Wedding Blog

It was like kismet. Twice in one day, different people approached me with information on test driving your honeymoon! I figured it was a sign that I had to share it with you. Here are the details.

Not sure if Sandals is really what you read and hear about? Wonder no more!

Spend a weekend sampling two honeymoons in one weekend. Relax and have fun Friday, November 13th to 16th. Compare cruising with a Sandals honeymoon. Sail out of Miami on Friday on board Norwegian Cruise Lines Norwegian Sky, spend Saturday at Sandals Royal Bahamian and soak in the sun or play in the spa. Sunday you can explore NCL’s private island Great Stirup Cay. Family and friends are welcome to join you for the weekend.

Cost starting at $89 per person! The total for two adults for an ocean view cabin with port charges and taxes is $534.74, the inside cabin is $474.74, this will include a day at Sandals Royal Bahamian (valued at $190/day), all you can eat, drink (alcoholic or non), snorkel, sail, etc. at no extra cost. Also, guests can utilize the spa facilities including, hot and cold plunge pools, saunas, steam rooms, etc.

Guests will only need to be prepared to pay for tips and drinks on-board the ship.

If you are interested in taking a test drive, the deadline for booking is today! Please email lindsay@travelbyhorizon.com or karina@travelbyhorizon.com for more information and to book.

If you have questions on this or any other wedding related topic, please post for me here or send me an email to susan.southerland@pwg.com. Also become a fan on Facebook by clicking here and follow me on Twitter by clicking here.

Your partner in perfect planning,

Susan

Our adventure didn’t slow down one bit during our trip. Finally, the explanation for that now infamous photo…

Just Marry! vice president and good friend Terri Oster, her husband Darren, my fiance Scott, and I embarked on a little hike. I was warned it would be a little challenging, but I had no idea what was in store…A 5 kilometer, 1000 ft. drop, “walk” down muddy hills in the jungle.

I should mention that the hike is an exclusive tour from the villa where we stayed, Waterfall Villas, however, you can get there via horseback with other tour companies. The horseback riders go at an earlier time, so we had the falls all to ourselves.

The beginning of the walk was a bit misleading. It was a nice leisurely walk with a gradual slope.

We got to see some nice docile wildlife.

We picked flowers. These flowers are called “Hotlips,” which explains our very silly behavior.

Then things started getting a bit trickier…

…And trickier

At this point we had to put the camera away to finish the descent… but here is where we wound up!

It was amazing. We went swimming and ate lunch on the rocks. There was no one around… Just our small group from Waterfall Villas, Terri, Darren, Scott and me. Incredible!

The climb back up was really, really hard. I wouldn’t have made it without my fiance and friends. When we finally reached the top, I was euphoric. What an experience. I thought, this adventure was a perfect honeymoon activity. Relying on each other to make the return climb was a very intense experience.

I should mention that Terri did threaten to sell the company if I didn’t make it to the top. That was a great motivator.

If you would like to see more images and video from my adventure in Costa Rica, check out our Just Marry! fan page on Facebook.

If you have questions on this or any other wedding related topic, please post for me here or send me an email to susan.southerland@pwg.com. Also become a fan on Facebook by clicking here and follow me on Twitter by clicking here.

Your partner in perfect planning,

Susan

I am finally able to sit down and share my Costa Rica adventure with you. I am sharing, not because I think that you would be interested in my vacation photos, but because at this moment, I cannot think of a better place for a destination wedding or a honeymoon.

My reason for visiting Costa Rica was to check out a property for destination weddings. I imagined it would be beautiful, but I didn’t imagine what a wonderful adventure the trip would be. I should start by saying, I am not the most adventurous person. My typical vacation includes historic landmarks, museums, shopping, great food and luxurious hotels. My vacation in Costa Rica included hiking, white water rafting, zip lining organic food and a stunning (and very reasonably priced) villa. Amazing!

This is Ballena Marina. The really cool thing about this beach is that at low tide, the sand bar goes right up to the beach so it looks like a whale’s tail.

My blog for the next week is going to discuss some adventures you could have on your Costa Rican honeymoon, my conversation with a Shaman who performs spiritual wedding ceremonies, a couple’s real wedding in Costa Rica, and resources for your wedding or honeymoon in Costa Rica.

