A Break from Wedding Planning...and Reality

Over Thanksgiving, Terry and I joined my parents, my brother, and my brother's girlfriend for a Southern Caribbean cruise. We were celebrating my mom's upcoming retirement, and it was an incredible escape for both of us. What an incredible trip! We visited six different islands, learning about each island's culture and nature.

The trip was a wonderful break from constantly thinking about the wedding details. I've realized it's all too easy to get swept up into trying to make the day perfect and trying to please everyone. The important thing is that we're getting married, and in ten or twenty or sixty years (or perhaps even sixty days), so many of these minor details won't matter. This vacation helped me gain some perspective on wedding priorities, and I know now that with the incredible professionals we have booked so far, we are in very good hands. We're going to leave all the big stuff to them. The fun stuff is ours!

Case in point - the honeymoon! Technically, honeymoon planning is the groom's responsibility, but Terry has been generous enough to let me help research. If you know me at all, you know traveling is absolutely my favorite thing. I love it all, from researching new places to finding the perfect hotel to the actual adventure. Moreover, I love traveling with Terry. From road trips to cruises to long flights, we love the thrill of learning about new cultures and new places. I cannot imagine a better travel buddy for the rest of my life.

Right now, we have several stops planned for the few weeks after the wedding, and we have officially booked one hotel! Our stay at the Amalfi Coast is all set. This stop is between London and Rome, so we're viewing it as the relaxing part of our trip. The hotel, in Vietri Sul Mare in Italy, will provide gorgeous views, hiking opportunities, wine tasting, and other low-key adventures to contrast the big city feel of London and Rome. We actually booked our hotel through Luxury Link, an awesome website that I highly recommend. The site provides significant discounts on luxury hotels. The hotels are guaranteed to be four- or five-star quality, and the packages usually include breakfast. Sometimes they even include spa treatments, dinners, champagne, or other bonus amenities. We are hoping to book London and Rome hotels through the same site. Whenever I get stressed about anything, I imagine relaxing in Europe. I can't wait to experience a European adventure!