Brainstorming for places that might serve a double purpose for your big day and the honeymoon to follow? Why not consider the Big Easy?

Destination weddings in New Orleans deliver in the excitement department and you’re going to find they also provide a number of perks you might not have considered. Even if you intend to have guests of all ages along for the ceremony, New Orleans is well worth careful consideration. Yes, it’s famed for its lively adult atmosphere, but there’s more to this town than often meets the eye.

So, why should you consider hosting your destination wedding in New Orleans? Here are just a few of the many reasons why this city can really jazz up pre, during and post-wedding fun:

• The attractions for your guests – When brides and grooms plan destination weddings they often torture themselves making sure their location will fit the tastes of most of the guests on their lists. New Orleans works beautifully on this score. The French Quarter’s nighttime party atmosphere is awesome for adult guests to enjoy. By day, however, it takes on a whole new feel that’s more than family friendly. Plus, there’s the world-famous zoo to explore, the Garden District, bayou tours, shopping, musical attractions, museums and much more that guests of any age can enjoy. All the top spots, by the way, are great for honeymoon adventures after the big ceremony.
• The convenience – Destination weddings can be tough on guests’ wallets and difficult to get to. If you need a stateside location, New Orleans more that fits the bill. It’s fairly easy to get to by car from just about anywhere in the Continental United States. Plus, it’s major airport makes it quite convenient for those who don’t wish to drive. Top that off with a wide variety of hotels and resorts set to fit almost any budget, and this particular destination is likely to be music to guests’ ears.
• The resorts – Speaking of those resorts, New Orleans is famous for its Southern Hospitality. If you choose to have a destination wedding here, you can count on royal treatment from resorts that know how to handle all the little details leading up to the big day and beyond. Speak with your wedding and honeymoon travel advisory for some of the top picks on resorts to work with.
• The food, music and fun – New Orleans is famed for its cuisine that practically defies description. From its crawfish boils to its incredible beignets, you and your guests will delight in what’s on the menu. New Orleans is also famed for its live music – especially jazz, which makes it a treat for those who desire entertainment.

To find out more about New Orleans destination weddings, just check with our destination wedding experts!

Hoping to sink your toes in the sand and soak up some rays on your honeymoon? Looking for a location that also provides all the necessary ingredients for a memorable destination wedding?

If you’re looking for something exotic, beautiful and sure to please your intended and maybe those wedding guests, too, we have some ideas for you! Here are just a few of our favorite beach wedding destinations and some of the top reasons why we love them so:

Honeymoon in Bora Bora – This Pacific Ocean paradise practically defies description. This amazing island is famed for its unusual natural beauty, practically perfect weather and outstanding resorts. Plus, you and your honey will be hard-pressed to find a more romantic destination that also offers plenty of things for wedding guests to enjoy. For your honeymoon in Bora Bora, you can even choose to stay in a highly romantic over-the water bungalow. Just imagine waking to the sounds of gentle waves lapping the beach!

Vacation in Fiji – This tropical wonder is considered one of the South Pacific’s best destinations for good reason. The volcanic islands here make for an incredible landscape, plus there’s so much to see and do. Tourists here find the beaches are practically perfect, the locals friendly and the scenery is to die for. From scuba diving to see the coral reefs to strolling local shops, it’s impossible to get bored in Fiji. Add to that the fact Fiji is famed for its resorts that have staff ready to cater to your every whim and it’s hard to go wrong with a destination wedding in Fiji.

Tie the knot in Tahiti – This South Pacific jewel is a favorite destination for couples in love. Its crystal clear waters are famed the world over. The island is famed for its stunning waterfalls, picturesque mountains and splendid beaches. Choose to honeymoon in Tahiti and you’ll discover this paradise also offers lots to see and do. From its world-renowned resorts to its amazing water activities, Tahiti always makes an awesome choice.

Host your wedding in Aruba – If you’d like your wedding to take place a little closer to home, Aruba might be the ideal choice. This Caribbean island has all the ingredients you need for an amazing adventure. Its beaches, landscape, culture and historical flavor are all major draws. Plus, you’ll find the resorts here are world class and more than ready to help you make your dream of an Aruba destination wedding become reality.

Are you ready to research a beach destination wedding more closely? Just consult with our honeymoon travel advisors for information on destinations at home and abroad.

4 Reasons to Honeymoon in Aruba

Picking a great place to honeymoon isn’t exactly easy. After all, the world is filled with exotic, romantic and interesting destinations. Trying to decide on just one can be nearly impossible! If the idea of sipping cool drinks on a warm beach as soft waves gently lap at the sand appeals, Aruba just might be the place to go.

