Sharing Travel Experiences is an on-line travel magazine that I personally enjoy reading when I want to dream about future travels. I asked their Managing Editor, Andy Hayes, to share some tips for couples planning their honeymoons. This is what he sent (thanks Andy!):

“It’s your honeymoon, so you want it to be absolutely perfect, right? Well, get rid of that notion right now. Travel is rarely uneventful and in fact a little bit of serendipity builds character and makes for a good story when you get home. So many brides and grooms get so worked up over the whole thing that I’d like to share five things you should think about when planning your honeymoon travels. Hopefully they’ll help you plan a honeymoon more in tune with your real needs and expectations.

1) Don’t treat it as a “to do list” item. It’s a celebration. When something nice turns into an obligation and a must-do, it’s not as fun anymore, is it? Stop treating your honeymoon as this massive to do list item that sits on a pedestal waiting for you to take action. Stop watching all those movies filling your head with unrealistic expectations about honeymoons. A honeymoon is a private celebration between the two of you to honor the marriage you’ve just formalized. That’s it. So, how do you want to celebrate?

2) It’s the experience, not the destination. Every year there’s the latest “it” destination. Just because everyone else is there and all the bargains are there, doesn’t mean you should go. Decide what kind of honeymoon holiday you want and then pick a place. Remember, almost all countries have both secluded beaches and cosmopolitan chaos.

3) It’s probably best to involve a professional. You’re probably saying to yourself, “of course he’ll say that, he is one!” Yes, full disclosure applies, but I’m not saying this because I stand to benefit. Having a travel agent or travel concierge involved gives you a layer of insurance. If flights go awry, if the hotel just isn’t suitable, or god forbid there is an accident, you can contact your agent for support and assistance. And for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday, isn’t that a good thing?

4) Make sure you can see the forest and the trees. You know the old proverb about not seeing the forest because of the trees? Well, don’t do that. A lot of couples-to-be get hung up on having rose petals on the bed and a private suite with beach access. But don’t forget the big picture: will you get bored if there’s only the two of you and a beach? Details are important, but so is knowing you have a 20 hour flight in coach class with two connections before you get to those rose petals.

5) There are two of you involved. It goes without saying, but everyone’s needs have to be catered for, so have a frank discussion about what you want and more importantly what you don’t want. This is the beginning of a new chapter of your life, so why not start things off on the right note?”

Check out Andy’s website for further tips on how to make your destination wedding, honeymoon, or any upcoming travels more authentic, rich, and experiential. But before you leave: here are some  choices from STE’s (Sharing Travel Experiences) readers:

STE reader, Denise McVey, highly recommended Santorini, Greece. The spectacular views, food and the friendly citizens created a perfect site for her destination wedding and honeymoon. Photo by Navin75.

Vista Verde Ranch near Steamboat Springs, Colorado was recommended by Amberlece and Joshua Oldham. “Great skiing, horseback riding, delicious food and log cabin housing” were some of the highlights of a “perfect” honeymoon site for this adventurous twosome. www.vistaverde.com

Liz Caskey recommended the Northeastern beaches of Brazil in the state of Ceara. Photo by Jairo BD

Elephant trekking anyone? Chiang Mai, Thailand makes a great base for touring the “Golden Triangle” where the borders of Burma, Laos and Thailand meet.

Tuscany continues to be one of the most popular honeymoon destinations in the world. Villa La Borghetta is well known for it’s pampering atmosphere in the heart of this beautiful region.

Andy recommended Maldives. Located southwest of India, the water off the Maldivian coast is known for breathtaking snorkeling and diving spots.

And finally… the top picture in this post is of the dining room at The Sooke Harbour House on Victoria Island, British Columbia, Canada. This is where I went on my honeymoon. Organic gardens, edible flowers adorning your delicious meals, hills in background and harbor in foreground, with comfortable rooms makes this a top pick for those who like a more intimate setting for their special celebration for two. www.sookeharbourhouse.com

We’d love to hear your recommendations. Happy Honeymoon Planning Nearly Weds!

