Love may be in the air, but we can also find it lounging on a beach; while exploring the native culture Down Under; when skiing the French Alps; as we’re navigating museums and UNESCO World Heritage Sites or while gazing up at the Northern Lights – just to name a few of our favorites.
With Valentine’s Day approaching, many of us are thinking about the special people in our lives. Marriage proposals, weddings and vow renewals will be at an annual high. We have a few tips for everyone to add a little something special to your day.
If you are planning to propose, hire a photographer for the day to either follow you or meet you somewhere. Companies like Flytographer let you hire a professional photographer for as little as 30 minutes or for the entire day. Choose from different photo package sizes, shooting styles and even chat with the photographer of your choice to make sure every moment is captured perfectly. Our travel advisor can help you arrange this service anywhere around the world. We help you keep the charges anonymous, so there is no risk of your future spouse finding the credit card charge and spoiling the surprise. We can grant you private access to special sites around the globe. Want to propose on the Eiffel Tower Summit? Under the Northern Lights? Maybe during a special candlelit bush dinner on your African Safari? If you dream it, we can help!
Getting married this spring? If you have a lot of family and friends coming to attend the ceremony, you’ll likely need accommodations for them. Did you know that travel advisors can secure group rates at local hotels, assist with condo and some house rentals and even arrange transportation for two people up to your entire wedding group?
Planning a destination wedding? Make sure you start early. Most destination weddings get planned about 18 months out to secure the date and time you want for the ceremony. Discuss the differences of a legal vs. symbolic ceremony – this can make a huge difference in travel requirements and ceremony cost, depending on the country. Having group space for your wedding party set up far in advance helps to make sure your guests will arrive in the correct country, at the correct resort, for the correct dates. You can earn special wedding group amenities like cocktail parties and possibly free room nights. It gives guests more time to make payments toward their trip.
Thinking about your honeymoon? Did you know that many hotels/resorts and lodges will provide a special Honeymoon Turndown Service or other special amenities for couples? Your travel advisor will automatically secure these options when you plan your trip with them. A few important things for honeymooners to keep in mind:
The name on your reservation has to match your travel ID. If you are traveling internationally, do not change your name until after you return from your honeymoon or you can be denied boarding a plane or cruise ship.
Plan your trip early! Honeymoons can be booked as far as 12 months out, and as far as 20 months out for a honeymoon cruise! That’s a lot of time to add special touches to your trip.
Ask your travel advisor about honeymoon registry options. You can opt to have family and friends pay toward your trip cost, or for special experiences. Maybe your aunt wants to gift you a couple’s massage. Grandpa may want to upgrade your flights to business class. A sibling may want to gift you a private guide for the day or sign you up for a cooking class.
Vow renewals are a great way to surprise your spouse! Very popular options are cruises. You can plan a symbolic ceremony on board the ship, which is usually done by an officer on deck overlooking the ocean. You can follow the ceremony with a private al fresco dinner or maybe a couple’s massage. Bring the family to make it even more special and help you celebrate in style.
Want to go all out? To add a little something, we recommend planning your vow renewal in port. Our favorite place for this is Tahiti, and we can make this work most places around the globe! Imagine you and your spouse are cruising through Tahiti for a week. At the port of your choosing, we can organize a private excursion that takes you by ceremonial canoe to a private beach. As you get closer, you see your family and friends standing on the beach waving at you and showering you in flower petals. After the ceremony, you retire to your overwater bungalow for the night. The next day you say goodbye to your family and friends to continue your cruise vacation.
The beach is not for you? Maybe you renew your vows at the Pantheon in Athens or at the Vatican in Rome. Consult your travel advisor for some fun ideas that fit your style and budget.
Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry; we’d be delighted to take the hassle out of your special day, so you can enjoy it worry free and without distractions. We’ve got plenty of ideas. We can help with the logistics, take care of contract negotiations and set up registries for all of your events.
Stop by the Northern Arizona Wedding Expo at the DoubleTree by Hilton Flagstaff on Saturday Feb 29. Our advisors will be on site from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will have some great ideas to get you started. FBN
By Daniela Harrison
Daniela Harrison is a Travel Advisor and Director of Marketing at Avenues of the World Travel in Flagstaff, AZ. For questions, please reach out via 928-556-0853 or Daniela@avenuesoftheworld.com.