Located in the southern Caribbean, Aruba is a small island that packs a very big punch when it comes to fun and romance. In fact, this destination, technically a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is a favorite vacation spot for people from all over the world.

Here are just a few reasons why Aruba is such a popular spot for honeymooners:

1. The climate – Aruba’s 70 or so square miles are graced with warm, dry weather most of the time. Visitors here can anticipate sunny days almost year round with little chance for severe weather. While a few bad days are to be expected anywhere, Aruba also has the distinction of being a Caribbean hotspot that’s outside the hurricane belt.
2. The culture – Considering its Caribbean location and its Dutch relations, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Aruba is a unique place to visit when the cultural scene is considered. While European flavors are heavily seen in the architecture here, visitors will find that Caribbean favorites such as Carnival are a big part of the cultural landscape.
3. The things to do – While the sun kissed beaches draw in plenty of visitors, there are more things to do and see here than many realize. Water sports, of course, are a big part of Aruba’s draw. The island, however, also has casinos, exceptional shopping, natural wonders to explore and much, much more. For those interested in sampling local cuisine, the island is famed for its Caribbean flavors. Plus, visitors here will find Dutch cuisine, Asian, European and even American burgers on the menu in many locations.
4. The service – Like the rest of the Caribbean, the folks in Aruba know how to treat visitors. Honeymooners here can choose from high-end resorts that offer every amenity imaginable. It’s also possible to find some really interesting boutique resorts that offer honeymooners all the privacy and romance they desire.

To find out more about spending a few days basking in Aruba’s sun, just consult our honeymoon travel advisors. This Caribbean destination packs all the beauty of the region into a small package with a distinctly Dutch styling.

Are you looking for a honeymoon experience that’s romantic, unusual and highly adventurous without skipping in the luxury department? Then take a cue from that catchy song and head on down to the Love Shack!

What’s a love shack?

Nope, they’re not tin-roofed joints that are hopping every night of the week with music, libations and get-togethers. That, however, doesn’t mean you won’t find happening night spots near to the love shacks we’re suggesting for your honeymoon though.

In this case, the love shacks we have in mind are on-the-water or over-water bungalows. Think Robinson Crusoe meets your favorite 5-star resort and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what to expect. The best love shacks in the world for honeymooners combine that intimate privacy that Crusoe enjoyed with the romance of a tropical destination and the impeccable service honeymooners deserve.

So where are the best destinations for finding utterly romantic love shacks? Believe it or not; you’ll find them all over the world! Our favorite huts on the beach though are found in Tulum, Mexico, and Belize.

While each destination is very distinct, they both have a few things in common that make their love shacks top our list. They are:

The beaches – Tulum and Belize are both famed for their stunning beaches and miles of coastline. In both destinations you can enjoy the surf, sand, sunshine and topnotch water sports that you’d expect from a tropical vacation.

The privacy – The love shacks found in both Belize and Tulum are designed to provide honeymoons – and other couples in love – with the privacy they crave. Guests at resorts throughout these two locations will find the very best in service when it’s wanted and the utmost privacy when they desire it. The accommodations in both locations, by the way, are simple stunning. While we’re calling them “love shacks,” luxury is truly found in every room detail.

The other possibilities – Honeymooners don’t always want to stay locked up in their rooms for days on end. When it’s time to get out explore and have some fun, both Tulum and Belize deliver. In both locations, you’ll find wonderful dining, eco-tourism opportunities, historic sites, shopping, nightclubs and more all waiting for you to explore.

If you’re looking for something tropical, yet highly distinct for your honeymoon, you can’t go wrong with a love shack. To find out more about booking a bungalow for two, just consult with our honeymoon travel advisors. Our pros will be more than happy to help you find just the right accommodations in the perfect destination for your romantic adventure.

We recently returned from a little vacation at Azul Beach. This tiny but amazing boutique resort is located on a great stretch of beach in the Riviera Maya.

Because of my job, I get to stay in a lot of great hotels. But Azul Beach offered something new to impress me every single day of our stay. Here’s a couple of reason why I think you should consider it for your next get-away.

The Service: From the minute we walked in the door we were greeted with a glass of Champaign, a chilled towel, and a friendly but unobtrusive host who seemed to somehow anticipate what we wanted without us ever having to really ask. My luggage magically appeared in my room, along with a healthy snack, a beach towel, and air conditioning that seemed to be set at the perfect temperature. Our swim-up villa was nothing short of amazing, with a comfortable bed, beautiful bathroom, and plenty of space to relax.

