When it’s time to plan a honeymoon, the world is your oyster. There are so many places to go and so many things to do both at home and abroad.

But, what happens if you, your honey or both of you happen to be vegetarians or have other dietary concerns? Where can you go to ensure first-class romance with a menu that delights, too?

Fortunately, there are some great destinations you can go to where your dietary desires will be taken into account while adventure, romance and alone time will remain the top priorities.

Here are just three suggestions for great vegetarian friendly honeymoons:

• Cruises – Pick a cruise, any cruise and chances are you’re not only going to have an incredible honeymoon, but you’ll get to enjoy some amazing vegetarian cuisine the entire time you’re on board. Cruise vacations are among the best for vegetarians because of the extensive menu selections and the care that’s taken to ensure passengers’ dietary needs are catered to perfectly. Keep in mind there are cruises available to just about any region of the world imaginable, too. This means you pretty much have your pick of destinations while ensuring your preferences are kept in mind.
• Europe – Just about every major tourist destination in Europe has resorts, hotels and bed and breakfast locations that are either 100 percent vegetarian or equipped to cater to a vegetarian menu. From the countryside of England and the historic ambiance of Italy to the majesty of Paris, there are places to stay that will make sure your every whim is catered to perfectly. Just check with your honeymoon travel agent or the resort in question to make sure your needs can be accommodated. Honeymoon specialists, in fact, can let you know exactly what resorts the recommend for special dietary requests.
• America – If you’d prefer to stay a little closer to home for your honeymoon, you’ll find that’s more than possible, too. From the casinos of Las Vegas to the big city hotels in New York, most major resorts offer vegetarian options.  Again, your best bet is to work directly with a honeymoon specialist to locate the perfect resort for your special escape.

Just because you and/or your honey happens to be a vegetarian doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a trip of a lifetime. You’ll find that most hotels and restaurants the world over are more than willing to offer some incredibly tasty vegetarian options for travelers. There’s no reason to worry no matter your destination of choice. Just work with our honeymoon specialists to find the perfect place to spend your once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Food. It’s simple to overlook, but it’s a serious part of everyone’s honeymoon and wedding. It’s something very few people consider before booking their flight to a faraway location with white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters.

Let’s face it, there’s nothing worse than going on your honeymoon to find out there’s nothing to eat.

Is the bride a picky eater? Does the groom not eat vegetables? Are there any food allergies to take into consideration? Is the bride scared of seafood? Does the groom have to have steak for every meal?
While these questions may seem silly, they’re questions that every couple should take into consideration before booking a honeymoon or destination wedding. After all, your honeymoon is all about enjoying your surroundings and indulging your senses. Horseback rides on the beach aren’t any fun if you haven’t eaten for three days.

So, there are two different ways you can tackle food on a honeymoon:

1. Plan your entire trip around the gastronomy of the area.

Is lobster his favorite? Does she just love Italian food? If you’re in the market for an overseas wedding or honeymoon, why not go to the source? Places like Rome or Florence are geared toward those with the sightseeing bug. Sicily or Milan are a bit more low key. Oh, and the shopping in Milan? Some of the best in the world.

It’s always fun to eat authentic versions of your favorite meals. If you love paella, try it in Valencia, Spain. It’s likely to taste much different than any American version you’ve ever had. If you are a fish lover – vacation spots in the Greek isles will most likely offer the most delicious catch-of-the-day Mediterranean fish you’ve ever tasted.

If you’re following your taste buds, you can’t go wrong.

1. Choose a destination and work with your options.

If you’ve already chosen a destination, it’s a good idea to call ahead and start requesting menus from different resorts. For instance, if you’ve decided on Maya Riviera, Mexico, you’ll have a range of different resorts to choose from. Call or e-mail each one and request a description of the different kinds of food they offer.

Often, resorts will have different restaurants within the same hotel, serving different types of food in different atmospheres (traditional, casual, fast-food, snacks, formal, etc.) If a resort doesn’t offer the kind of noshes you like – it’s better to know in advance.

So what does this all mean?

Well, we’ve been to these places. We’ve eaten at the restaurants, and we can tell you what to look for and what to avoid. We’ve even taken cooking classes in places like Barcelona and Greece! That way, after your honeymoon, you can come back with authentic recipes that Rachael Ray couldn’t shake a spatula at.

