Category Archives: honeymoon

{Sponsored} 5 Reasons to Have a Honeymoon Registry

By Chandra Fredrick | May 16

I’ve been very vocal about my own experience using a honeymoon registry (I loved it!) almost four years ago, but it seems that some people are still on the fence about the idea. However, the honeymoon registry is becoming popular as many couples find it most appropriate for their needs. After all, the purpose of a gift registry is to take the guesswork out of gift giving.

These days couples are older when they are getting married, many have lived on their own, or together as a couple, for years before their wedding. They don’t need ‘the stuff.’ But everyone deserves a dream honeymoon.

Even though honeymoon registries are not completely main-stream, they can be very practical and useful for the average engaged couple. If you’re still on the fence about whether or not to use one, here are five reasons why you should:

You get exactly what you want. At department stores, the wedding registry salespeople can leave you feeling guilty for not registering for enough. They say you need hundreds of gifts on your registry to give guests plenty of selection and you need to accommodate a wide variety of price points. The problem is that you end up registering for things you don’t really want or need; only to take them back or be stuck figuring out what to do with them after the wedding. With a honeymoon registry, you can get what you really want – the experience of a truly memorable honeymoon.
You don’t have to ask for money. If you feel you don’t need to register for many of the traditional housewares for your wedding, and would prefer gifts towards your honeymoon, it’s still awkward to ask for money. A respectful way to accomplish this goal is through the use of a honeymoon registry that allows you to spend your gift money on your honeymoon. With a honeymoon registry, your guests are essentially giving you money, but each guest will know exactly what that money is intended for – so they can feel good about giving you a special honeymoon gift.
You can combine it with a traditional wedding registry. No one said you can’t have it both ways! Most couples these days have wedding registries set up at more than one store so they have a variety of items to choose from. If you need a few practical essentials for your home but also want a great honeymoon, there’s no unspoken rule saying you can’t register at Target or Crate and Barrel and Honeymoon Pixie! You can get the best of both worlds this way!
You can track your registry online to help you plan for your honeymoon. It’s a good idea to register early for your honeymoon registry to provide guests the opportunity to purchase their gift for you well before your wedding. This will help with your budgeting, as you can then monitor the gift funds received and how much money you’ve got coming in at any given point. Registry gift funds can be redeemed weeks before your wedding to help pre-pay for your lodging and airfare, easing budget concerns. Overall, many couples are pleasantly surprised at the level of gift giving and find that they can splurge a little more on their honeymoon.
Guests get to do it all online. A honeymoon registry is the perfect solution for couples who have friends and family in far-off places. They may want to buy you a gift but would have to ship it to you, which takes time and can be expensive. Plus they may have to pay tax and have the gift wrapped. With a honeymoon registry, they can do all their gift-giving online, avoid the various fees, and not have to guess what you really want for a gift. And you’ll have a detailed ‘thank you’ list from your registry, so you’ll know what to thank each gift giver for!

Though honeymoon registries are still new, they’re clearly a great idea for the modern couple. If you want an unforgettable honeymoon and don’t want to deal with taking back the three extra crystal vases you get on your wedding day, it might be the perfect solution for you! I know it was one of the best decisions my husband and I made.

This post was sponsored by Honeymoon Pixie, who is both a sponsor and Lovely Vendor of Oh Lovely Day and we’re a big fan. If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor, email me for rate information and a media kit.

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What Honeymoon is Right for You + A Lovely Vacation for ME

By Chandra Fredrick | May 9

Hi lovelies! I’m headed to my brother’s wedding this weekend (probably my last time as a bridesmaid and Charlie’s first time as a ringbearer – can’t wait to see him in his little suit!) and then I’m taking a bit of time off to spend with family. I have some great guest posters lined up for you. I hope you enjoy reading their posts as much as I have. There are some DIY’s, cocktail recipes, inspiration boards, and more! Leave them some love if you have a minute. And if you want to see Charlie as a ringbearer (probably not, but indulge me a little) or want to see me be a tourist with my sweetheart in NYC, be sure to follow along on instagram.

Oh, I’m also on Bloglovin now. Follow my blog with Bloglovin, especially now that Google Reader is going away! That’s how I’ll be keeping up on my blog reading. And I’m making an effort of finally getting to know google + too. So be sure to find me there as well.