The Food: One of the best reasons to stay at Azul Beach is for the food. Lunch on our first started out with a chilled glass of watermelon water and fantastic salad. The menu options were creative, but had enough familiar elements that there was really something for everyone. And unlike so many all-inclusive resorts that just offer one buffet after the next, everything at Azul Beach was fresh, and served from a menu. Everything we tried was fantastic. And for me, the lone vegetarian in the group, I found plenty of meals to be excited about rather than the typical vegetarian fare. Each night of our stay we enjoyed one of their specialty restaurants, which included Italian, Latin, and Asian options. And the desserts were to die for.

The Experience: While Azul Beach is tiny, the petite size of this boutique resort is one of its greatest assets. Unlike a mega-resort experience, within 24 hours the staff knew each member of our group by name, what our dining preferences are, had arranged for a fantastic beach palapa, and reminded me that yoga class was at 10:00. A woman from the spa appeared like a fairy god-mother while we lay by the ocean to schedule our spa treatments. And while I didn’t know I wanted a pillow menu, now that I’ve had it, I can’t imagine staying somewhere without one.

Our fellow guests at Azul Beach were friendly and welcoming as well, with complete strangers becoming dinner companions and volley ball teammates in no time. It’s the kind of place you’ll never want to leave, and likely want to go back to year after year.

Azul Beach is perfect for a honeymoon, intimate destination wedding, or relaxing get-away. To learn more about our exclusive offers for Azul Beach, contact our experts today!

Why You Shouldn’t Do a Destination Wedding

It’s a lovely thought: Have 50 of your closest friends and relatives meet you in an exotic locale so they can witness the biggest day of your life. After all, there’s just something special about having those you love around you to witness the big occasion. There’s something even more memorable about tying the knot in a beautiful location far from home.

Just picture yourself saying “I do” in a picturesque European town or on a beach in the middle of the Caribbean. Once the ceremony is over, you can enjoy the fun, adventure and romantic scenery of your destination of choice – just you, your sweetheart … and those 50 guests.

If that’s not enough of a mental picture to help you see why destination weddings just aren’t for everyone, there’s more. While a destination wedding can be a beautiful experience, the fact is this often immense undertaking just doesn’t fit the needs of many brides and grooms.

Should you and your sweetheart be considering a destination wedding followed by a honeymoon in that location, take pause. Consider these things:

• You will have to give up a lot of control – Want to plan out every single little detail for your big day? If you do, a destination wedding just might not be in the cards for you. In order to plan things out miles from home and even across a sea, you’ll have to give up some control. The reality is destination wedding coordinators as some of the world’s best resorts take time to reply. They just won’t be available to cater to your every need.
• You could lose the privacy you want for your honeymoon – Chances are if you’re spending a lot of money on the wedding and getting to the destination that you’ll have to honeymoon on site. Guess what? Your guests will probably stay, too. This means that quiet, alone time many couples enjoy on their honeymoons just might not be in the cards for you.
• You may have to shrink your guest list – The fact of the matter is not everyone can afford to attend a destination wedding. If you have your heart set on your best friends, closest relatives and Great Aunt Sue showing up for a European jaunt, you might be greatly disappointed.

While destination weddings can be amazing, many couples find they’re more trouble than they’re worth. If you’re considering this route, take a step back. Talk with our wedding travel experts, consult your soon-to-be-spouse and make sure this option really fits your needs before you dive in. After all, you can still have your cake and eat it too by getting married a little closer to home and enjoying a honeymoon in whatever destination sounds like paradise to you!

Getting married on the beach with the surf at your back and sand in your toes is a dream come. Picking the ideal location, however, can be a little trickier than most couples realize.

If you’ve been dreaming of getting married with a beautiful sunset as your biggest decoration and an exotic location to dazzle your guests, there are some spectacular locations to choose at home and abroad. Here are a few recommendations of coastal areas that are known for providing brides and grooms with the perfect backdrops for their ceremonies:

• Key West, Florida – The only thing better than taking in the sunset on Key West is getting married while doing so. Although located in the United States, this destination is one of the most popular in the world. Its beautiful beaches, distinct history and stunning, natural views make it a great choice for a destination wedding. Plus, the nightlife is second to none!
• St. Tropez, France – If a destination with a European flair is desired, it’s hard to top this particular location. St. Tropez is famed the world over as one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. While this destination might be prohibitive for a large affair, it provides the perfect backdrop for a more intimate wedding with a few close friends and family.
• Riviera Maya, Mexico – This is an ideal destination for a beach wedding. Although out of the country and “exotic,” Mexico is close enough to home to make the trip realistic for a slightly larger crowd. This particular destination is ideal because it boasts spectacular views, stunning beaches and resorts that know how to treat wedding parties right.
• Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda – With its legendary pink-sand beaches and world-class resorts, Bermuda is an unforgettable place for a wedding. The attractions here will easily appeal to wedding guests of all ages and the beach will most certainly take your breath away.
• Las Vegas, Nevada – OK, this isn’t a beach in the strictest sense of the word. Still, Las Vegas is an ideal location for a wedding. Not only is the entire town set up to accommodate nuptials, but the city is very friendly for visitors of all ages. There is more to this desert location than just gambling and club acts.