If you’ve spent any time at all trying to plan a trip online, you probably know how confusing travel pricing can be. There are hundreds of websites all claiming to have some special offer or lower price than you can get anywhere else. And there are literally as many myths about travel pricing as there are people selling travel. So today what I would like to do is dispel some of the myths, and give you the scoop on how travel pricing really works.

Myth#1-Using a travel agent means I am going to pay more than I would if I booked it myself:

Fact- While it may be true that some travel agents do charge fees and mark up the prices; for the most part the price you get from your honeymoon planner should be the same as the pricing that you find online. Agencies also have relationships with preferred suppliers which may give them access to specials and promotions that you may not be able to find on online sites.

Myth #2: I can get discounts online that I can’t get from an agent:

Fact: Many hotels and cruise lines have a very strict no discounting policy because they want all agencies, both online and offline, to compete on service rather than price. One big online giant was recently issued a stop sell by Sandals because they were illegally discounting Sandals’ pricing. So if  a web site offers you a price that sounds too good to be true, it may very well be. And the hotel may not honor that deeply discounted price upon arrival, as one couple learned upon check-in for their wedding in St Thomas. They had to cough up over $1000 to cover what they thought was a travel deal they had purchased online. Again special pricing is offered to agencies and suppliers based on relationships.

Myth #3-If I shop around, I can get a bunch of agents to compete for my business.

Fact: Your trip has four parts to it-airfare, hotel, transfers and insurance. Your travel agent doesn’t own any of those four companies, or set their pricing. However, your honeymoon planner should know how to put your package together in a way that offers the most value and gives you the best price.

I actually had a guy yell at me once because he called the hotel and got the same price I had given him. The hotel shouldn’t cost more from a travel agent that it does from the hotel. But again, be concerned if it’s significantly less.

Myth: If I wait till the last minute, the price will go down.

This can work with cruises, as the cruise lines would rather sail with full ships. But this rarely works for airfare. If you’re booking less than 21 days before departure, you can expect to pay a premium.

All travel agencies, both online and offline, get paid by the hotels after you have checked out. When hotels calculate pricing, they know that they will be paying someone, whether it’s an agency like us, or an online agency. So when you do all the research and book online, you’re essentially paying for a service that you’re not getting.

Any agency, whether it’s an online giant or the agent around the corner from you, can offer great pricing. But it’s important to remember that value and price are NOT the same thing.

Many people utilize online travel review sites to help plan their trip. In fact, there are many people who rely on these sites as their sole source of information in travel planning.

Travel is a discretionary expense. While we all dream of taking an extended vacation every year, the reality is that many people find themselves saving for months or even years to able to take the trip of their dreams.

The idea of an online review site is a good. People helping other people learn more about the destination or hotel that they are considering traveling to. But unfortunately, there are many people who use these online review sites for purposes other than helping out their fellow traveler. We’ve heard from hotel owners who have had potential clients “blackmail” them into discounts by threatening to post a negative review on Trip Advisor. We’ve heard from another hotelier whose reputation was dragged through the mud online not because his hotel failed to provide clean rooms and great service, but because he refused to issue a refund to a couple that had a falling out while staying at the hotel. We even learned about a hotel owner in Greece who was trashed in online reviews for refusing to offer a free night. And even when the online review site was given documentation that the review was invalid, the review site refused to remove the review, despite the fact that the poster had never spent a single night there.

So why do people love online travel review sites and guidebooks? In this months Oprah magazine  we found an article written by Catherine Price that explains it well. According to Barry Glassner, PhD and author of ” The Culture of Fear”, “it’s because relying on experts alleviates our fear of the unknown and makes us feel more in control. It’s an approach that makes total sense, except for one thing: It’s an ineffective way to plan a fun trip.”  The problem has to do with affective forecasting-our ability to predict our emotional reaction to a future event. ” People have the notion that if they just gather the right information themselves they’ll make a better prediction of their reaction than they would if they tried to replicate the good experiences of others,” says Harvard researcher Matt Killingsworth. ” But we’ve found the opposite is true.”

