Searching for the perfect honeymoon

Picking a honeymoon destination is one of the hardest decisions I have had to make. 
(Yes I live a lovely, fluffy, care free life!)

As we had a destination wedding in January, we decided it would be nice to come home and have a honeymoon to look forward to later in the year. I also knew I would need to occupy my once filled wedding brain with something post nuptials.

But it is oh so difficult to pick a destination.

I already have my own personal top three honeymoon location:

-Cuba

-Egypt

-Fiji

But the issue is, we have already been to these locations.

Driving along the rural roads in Cuba

Before the wedding, we had thought that Vietnam would be an ideal location. Asia intrigues us both and this beautiful country would allow us adventure, relaxation and culture.

But now that the grand event is over (and all the money is spent!) the gloss is wearing off it. Flights are expensive, we only have two weeks to play with and we have a conflict with the ‘best time of year’ to visit.

Giza Pyramids, Egypt 2012

So now my mind has been refocused back to Europe and the Middle East. There are some fab beaches and resorts scattered about this continent and obviously there is culture and history galore to explore, but which one do I pick for a honeymoon?

Ideally we would like to do some sightseeing, partake in a fun activity and spend a few days relaxing.

Fiji islands, 2008

Crete, Sicily, Croatia, Malta, Greek islands, Jordan and Tunisia are all on my radar.

Do any of you have any tips, advice or indeed destinations you would think suitable?

Fulfil your winter fantasies in Courmayeur

Close your eyes and dream of your perfect Winter Wonderland, does it include soft sparkling snowflakes, warm fires, traditional alpine buildings, hot chocolate, woolly hats, dramatic mountains, comforting food, holding hands and a slightly magical atmosphere … open your eyes and welcome to Courmayeur, Italy.

Snowing on Monte Bianco, Italy

As someone who is new to skiing (and not very good at it), I am not an expert on the best ski resorts in Europe, but I do know a stunning destination when I see it and if you are looking for an all encompassing Winter holiday, then you can’t look past the sunny side of Mont Blanc (or Monte Bianco in Italy).

This is not a purpose built ski resort, it is an historic alpine village, located on the most northerly point of the Italian alps, and just under the highest mountain in Europe. On the other side of the peak (and through the Mont Blanc Tunnel) lies Chamonix in France, a popular ski destination.

Courmayeur oozes chic, it is fashionable to be seen here, the Italians look good on and off piste and the rest of the ski tourists follow their lead. There are over 60 restaurants to choose from and each one of them deliver delicious Italian fare. There are just as many boutiques, and although most are out of a modest tourist’s budget they too add to the upmarket atmosphere of Courmayeur.

Via Roma, Courmayeur at night

If you are new to skiing, or if you are introducing a friend or partner to the joys of downhill snow plough then do it here, where the skiing is challenging but also provides jaw dropping scenery. The resort is known all over the EU for it’s amazing mountain dining. For those who ski, this is a a welcome treat for weary legs and hungry tummies. For those who don’t ski it is an added bonus to be able to take the cable car up to enjoy the ski air and still be able to fulfil your appetite.

Courmayeur is romantic, walking through the streets hand in hand is good for your heart, your memory will keep that picture close to your heart forever. The cobblestone narrow streets, St Pantaleon Church on the hill, the soft street lamps it all adds to the exclusivity of this town.

The skiing is good, so good that they started off the Freeride World Tour there this year, and off-piste is one of the best around. The ski slopes are challenging for those who have skied a few times before, if you are an expert La Thuille and Chamonix are a short ride away.

The Mont Blanc Cable car bring you up to Puta Helbronner for a view of the glaciers and you can even head over to Aiguille du Midi and continue onto Chamonix for a day away.

If you are after some pampering  Pre Saint Didier is just ten minutes out the road. This is pampering like you never knew it. Ladies, you cannot visit Courmayeur and not pop down (for an entire day) to this facility. The jacuzzi and hot pools flow outside where you can sit back and look up at the snow covered mountains while keeping toasty - heaven on earth.

In Courmayeur you can also go ice skating in the Olympic sized indoor rink across the river in Dolonne, there is also an opportunity to go dog sledging outside of the town.

Weekday nights can be tame in the town, but the place fills up at the weekend and provide bars, discos and live music.

If you have less than 5 days for your Winter trip, Courmayeur is ideal. For a longer holiday you may need the entertainment of a larger resort.

Jumping ship - A Wedding Abroad

Less than a month after my own magical Winter Wedding in Courmayeur, Italy I want to impart my advice and lessons learned from organising a Winter/ Snow/ Ski Wedding abroad.

If you are engaged or planning on getting married soon, congratulations! Although you will feel some stress and worry as the months slip by, you will look back fondly on this time, so do try to enjoy it all!

If you are not getting married soon, but just stumbled upon this post, congratulations to you also and enjoy reading (try some others posts too!)

1. Wedding Abroad

The decision to have your wedding abroad can for some be obvious but for others may take some time. Everyone has their own reasons for deciding to jump ship, but just make sure that BOTH of you really want to do this.

This is important because as soon as you announce the decision, people will be disappointed, they will question your choice and they will tell you that you are being selfish ...be strong and be sure.

The major qualm for most people about weddings abroad is that you must realise loved older members of your family may not be able to attend, and despite giving people plenty of time and trying to keep costs down some of your good friends may not be able to attend.

If you are BOTH ok with this, then congrats you on the way to your fairytale wedding!

www.lorenzophotography.it

2. Location Location

Sun, snow, sea, mountains, lakes, castles … what do you want from your location?

