Honeymoon Wishes

Our honeymoon is booked! I told my teenage daughter this morning and she asked, “Maui, Europe?” And I said, “Braces. No we can’t travel to Europe, we have to pay an orthodontist. Fort Lauderdale! And I’m so very excited about it!” And she replies, “Cool.”


Not quite the response I was hoping for, but what more can one possibly expect out of a teenager. At least I got a cool. Cool is actually pretty good. A nod would have translated to ok. And an “oh” would have meant no bueno. I’ll take cool. And yes, when I think Fort Lauderdale I think Golden Girls, or worse yet, Girls Gone Wild. But I think they really have spruced it up down there in the Sunshine state. I’ve been to Miami and absolutely loved it, so I think Fort Lauderdale will be nice. And how did we choose Fort Lauderdale, you ask? For all you money savvy brides out there, I’ll dish.


Like I’ve said before, we are paying for the wedding ourselves. {wedding + money= 0 honeymoon} After making our wedding plans we thought a honeymoon simply wasn’t in the budget. But we realized that we needed that time to bond, without kiddos, and relax after all the hubbub of wedding. And we knew it would be a very long time before the just two of us take a trip again. So the question became, “how can we make this work?” And if there is one thing I enjoy, it’s problem solving.


First problem solved: Free flight anywhere Southwest flies.   Matt and I both have frequent flyer miles. http://www.southwest.com/


· We want surf, sand, and sun, leaving us California or Fort Lauderdale.
· Matt called his travel agent at Drifting Sands Travel for ideas. http://www.driftingsandstravel.com/  Marianne  was wonderful and worked with us to find many great resorts with good prices.
· We booked four nights at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa http://www.diplomatresort.com in Fort Lauderdale for right around $700. FABULOUS!
· I registered us at http://www.honeymoonwishes.com/  We both have plenty of stuff, so this is a great option for guests who would like to buy us a gift. Maybe we’ll get an extra night, or amenities from our registry. Some couples have had their entire honeymoon paid for by gifts from friends and family. Super!


Honeymoon, check. One more thing we can happily cross off the list. I hope other brides on a budget will find a way to have a special honeymoon with their sweeties.


TIPS:

1. RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH! You can’t just book the first thing you find; you really must shop around and do your homework. 
2. Always utilize those connections. If we couldn’t make the beach thing work then we planned on heading to a friend’s lake place for the week. She was very kind to offer it to us, and then we still could have our sand and sun. 
3. Just Ask.  Whether your speaking with your travel agent or a wedding vendor, don't be afraid to ask for a great deal.  The worst thing they can say is no.  

Most importantly, remember what matters, you’re celebrating your beginning. As long as your together, enjoying each others company, then your honeymooning. Whether that may be a beach, a city, Europe, or Maui. Happy planning,


~Truly, Cinderella 

Westin Diplomat Resort