Last year our team traveled to Mexico. Angel, our guide for the week, arranged tours of ten hotels that  hold the highest ratings on Trip Advisor in the Rivera Maya region. While we were pleasantly surprised by some of our findings, and could see why a particular hotel or resort was so popular; in other cases we found dirty conditions and mediocre food in hotels that mysteriously carried high scores.

We strongly recommend that you use a variety of resources when planning a trip. And while many people believe that a review site replaces the knowledge and experience of a great agent, consider this: a travel consultant is basing their professional reputation on the outcome of your trip. No one on an online review site has at much invested as your trip as your honeymoon planner does.

Happy travels!

Being in the honeymoon business we hear our clients’ tales of their perfect honeymoon. They share with us their memories of exotic destinations, gorgeous sunsets, and luxurious resorts. But, we also hear tales from couples who didn’t use a travel consultant for their honeymoon, stories of lost reservations, missed connection-flights, and resorts under construction. Clearly, we advocate for honeymoon specialists. We simply know from experience that your honeymoon is one trip you don’t want to leave to chance.

Of course, you don’t have to take our word for it. Christopher Elliott, of National Geographic Traveler magazine has a few thoughts on when to play it safe and leave the travel plans to the professionals.

We have more information for you: Learn about our favorite honeymoon destinations or how to register for your honeymoon.

By Christopher Elliott, Tribune Media Services

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Around-the-world trips generally are too complicated to book online
• For honeymoons and other special trips, hiring a pro will help ensure smooth travels
• If you don’t have time to research, a travel agent may be worth the extra money

(Tribune Media Services) — Carolyn Fletcher’s honeymoon started heading south the moment she and her husband landed in Cancun. No one was there to pick up the newlyweds.

It took an hour for her to convince a van service to deliver them to their hotel. But when they checked into their four-star resort in Akumal, they discovered it was “a two-star, at best,” she remembers.

“The grounds were unkempt and there was trash everywhere,” she said. “Our room smelled of mildew. I sat down on the bed to cry, only to find the sheets and mattress wet from the moisture and mildew. There was mold growing on the curtains, the walls and the furniture.”

Why am I telling you about Fletcher’s post-nuptial nightmare? Because she booked it online.

Some vacations should never be booked through anyone but a travel agent, and a honeymoon is arguably one of them. But there are others, too, as travelers like Fletcher are discovering.

A recent Forrester Research study suggests there’s something of a backlash when it comes to booking travel online. It concludes 15 percent fewer travelers will use the Web in 2009, compared with two years ago — a finding that comforts many travel agents who previously saw themselves on the endangered list.

(People have gotten a little carried away with the Forrester study, though. One headline writer suggested online booking might be the “worst part” of the trip. Right. That would be the flight, actually.)

It’s little consolation to Fletcher and her husband. “While most people will remember their honeymoon with happy memories, ours are filled with disparagement, frustration and regret,” she adds.

In trying to figure out when you shouldn’t book online, I thought I’d ask someone who works for an online travel agency. I put the question to Ginny Mahl, Travelocity’s vice president of sales and customer service. “There is still a place for traditional travel agents, particularly those that have carved out a niche, like adventure travel,” she said. “Depending upon the traveler and their needs, a face-to-face meeting with such a consultant could be wise.”

So when should you not book on the Internet? Here are seven kinds of trips.

Cruising

Travel agents remain your best bet for a floating vacation. Why? Two main reasons: First, cruise lines give travel agencies access to special deals that you probably won’t find anywhere else. And second, because a cruise can get complicated. There are airline tickets that have to be bought, hotel rooms to be booked, shore excursions and lots of options on the ship.

“Often, cruise agents will book group space on popular sailings, which often entitle them to offer their clients bonus items — onboard money to spend, champagne toasts, discounted deposits and more,” says cruise expert Carmen Shirkey. “Plus, because they’ve booked space on the best cruises, other sites may tell you that there’s no availability, when a cruise agent can get you onboard, no problem.”

Traveling around the world

An around-the-the-world itinerary is usually far more complex than a straight-up round-trip airline ticket. Never mind the hotel arrangements and activities you’ll want to plan. Travel agents are best suited to these kinds of vacations.