A destination wedding can be one of the most intimate, breathtaking affairs. If your heart is set on this type of wedding, you’ll find locations throughout the world that can easily serve the occasion.

You’ve spent a few years together, married, and now you want to do something special to mark that milestone anniversary year, unless of course you are like Seal and Heidi Klum, who renew their vows each year. That might be a bit overkill for those of us with more modest budgets, but if you are looking for a way to celebrate your 5, 10 or even more impressive years of marriage, then a vow renewal might be just the thing.

For those of you who do not know, a vow renewal is a reaffirmation of your commitment to one another. It is a great way to have a special moment to remind yourselves of why you are together, and why you have lasted so long, and more importantly, why you are going to be together for quite some time to come. You can do this in private, or in front of all of those you love if you want to have a celebration that marks your amazing commitment to one another.

When planning your vow renewal, the type of celebration you have will dictate what type of planning and preparation need to go into it. Generally speaking though, a lot less planning and preparation go into a vow renewal than a wedding.  That means you will probably get to enjoy the party this time rather than stressing out the entire evening.

So what do you need to do to renew your vows? Well first and foremost, understand that there is no legal aspect to vow renewal, so you don’t need to get a new license.

• When – When do you want to have your vow renewal? The most common date is a date on or near your original wedding date. However, that is not set in stone. You can do it pretty much whenever you want.
• Who – Are you inviting guests? Having a big celebration or just an intimate vow renewal between the two of you? Who would you like to perform the ceremony?
• Where – Much like a wedding or any other event, you will need to choose your location. This will depend on what type of event you are having. A larger celebration requires a larger venue. You will also want to choose based on what type of setting you want. Quiet and romantic? Outdoors? On a cruise ship?
• Invitations – If you want to celebrate with a larger group, make sure to send out the invitations with enough time. This means doing so at least 6 weeks in advance or further in advance if you are planning for a holiday weekend or a busy time of year, such as the summer vacation period.

In this day and age when stress and outside factors cause tension in a marriage, the milestone markers call for even more of a celebration, and how can you celebrate more than reaffirming your commitment to one another.

Elopement: A Very Attractive Option

Ah, weddings.  Most of us have dreamed about them at least once or twice in our lives and some of us spend most of our adolescent years planning in our minds about that perfect day.  Yes, boys do it too!  Not all of us get terribly excited about planning big weddings, though.  As magical and memorable as they may be, many people actually think they are stressful and expensive.

Eloping with your sweetheart can be a very attractive option.  Some couples do this so that they can spend their money on an amazing honeymoon.  Some do it because of personal troubles with their families or because the moment is right…right now!  Eloping is just as romantic and special as a huge wedding.  After all, the wedding isn’t about friends or family (as much as sharing the joy with them is wonderful).  It’s about you and your prince or princess.  And for some, the perfect wedding is a private, quiet affair.

Just because you and your soon to be spouse prefer a quiet, private wedding doesn’t mean it can’t be amazing. Eloping isn’t just about “running off”.  It’s an adventure all its own.  A major advantage to eloping is the opportunity to combine it with a honeymoon and do things for your wedding you wouldn’t necessarily want to do in front of 200 people.  Some of the amazing things you can do for weddings tend to get extremely expensive when you start talking about family and friends joining in.  Some of the most creative weddings have involved things like, scuba gear and an underwater priest, secluded beach weddings at sunset, or even taking a tour around Europe and stopping in Spain to have a ceremony for two in an elaborate, picturesque cathedral.  Eloping opens up opportunities for you and you and your fiancé to get creative.

One thing that is important to bear in mind when planning to elope is how your family feels about it.  For many people, the tradition of witnessing the vows between the couple is a vital part of the wedding and is what makes it valid to them.  Discussing your plans to elope beforehand can go a long way to soothing hurt feelings and keep stress low.  Try to impress upon your loved ones that your decision to elope isn’t because of them but because it’s what the two of you really want.  Planning a celebratory ceremony afterwards might be worth considering.  Skip the wedding and throw a party!

Whatever you choose to do, remember that your wedding is a very special occasion and no matter what, don’t settle for anything less than what you want, how you want it. At Bliss Honeymoons we can help you put together the perfect elopement package today!