My first day started with an early morning zip line tour in the rain forest canopy at Hacienda Baru.

Here I am getting fitted with my harness.

This is a three-toed sloth we found. There are a lot of them all over Costa Rica. They are easy to spot because they barely move!

We spotted a Toucan as well.

This is a Basilicas. There are many, many big lizards everywhere in Costa Rica. Our travel companions love lizards, so I got to see them all!

And here I am zipping through the canopy.

The scenery was undoubtedly beautiful and the experience was exhilarating, but the memory that stands out the most is the fantastic tour guides and the camaraderie we felt with the others on our tour. There is something about flying 160 ft. above the rain forest on a harness hooked to a cable that makes you bond. IT WAS A BLAST!

We finished up the tour with a fantastic lunch of Cassado, a Costa Rican specialty of beans and rice, grilled chicken and salad.

Tomorrow the hike to Nauyaca. For my Facebook and Twitter friends, this will finally answer the question of the cheering photo.

If you would like to see more images and video from my adventure in Costa Rica, check out our Just Marry! fan page on Facebook.

If you have questions on this or any other wedding related topic, please post for me here or send me an email to susan.southerland@pwg.com. Also become a fan on Facebook by clicking here and follow me on Twitter by clicking here.

Your partner in perfect planning,

Susan

Hello All,

I apologize for being the absentee blogger for the past week. I had an amazing trip to Costa Rica where I was checking out a beautiful venue for destination weddings. I was also doing research on honeymoon packages. What a glorious place (and very, very affordable).

I will be writing a week of blogs on weddings and honeymoons in Costa Rica. I am gathering my photographs, so look for it in about a week. The topics will include the legalities of a Costa Rica Wedding, floral ideas, vacation activities and an interview with a Shaman who does spiritual wedding ceremonies (she was brilliant!)

If you want to get a sneak peek at some of the photos, become a friend of mine on Facebook by clicking here

Stay tuned!

Your partner in perfect planning,

Susan

Happy Thursday everyone. I am sorry I have been MIA. We started our first webinars on PerfectWeddingGuide.com. It was so much fun, but it kept me really busy this week. I will be blogging furiously to catch up for the week. By the way, there is still room for you to join us for next month’s webinar. You can get more information by clicking here.

Now onto the topic for the day; packing for your honeymoon. Packing used to make me crazy. I would pack too much and then once I was done, I would fear that I had left something important behind. Once I started traveling for work, I had to make the packing process more organized and far less stressful. Here are my tips for perfect packing:

1. Two weeks prior to the wedding, take all dry cleaning to the cleaners to make sure it is ready on time.
    
2. Check your wardrobe and toiletries to see if you are missing anything. Purchase any items you find that you need. I suggest taking pain relievers, anti-diarrheal medication, band aids, sea sick medication (for cruisers), and antacids; and if you are traveling to the sunshine, don’t forget suntan lotion and Solarcane in case of over exposure.
    
3. Make a list of the things you want to take with you. Don’t forget to list any documents like your passport, cruise tickets, confirmation numbers and directions.
    
4. Check for packing information and restrictions on www.tsa.gov
    
5. Confirm the weather at your destination and pack accordingly. There is nothing more miserable than being too warm or too cold while trying to enjoy a vacation.
    
6. Find a space in your home where you can gather items you want to pack. It is easier to pack if you separate your vacation clothing from the clothes you wear every day. It will also help you avoid having to do extra loads of laundry prior to the wedding.
    
7. Roll your clothes rather than fold them. You will have much fewer wrinkles.
    
8. Pack a carry-on bag with the essentials for one night. If by chance your luggage gets lost, you will have ample clothing so you don’t waste the first day of your honeymoon looking for clothes. Your carry-on bag is also where you should keep your travel documents. Keep them handy in an outside pocket.
    
9. Take your packing list with you. If your luggage disappears, you will have an easier time finding replacements.
    

If you would like more information on packing for your honeymoon click here. Don’t forget, you may email at susan.southerland@pwg with any of your wedding questions, or leave a post for me here.

Happy Planning!

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