Blogger and frequent traveler Steven Frischling has taken several around-the-world trips for business. “Last year, in a 3-1/2-day span, I photographed jobs in Philadelphia, Frankfurt, Hong Kong and Incheon — departing from and returning to Providence,” he says. “There was no online booking engine that would allow this itinerary.”

When you don’t have the time

If you work with a travel agent who knows your preferences, you might consider outsourcing the research for your next vacation.

“If you’re a busy professional with no interest in doing the research and would rather be dreaming about sipping a Caipirinha on Copacabana beach than doing all the legwork to get there, why not work with an agent?” says Patricia Pinkney, who works for an artisan jewelry retailer. “It may be they save time rather than money, but ultimately that may be more valuable to them.”

If you’re uncomfortable with the inter-Web

If you’re reading this article online, this probably doesn’t apply to you. Karina Goldrajch, the co-founder of GenMobi Technologies, a security company, says people should stay away from booking online if they’ve never done it before, and particularly if their next trip is a special event, like an anniversary or honeymoon (see Fletcher’s story for more on that).

But even if you’ve booked on the Web before, you should think twice before doing it again. “If you think that the Web site looks fishy, or something looks too good, it probably is,” she says.

Traveling internationally

A weekend in London is one thing. However, if you’re headed off to a country whose name you can’t pronounce, you probably need to stay off the computer — at least when you book. Find a travel professional that specializes in the place you’re going.

Tonya Fitzpatrick, who hosts a travel radio show, learned that when she tried to help a family member and her companion after they booked a trip to Costa Rica online. “An international trip is a different animal,” she said. “At the end of the day they incurred more expenses because they booked online.”

Doing something exotic

This is for the trips that aren’t for everyone, such as sailing up the coast of British Columbia and Alaska, as the people who book Maureen Gordon’s Maple Leaf Adventures packages do. (Imagine climbing over the rail of a schooner into a zodiac to go bear watching.)

“When we speak to someone on the phone, we can make sure a trip is right for them,” she says. “And when you’re sharing 92-feet in the wilderness with eight others, plus guides, you want to know everyone around you is happy.”

Special events

A honeymoon, anniversary or class reunion falls into this category. But mostly, a honeymoon.

“Engaged couples have enough to worry about,” said John Peters, the president of Tripology, a New York referral service for travel agents. “A honeymoon is a time where you need to be looked after, not when you should be worrying about yet another item on a to-do list that’s much too long to begin with.”

An honeymoon specialist can make sure your vacation is as close to perfect as it can be, from start to finish. A travel professional can also make sure you’ve booked the right vacation.

Wondering if you should consult with a travel agent before your next vacation? There are some who think it’s always a good idea to phone a travel pro first.

Sheryl Kayne, author of the book “Volunteer Vacations Across America,” said you should “never book online” before checking first with an agent — and that’s especially true of anyone considering a volunteer vacation, which, like a cruise, can get more complex than other trips. “You also don’t want to book a trip before knowing all of the requirements and conditions of the trip.”

Me? I’m not so convinced. I’d turn to a travel agent if I were going somewhere special for a family reunion and didn’t have the time to plan the whole thing. But travel agents aren’t charities, and they make almost nothing on a simple point-to-point airline ticket.

Yes, there are a few trips I can’t imagine planning through anyone except a travel pro. For the rest, I fire up my laptop.

(Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. You can read more travel tips on his blog, elliott.org or e-mail him at celliott@ngs.org).

© 2010 CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

If there is one challenge that almost all engaged couples share, it’s where to come up with the funds to pay for their honeymoon. And while nine out of ten couples would love to ask for money for their honeymoon, finding a tactful way to ask for cash is hard! Fortunately this problem can now be a thing of the past, thanks to a honeymoon registry.

Let’s face it… weddings can drain your bank account faster than you can say “I do”. Many couples have considered postponing their honeymoon because they just can’t see how they can afford it. Your honeymoon registry offers tactful way for you to ask for money from your wedding guests, and its fun for the guests too!

Once you’ve nailed down the details of your dream honeymoon, your honeymoon planner can set up an account for the two of you. Your registry can be customized to your honeymoon destination with items like spa treatments, golf, zip lining, an upgraded room, etc. You’ll be provided with a link to your share with your family and friends, so they can easily jump online and make a contribution to your honeymoon registry.