PS: you might enjoy reading one of our past posts: Honeymoons – the intimate celebration

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Image by Emin Kuliyev, Emin Photography - www.em34.com

This is one time that it’s usually not hard to get the groom interested in the planning process. Most couples say planning their Honeymoon is one of the more enjoyable parts of their wedding planning and reminds them about Romance — something that is amazingly easy to forget when you are trying to figure out how you are going to handle the “Step-Mother from Hell” and the three Vegans attending your prime rib reception.

I am clearly not a travel expert but I do have a few thoughts about Honeymoons and honeymoon planning.

1) Do take one. For the rest of your life people will ask you where you went for your Honeymoon. It’s nice to have a great answer for this question. Now if the budget or time constraints don’t allow for a 6 week European Tour, spend one night at the most decadent hotel in your city, or ask a close friend with a nice home to “switch” with you for the weekend.

When Cindi and Bill got married, money was very VERY tight. So Cindi’s best friend, Nancy, gave them her beautiful home for their Honeymoon Weekend. Nancy filled her house with candles and a rose petal path leading to a sunken tub (that overlooked the Pacific Ocean) with a picnic basket filled with “romance food” and a fabulous bottle of Champagne. Nancy then spent the weekend at Cindi and Bill’s apartment and took care of their cat while Cindi and Bill had a relaxing and stress-free Honeymoon that eleven years later –still makes them smile.

2) Do your Homework. This could likely be the most expensive and memorable vacation you’ll ever take, so use all the resources that are available to you to plan this wonderful holiday. Search the internet, talk to many travel agents who specialize in the area that you are interested in, and ask your friends, relatives and business associates for their travel experiences. Don’t EVER EVER EVER rely on one resource, you’ll miss grand opportunities of information that way. And do learn “the rules” of traveling at your chosen destination. Do you need a passport?, a marriage certificate to verify your new name?, vaccinations?, do you know enough language to say “help!” in the country you will be honeymooning in? Do you know the currency exchange?, etc., etc. Please, oh please, do your homework!

3) Don’t travel far on the same day as your wedding. Way too many brides and grooms think it’s romantic being on an airplane on their wedding night. Believe me when I say, it’s not! A nice comfortable bed after one of the most intense days of your life will win over that “Mile High” fantasy EVERY TIME!!! My husband told me that my head didn’t hit my pillow before I started snoring on our wedding night. So let your fantasies stay in your dreams and get a good night sleep. There’s always the next morning to make dreams come true.

You may want to stay in town for the first few days of wedded bliss. Often you have out of town guests that have traveled thousands of miles to celebrate your marriage. If you whisk away to Jamaica on your wedding night, you lose the opportunity to visit with these treasured friends. My very favorite part of my son’s wedding celebration was the day after when Russell and Alix and all their close friends and relatives had brunch together. Most of us only got to have a few minutes with the newly married couple on their wedding day. The brunch gave Russell and Alix time with those that made the biggest effort to share in their celebration. We also got to “re-hash” every last detail of the wedding, which was for me almost as fun as the wedding itself! Actually, we all had so much fun at the day-after events, that it lasted for two more days. How often do you get everyone you love together in one place? Take advantage of this and soak in all this love and support. Honeymoons are just as much fun 2 days or 2 weeks after your wedding day.

4) Give your mate Honeymoon surprises. Present your new mate with: love notes packed in their suitcase or left on their pillow along with a rose or a chocolate kiss; Honeymoon “Coupons” offering breakfast in bed, a massage, or other creative “services” that only you know how much they’ll love; and a letter that tells them in your own words what your marriage hopes and dreams are.

Continue with #4 throughout your marriage and your Honeymoon just may last a lifetime.

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EBs: Now it’s your turn to share your Heavenly Honeymoon Memories or your Honeymoon Horror Stories. Your experience and advice could be very valuable to future newlyweds!