Now, are you planning your honeymoon but aren’t sure what type of honeymoon is right for you? Not sure if you want to go sightseeing in Paris or lounge on a beach in Jamaica? This infographic quiz from Phase Eight may come in handy.

Since this weekend is Mother’s Day, tomorrow I’m sharing my birth story. It is a long and sometimes rough story, but it has a happy ending. I read a lot of birth stories when I was pregnant, and they helped me get mentally prepared for the possibilities, but eventually I went overboard and they started making me anxious and I had to cut myself off. I don’t want to scare anyone, so don’t read it if you scare easily, but just know I’m only sharing in an effort to let you know you aren’t alone and if I can do it, you can do it! And ask questions – I’m happy to answer anything in the comments or in an email.

{Sneak Peek} Destination Weddings in Jamaica

By Chandra Fredrick | Apr 29

Hi lovelies! I just wanted to share a little sneak peek with you today of my visit to Jamaica to bring you lots of ideas and inspiration on destination weddings. I traveled far and really had to rough it in a Romeo and Juliet Butler Suite at Sandals Resort to research wedding possibilities for you – tough work, I know! While I’m traveling back to California I wanted to share a little teaser of what’s to come. And you can find lots more on my instagram feed.

Until the full post, be sure to check out our destination weddings and honeymoon categories for lots of inspiration and tips.

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{Love Shoot} Olga & Dimitry: A Honeymoon in Paris from WeddingLight

By Chandra Fredrick | Jan 17

A Parisian honeymoon shoot by WeddingLight

Isn’t it everyone’s fantasy to honeymoon in Paris and have a talented photographer take photos of you all around the city while you’re in deep in your newly-wedding bliss? So when this honeymoon shoot was sent my way, I literally squealed with joy. Dimitry and Olga, were married in their native Moscow, flew to Paris for their honeymoon, and Olivier Lalin of WeddingLight documented their visit. So grab a latte and a croissant, and enjoy a taste of Paris for a little while.

So, who’s ready to book a flight to Paris right now? My husband and I were trying so hard to go in May, because we spent the first day of our honeymoon there on our way to Italy and have wanted to go back ever since, but I don’t think it is in the cards for this year. Maybe our five year anniversary? We’ll see…

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{Partnered Post} Top Christmas Activities in London from Holiday Inn UK

By Chandra Fredrick | Dec 15

Today’s post is for our friends across the pond, or all of you who’ll be traveling to London during the holiday season (especially you honeymooners!), brought to you by the Holiday Inn UK.

The loom of Christmas is well and truly gathering as we near the end of November, and with just over a month to go until Christmas Day, retailers and customers alike are revving up for the busiest shopping time of the year.

However, contrary to what the supermarkets, bunting, never-ending lights and adverts would have you believe, Christmas is not in fact about spending money; it’s about enjoying time with your loved ones. Today we’re taking a look at some of the seasonal fun you can have on a weekend break in London this December.

Before heading up for a break you’ll want to find an easy and convenient place to stay – large mid-range hotel brands like Holiday Inn have London hotels across the capital, which could be very useful if you’re wanting to focus your activities on a particular area, or are visiting family in one area.

With accommodation out of the way, you can focus on the fun stuff. We’ve picked out a few suggestions from the absolute myriad of Christmas events filling up the capital – from free-to-wander Christmas markets to pantomimes, special concerts and shows.

For the Winter Wonderland experience

Families and those seeking an extremely amped-up festive experience will no doubt head to Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland complex, which opens on November 23^rdand keeps its log cabin-style parameters open until 6^th January, until 10pm at night. Come here for rides and carousels, stalls, plenty of food and drink and lots of barrels of mulled wine, to be enjoyed under the fairy lights.

Or perhaps you want a little less sparkle but still plenty of sustenance – in which case one of the many Christmas markets that are now a fixture across London will be right up your street. The famed Southbank Centre Christmas Market is now open, dotted along and underneath the bridges which span from the Strand across the Royal Festival Hall and National Theatre.

Alternatively, those looking to pick up vintage, craft and fashion gifts can head to Camden’s Lock Market, which is free to enter and stays open at night until 20^thDecember.

A little icy activity

Ice skating only comes out to play at the end of November, and the city’s usual favourite rinks are already up and glowing. For Somerset House and the Natural History Museum – two of the city’s largest and most popular skating palaces – you’ll want to book in advance, especially for a night skate slot.

