The Honeymoon-Hawaii

ALOHA!!

Hawaii is the #2 2008 Top Honeymoon Picks on thehoneymoon.com. Hawaii is known for not only its beauty but for romance. If you are looking for a honeymoon that has a million options of what to do this is the place for you--snorkeling, helicopter rides, long walks on beautiful beaches, hiking, pineapple picking, whale watching, and the list goes on and on and on.

The weather is pretty much perfect, usually around 80 degrees. You will want to pack your fun fun beach clothes along with a light-weight sweater for the cooler nights, casual dress clothes to experience Hawaii's night life, and maybe some workout clothes in case you want to go hiking to explore the islands.

Top things to do in Hawaii:

1. Go Waterfall Hunting--The island of Kauai has tons of beautiful waterfalls. So decide to spend a romantic day hiking around Kauai and kissing under every waterfall you come to.

2. Ocean Quest--If you are looking for a fun night out together this is what you should do. It is a fun dinner cruise with a three entree buffet, open bar, and a great band to dance the night away.

3. Volcano Exploring--You absolutely cannot visit Hawaii without visiting the Big Island's Volcano National Park. Kilauea, the park's main feature, is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. So be adventurous and go view the magnificent park.

4. Luau--The luau is one of Hawaii's most ancient traditions. This is Hawaii's way of saying "Let's Party." This night is sure to be a night you won't ever forget.

Here's a quick tip...if you are looking for some quiet time don't visit Hawaii between December to February, this is their busiest tourist season.

The Honeymoon-ARUBA

Aruba, in my mind, is one of the most romantic places you can travel and since I have already traveled there I am going to let you in on a few things you have to do while you are there for your honeymoon. Thehoneymoon.com rated Aruba as one of the top places to go for your honeymoon due to the romance and fun that can be found on the island all day and night.

The weather cannot get any better than it is in Aruba. It is in the 70s and 80s in the day and then drops to the 60s and 70s during the evening. So you can wear your cute beach clothes during the day and have no probably wear pants and a light sweater at night.

Some of the things you must do:

1. Eat at Flying Fishbone--This is the most romantic place to eat in Aruba. You can get a table for two actually on the beach, so hang up your purse and shoes and let the sand and sea get in between your toes while you celebrate your new life together. Make sure to make reservations.

2. Kukoo Kunuku--If you are looking for a fun night out as new husband and wife this is the perfect thing for you to do. A old festive school bus will pick you up at your hotel and then you will travel around the island picking up other fun loving travelers from their hotels (most were newlyweds on the one I went on). The night is all about what people in Aruba actually do for fun. You will have a champagne toast at the light house, eat a traditional Aruba dinner, and stop at numerous bars. It is such a blast!!

3. Visit the Natural Pool--This is something I wanted to do so bad, but we ran out of time. The Natural Pool was rated the #2 Thing to Do in Aruba according to tripadvisor.com. You must rent a jeep and find this spot just the two of you.

Have Fun!!

Honeymoon Week

The wedding was perfect-you looked amazing in your dress, your groom was picture perfect, there wasn't a dry eye at the ceremony, the reception was stunning, and you couldn't have been more pleased. Now, its all about the honeymoon.

Many of our couples have their bags packed and ready to leave the day after their wedding. They have been waiting on the pampering and the togetherness and the adventure that the "honeymoon" brings. This week we are going to look at the 2008 Hot Spots for Weddings that thehoneymoon.com suggests.

So hold on tight, make sure to check in your baggage and get ready to fly to a different honeymoon destination each day!

Lisi's and Stephen's Wedding

Lisi and Stephen are an amazing couple that we feel blessed to have been able to plan their wedding dreams into reality. The wedding took place in historical St. Augustine at the beautiful Memorial Presbyterian Church with a reception immediately following at the Officer's Club. The entire wedding was absolutely beautiful and the couple was so happy. Here are just a few images from their special day!

Images by: Nick's Photo Video and DJ Service, http://www.nicksphotovideo.com/

Flowers, Flowers, and More Flowers

I love flowers! Flowers are the perfect symbol for kindness and beauty. Flowers are a perfect gift, perfect accent to decor, and the perfect profession of love.

I am sure you have heard, different flowers mean different things. Most of my brides want to know exactly what their wedding day flowers mean. I found this wonderful quick flower meaning guide online at http://www.floralsociety.com/.