Your guests will love it because they can purchase a wonderful gift with just a few clicks of the mouse with no boxes to ship and nothing to gift wrap. They can even leave you a message telling you what they’ve purchased and offering their best wishes for your fun in the sun.

The gifts in your registry are not physically purchased or set up. You’ll receive the gifts in the form of a check from the registry company. It’s secure, easy for you and your guests, and a sure-fire way to get you and your honey where you want to go.

Let’s face it-we’ve all given gifts that we suspected to end up being re-gifted. Great honeymoon memories are always a welcome gift. Your guests will be honored to be a part of the memories that you’ll have for a lifetime.

There are several ways to ensure your guest feel like a part of it all. Once you return post pictures of your trip and of the two of you enjoying some of the activities on you registry. Or, send postcard Thank You notes from your location. Unlike a gravy boat, a honeymoon gift creates memories you can share.

Now that you know how you’re going to manage you honeymoon budget, check out our top 5 sexiest honeymoon locations.

You’re supposed to enjoy your honeymoon-not stress over it. So why do you feel so overwhelmed? What you need is a good plan, a few expert tips, and perhaps the guidance of a professional honeymoon planner.

Here are 7 tips from the pros here at Bliss Honeymoons to de-stress your honeymoon planning.

Choose a destination that suites your “couples personality”

You love to hike and be outdoors and he would rather nap under a beach cabana, but you both love food. Focus on what you both love-look for all inclusive honeymoon packages with five star dining-chances are you can find amazing food at a resort with a tropical location for him and lots of outdoor excursions for you. When you find your common ground you can define your “couples personality” and knowing that will make all the difference when deciding on your destination.

Decide what your budget is and stick to it

You may have already decided your honeymoon budget during your wedding planning. But if not, now is the time to have this discussion. Look at your frequent flyer miles, or ask family to donate theirs as a wedding gift. You can even utilize our honeymoon registry to get help with the cost.  Whatever you decide, when you land on a number make sure you’re committed to it. The last thing you want is to be thinking about credit card debt while you’re on your honeymoon.

Finding a good honeymoon planner can help keep your cost down and they can even end up paying for their fees in the savings they can get you from unpublished airfares and long-standing relationships with resorts and hotels.

Figure out how long you can stay and when you want to go

Maybe you know you want to take a tropical cruise but your wedding date is smack in the middle of hurricane season. Or, maybe you want a five-day honeymoon package but you can’t find one online for the resort you want. Decide when your want to take your honeymoon and how long you want to be away, then talk to a honeymoon planner to see what the seasonal deals are and if you can book a custom designed package for the exact days you want to travel. Flight itineraries and seasonal deals can be tricky to coordinate, but a professional will know what flights to take and what locations are offering the best deals during every season.

Get your travel documents in order

If you’re planning an exotic honeymoon you need to know exactly what travel documents, visas and passports are needed and how long it will take to acquire all necessary paperwork before you book your trip.

Find your professional honeymoon planner

You may be a do-it-yourself guru, but some things are best handled by a professional. A professional honeymoon planner knows the resorts, because they stay there. Planners know how to create the most efficient flight itineraries and have access to unpublished flight deals you can’t find on the Internet. Maybe most importantly, honeymoon planners can guarantee a stress-free honeymoon-they deal with problems before, during and after your trip so you don’t have to.

Make sure to stay healthy before your trip…and during your stay

First, check with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) before your tip. It’s important to check the traveler’s vaccination requirements for travel to certain locations. The CDC Web site also has water-quality lists for all destinations that pose a water quality threat. Your professional honeymoon planner will provide all this information for you as well as information on your specific resort or hotels water filtration system.

Follow your packing checklist

Layout both his and hers clothing and bathroom items before your trip and take an inventory. This inventory will act as your packing checklist. Don’t forget basic medical needs; such as Band Aids, sun screen and sun burn relief gel, anti-bacterial gel, and anti-diarrhea pills. Make sure all prescriptions are filled before leaving for your trip.

Know that you have the pros tips for a stress-free honeymoon learn how to register for your honeymoon.

Still not sure where you want to go? Check out our Top 5 Sexiest Honeymoon Locations.