Going out/staying in(side)

Christmas is also an excuse for plenty of new shows and exhibitions to keep individuals warm and indoors. Take a look at Time Out’s Silent Night, Unholy Night event, running every Saturday until December 15^th at the Old Vic Tunnels. Or perhaps you’d prefer some festive fun for the family that involves the stage and some marvellous imagination.

In that case head to the National for 1927’s The Animals and Children Took to the Streets or try the much-loved Kneehigh’s Midnight’s Pumpkin, on at the BAC from December 8^th.

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{Honeymoon Tips} 5 Guidelines for Honeymoon Registry Etiquette

By Chandra Fredrick | Nov 19

Today’s post is from Andrew Marino, of sponsor and lovely vendor Honeymoon Pixie. I think this information is so helpful in today’s world of honeymoon registries, although some of this advice applies to all registries (like tip #1). So before you register, read this!

Wondering how to let your guests know about your honeymoon registry? Have you had to politely explain your registry to guests with questions? Honeymoon registry etiquette advice can be hard to find, and when you do, it can be conflicting. Here are the best pieces of advice for honeymoon registry etiquette. By following these five basic guidelines, you will be following the best etiquette practices and you’ll minimize the risk of offending anyone.
Never Advertise Your Honeymoon Registry in Your Wedding Invitations
Miss Manners says it is not polite to include your registry website information in your wedding invitations. Instead, you should rely on your bridal party and family members to help spread the word about your honeymoon registry, and you can also put the registry information in your bridal shower invitations. Most people will ask either you, someone in your bridal party, or a family member where you’re registered so they can get gift ideas. Word of mouth is often a great way to get the word out about your honeymoon registry.

Also, many honeymoon registry websites will provide registry announcement cards for your bridal shower invitations, will post to your Facebook wall the gifts you’ve received from your honeymoon registry, and will help you send emails to people on your guest list. These simple things are enough to make sure that most of your guests are aware of your honeymoon registry, and you don’t have to break any rules of etiquette to do it!

Create a Wedding Website

There are multiple online options where you can create a website with all the information about your wedding that’s hard to get into the invitation. Guests will love reading your engagement story, learning about your future plans, and getting all the details on your wedding. This is the perfect place to include a link to your honeymoon registry, since the majority of your guests will visit your site to learn more about your wedding plans.

Take Time to Explain to Guests Why You’re Using a Honeymoon Registry

Let’s face it; if you’re doing something a little different – like using a honeymoon registry – you may get questions from friends and family members. Take the time to explain to people the reasons and the benefits of using a honeymoon registry. If you have lived on your own and have many of the house items needed to start a new home together, then explaining this to your guests will help them understand why you have decided to use a honeymoon registry.

It’s important that your guests understand that you will receive their gift funds to purchase the honeymoon gift experience they’ve purchased for you. Many guests will find that giving gift funds that they know will be used for a ‘swimming with the dolphins’ experience is more personal and rewarding than just giving cash on your wedding day.

We also recommend having a traditional registry in addition to your honeymoon registry. This will provide your wedding guests with more options. You may find that your older guests prefer to give traditional wedding gifts – and having both registries will allow you to accommodate everyone.

Gift Variety

Your guests will also appreciate having a variety of price points to choose from. Gift prices ranging from $10 to $200 are most common. You want to ensure that all your guests are comfortable based on their financial ability. Expensive items can be broken down into smaller increments. For example, a $400 honeymoon suite can be listed as 4 gifts of $100 each.

Send out Specific Thank You Notes

One of the best parts about a honeymoon registry with Honeymoon Pixie is that you are provided with a thank you list containing all your gifts and the contact information of each gift giver. This gives you the opportunity to thank guests personally and specifically for their generous gift toward your honeymoon.

My advice is to save thank you note writing for after the honeymoon. Then, you can tell the guests who helped buy your snorkeling adventure about the excitement you experienced when you saw Nemo and other tropical fish, or email the guests who helped upgrade your room a photo of the view from your honeymoon suite. Specific thank you notes make guests feel like they did something really special for the two of you, so let them know how much you appreciate them and their gift to you.

Who out there is considering or using a honeymoon registry?

PS- some honeymoon registry inspiration from my own honeymoon and my top 5 tips for a perfect honeymoon

*Honeymoon Pixie is a sponsor of Oh Lovely Day and a handpicked member of our Lovely Vendor Guide