Here are the meaning to some of the most popular wedding day flowers:

Carnation=Fascination, Woman's Love

Daisy=Innocence, Loyal Love

Freesia=Trust

Calla Lily=Beauty

Lily of the Valley=You''ve Made My Life Complete

Orchid=Refinement, Many Children

Peony=Happy Marriage

Wedding Roses=Happy Love

Stephanotis=Happiness in Marriage

Tulip=Perfect Lover

New Office

We just opened our very first celebrate! wedding boutique! We are so excited for this new chapter of our lives and feel very blessed. Thank you so much to all our close family and friends who came to help us celebrate.

Our new office is lcoated at:
200 South Nova Road, Suite A
Ormond Beach, Florida 32174

We are still "By Appointment Only" but if you would like to stop by just give us a quick call to make sure we are in.

Thank You Notes

The wedding day was a complete success and everything you ever imagined it would be. Now, you finally have moment to sit down and think about your thank you notes.

Thank you notes are the most personal and the best way to make sure each person involved in your wedding knows how much they are appreciated. Saying thank you in person does not have the same meaning to guest as a well thought-out note.

What to do and what not to do:

1. Make sure to send each person who helped plan any part of your wedding experience, from bachorlette/bachlor parties to the bridal shower to your wedding day, a thank you card. You should send the thank you promtely after each event to make sure if someone helps with multiple events that they know how much you appreciated each thing they did.

2. Never send generic pre-printed thank you notes that all say the same exact verse on the inside. If you send a pre-printed note you are telling that person that what they did was not wonderful enough for you to spend a few moments to write out a special note to them.

3. Always place your current return address on the envelopes. Your guests will be so excited to have your new current address for their records.

4. Never use the word "I" at the beginning of your note or numerous times throughout the thank you. You want the focus to be on the person you are writing it to so they know how much you appreciate them.

Here is a sample of a well thought-out thank you note:

Dear Tim and Carly,

Thank you so very much for the beautiful crystal vases. We have already placed them on our mantle and cannot wait for you to see them. You both are so special to us.

Sincerely,

Danielle and Mike

Inspired Favors

You have the groom, the dress, the location, and the flowers but how are you going to show appreciation to your wedding guests for attending the most memorable day of your life? The most popular way to show your guests thanks is a wedding favor waiting for them to take home after your reception.

Coming up with the perfect wedding favor for your guests can become a tedious task. You want, as any bride does, for your favor to be fabulous, memorable, and stand out from all the past wedding favors your guests may have received. Below are some wonderful tips to consider when choosing your perfect fabulous favors:

1. Consider your location
If you are having an outdoor reception you do not want to have chocolates melting as they sit in the heat. If you are having your wedding on the beach consider sending home seashell inspired favors such as a thank you message in a bottle.

2. Consider your couple history
Think about how you met. Did you meet at a football game? Let your family and friends enjoy your history as a couple along with you. Send them home with football inspired monogrammed favors.

3. Consider what you love
Are you both chocolate lovers? If so, consider setting up a candy bar at your reception complete with decorative boxes for your guests to take their candy selections home.

Some of my favorite sites to view creative wedding favors are:

www.favorideas.com

www.beau-coup.com

Photo from: favorideas.com

Wedding Invitations-When to mail them out

One of the first things I ask a bride when I sit down to discuss her wedding and all the beautiful ideas she has dancing in her head is "have you sent out your 'save a date' cards or thought about your invitations?" 'Save the Date' cards is an extremely wonderful way to announce your engagement to family and friends and to also have them start planning their accomodations for your wedding day.

Most of our brides send out these nifty 4x6 'Save the Date' cards but do not know exactly when not only these should be sent out but their invitations as well. So, I figured we would help you out:

'Save the Date' cards should be mailed 1 year prior to your wedding

Invitations should be ordered 4 months prior to your wedding

RSVP date on the invitations should be 2 weeks prior to the wedding

Invitations should be mailed out 4-6 weeks prior to wedding

However, if you have mostly out of town guests you should consider sending out the invitations 8-10 weeks prior to the wedding. By sending your invitations out sooner, your guests will have more time to find lodging accomodations.

Photo by: leahjeanphoto.com

If you are looking for amazing wedding invitations that will go above and beyond any expectations you have, please check out Pearl Beach Paperie at http://www.pearlbeachpaperie.com/. Darcy Sang, the owner of Pearl Beach Paperie, is one of my favorite vendors. She really has a passion for what she does and it shows in the products she displays.

How to Make Your Wedding Stand Out: Unique Wedding Locations

One way to set your wedding apart from any other wedding you have attended or will attend is to choose a unique wedding ceremony and/or reception site. By choosing an unique site, you are already incorporating those details that will leave your guests and you remembering your wedding for years to come.

Where to look for that perfect location:

1. Bed and Breakfasts

2. Your City's Historical Sites

3. Museums and Art Galleries

4. Parks

(Photo by: leahjeanphoto.com)