake.
SuperClubs and Sandals both offer free wedding packages for guests (you’ll pay the marriage license fee); we’
ve seen many of these weddings and they’re nice with beach settings, a small wedding cake, etc.
Labels: Caribbean, destination weddings, Las Vegas, Tennessee
posted by Paris & John /Click for permalink 6:35 PM
Sandals Weddings
What do you think about the Sandals Resorts' WeddingMoon? --Helen, Shreveport, LAWe’ve seen several Sandals weddings and they’re nice. They're for some couples and not for other couples, depending on the type of wedding you would like.
At peak times (actually MOST times), you definitely won’t be the only couple getting married on a particular day so it’s not for couples who really want the all-day attention of a wedding coordinator or those who want lots of special details.
On the other hand, for couples who want some choices but not to be overwhelmed with choices (and don't want to turn the wedding planning into a part-time job), the Sandals package is a good option. The free wedding is an incredible deal and you have your selection of several wedding venues at each property. The properties are beautiful and offer a very extensive all-inclusive package.
Sandals also sells a Preston Bailey wedding package (Preston Bailey has done many celebrity weddings) that has some nice touches at a reasonable price.
We’ve stayed at most of the Sandals resorts and been very happy with our stay and the all-inclusive package. Best wishes! Paris and John
Labels: Caribbean, destination weddings
posted by Paris & John /Click for permalink 2:15 PM
Ideas for Secluded Island Getaway
This summer is my 40th birthday. My dream is a secluded island stay for 3-5 days with my wife. I would like a place that is private. I deal with people all day and I want to only see my wife. Price is not a huge issue but $2,000 a day might be a little steep. A great beach is a must. A nice villa, an umbrella, a chair, a bunch of cold Coronas and I am happy. I live near Dallas. Good news: since your birthday is in the summer, you’ll find lower prices than during the winter months. There are quite a few private island resorts; most include a small number of villas but they are usually spread out enough across the island that you have some degree of privacy. Here’s a selection of some of our favorites:
Cayo Espanto, Belize: very pricey but very exclusive; you don’t have to see any other guests if you don’t want to. You’ll have a butler assigned to you who will come take drink orders, dinner orders, etc; meals are delivered to your villa.
Little Palm Island, Florida Keys: Villas are somewhat smaller and now as spread throughout the property; there are some public areas that are shared by all the guests (dining area, pool, etc.)
Peter Island, British Virgin Islands. The island has just one resort but several beaches.
You also might think of a getaway on a secluded island. You wouldn’t have the expense of a private island getaway but would still have the peace and privacy. Some good choices:
Little Cayman: you’ll find some villas here; check with Cayman Villas for a good selection. To reach Little Cayman, you’ll fly to Grand Cayman then take a prop plane from there. This is a nice island with a population of about 100 residents; great for just doing nothing at all. There are direct flights from Houston to Grand Cayman.
Anguilla: great beaches but pricier than some islands.
St. John, USVI: There’s a huge number of villas on this island; you can opt to add on services such as a caterer to bring some meals or to pre-stock your pantry. Check with McLaughlin-Anderson for a good selection. Many villas have their own private pools; some are located on the beach.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. This island is becoming more developed but is still pretty quiet and has absolutely beautiful beaches.
Happy travels! Paris and John
Labels: Belize, Caribbean, Florida
posted by Paris & John /Click for permalink 6:16 PM
Ideas for a Honeymoon...Next Month!
I need ideas for a honeymoon that's coming up the end of next month! We are thinking about the islands. I really like Italy but the quotes I have been receiving were around $15,000. We are really open to suggestions, we are located in south Florida so picking a place is hard because we already live by the beach. But I really like the islands, but going to Italy would be a great for the culture.Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Italy is great (and you’ll find prices somewhat cheaper in Sicily than on the mainland...Taormina is very romantic).You could put together your own package far less than $15,000 unless you’re really looking for first class accommodations and flights but putting together your own package does take time.
In the Caribbean, you’ve got lots of great choices. If you’d like to combine culture and beach, consider the French islands (St. Barts is great, very exclusive, has lots of fine French food, and a distinct French atmosphere.)
Another option are the Spanish islands; Puerto Rico has lots of history in Old San Juan as well as Ponce plus very nice resorts. The Dominican Republic has historic sites along the north coast in Puerto Plata as well as Santo Domingo on the south coast plus plenty of resort areas such as Punta Cana.
Of these, the priciest is St. Barts; the least expensive is the Dominican Republic.
Labels: Caribbean, Italy
posted by Paris & John /Click for permalink 6:46 PM