We wanted snow, so when looking at locations that was our first demand. Then we wanted a ski resort, the ability to get married in a Catholic Church, Euro currency and easy access for guests (a good frequency of flights, short transfer etc)

Know your priorities, keep them small and then make your lists. This is fun and frustrating, use the internet, but be thorough.

Once you have the most suitable country or area then you need to start trawling the internet for reviews, ideas and inspiration.

3. Get a Wedding Planner

Yes they are expensive, but they are worth every penny.

If you are someone who does not speak the language, are not native and have never organised a wedding before, then going without a planner is a very brave choice. For us there was no other option, especially as snow destination weddings are a little unusual. A wedding planner will help, advise, warn, suggest and book all parts of your wedding.

Religious and/or civil paperwork, logistics and wedding details all come under their remit and you will feel better knowing they will be there on the day to sort out any problems as they crop up.

4. Lose control

I am the sort of person who feels that if I want something done right, then only I can do it.

But with a foreign wedding I couldn't do everything, I could actually do very little and so I had to lose control. I had a vision for the wedding, I shared that vision with the planner, the hotel, the photographer, the florist etc but I had no control over their interpretation of it. I had to let go, look at the bigger picture and hope that it all came together.

And it did and the wedding was better than anything I could have imagined.

(c) fifiheavey 2014

5. Prepare for Questions

Everyone will have questions, different questions, sensible ones, outrageous ones and some that will fill you with anger. This is all part of a foreign wedding, the more guests you have travelling the more questions there will be.

Write out information to go out with your invite, set up a website (www.mywedding.com ) set up a Facebook Group and keep everyone informed.

Also maybe take a bath and try to stay calm when people ask questions that you can’t answer, there will be many!

6. Remember your partner

Try not to have a greater relationship with your wedding planner than you do with your actual partner! Keep him/her involved, make sure you both get to make decisions and have input. Most men like to tell everyone their girlfriend is planning the wedding, but they really do want to be involved. It is nice to know that parts of the wedding reflect you both.

7. Money

You thought I forgot to say budget didn't you …?! Budgets are so important, especially when for many money is tight. But I hate to say that despite readjusting our budget several times, we went over it significantly and I understand most couples do the same. 

Remember that no one will recall the flower arrangements or the quality of paper in the ceremony booklet, they will remember how much or little fun they had and how happy the couple looked.

We were worried about paying all our suppliers before the wedding, but were delighted when we travelled there it was all done and dusted.

8. Visit the location

You must visit the location of your wedding, before the big event. Not only will be able to see all the locations, you will be able to speak with (learn a little of the language if necessary) with some of your suppliers. Visiting will help put your mind at ease, the place is real, the people do exist, your wedding is going to happen. It will also allow you to get excited and give you and your partner a little vacation time!

9. Honeymoon

So you are going abroad to get married - will you stay there for your honeymoon? Are you ok with your friends and family being there with you? If you do a ski holiday like we did it was perfect, but maybe a beach holiday with everyone might be a bit much. Do try to get some time alone with your new husband/ wife. Otherwise delaying your honeymoon is a popular choice, so when you get home you have something to look forward to.

10. Relax and Enjoy

Part of the reason we chose to get wed abroad was to try and skip the stress. It worked too, although we had to calm down everyone around us, we sailed through the experience. Make sure everything is ready to go, try and arrive at the destination a few days before to check everything out and to settle in.

If you are here for the snow or the sun please do get out and enjoy it.

I will be posting more details on our snow wedding, Courmayeur and skiing in the next few posts, so stay tuned!

The Proposal

I didn't know how I wanted to be proposed to.
I didn't have a perfect setting in my head, or a right time or place for the special moment.

But my boyfriend did.

On a random trip to Latvia, I was delighted to see that we could take part in a husky
sledge ride. I had always wanted to do this, I love husky dogs and the idea just sounded quirky, cultural and different.

It was so much fun. From the very start of meeting the dogs, being showed how to control them and watching them get so excited, we were both laughing with delight.
The actual ride with Ronan driving and me sitting and turning was hilarious and exhilarating.
It was much faster than expected, and we had to think quick when we got stuck, when we hit a bump that sent us flying and when one if the dogs took an unexpected toilet break on the run!

I was disappointed when it ended, but we continued to take pictures with the dogs.
As I was kneeling down to get a good picture with one of the dogs, Ronan was preparing to pop the question.

When he got down on one knee in the snow, I was shocked and speechless but in the most amazing way.
I was still on a high from the husky ride and this just sent me off the scale.
I laughed with joy - and eventually said yes!

Surrounded by snow, it was most unusual proposal and yet it was perfect, it couldn't have been more romantic or more suited to my taste.

Staying within this fun snow theme, we are currently organising a ski wedding ...
Stay tuned for the happy ever after!

Tipping is always accepted

Tipping is not mandatory but is accepted worldwide.

I will repeat: Tipping is NOT mandatory but is accepted worldwide.

"Do I have to tip here?" a friend asked a waiter while dining on a holiday in America.


"It is expected," the waiter replied.


"So is good service," my friend returned with a sarcastic tone.

Tipping is not customary in Ireland or in the majority of Northern Europe. It is of course accepted and by some staff even, expected. But it is not customary.
When service is good, better than expected, excellent and personal,  I tip, as do many others. Often we just round things up to the nearest euro, or obvious figure.

But I despise the expectation of tipping.

In America and Canada, it is tradition. Many waiting staff, bartenders etc are earning below the average wage and so tipping brings their wages up to standard. It makes sense really, and a lot of times the price before tipping is very good value.
So tipping is fine there, until you are unsatisfied with your service, had a very unpleasant waitress, had to wait a long time, etc. In America and Canada - you are still expected * to tip. That annoys me.

The act of tipping should be at discretion of the patron being served. But in the States it is not, it is just expected, good or bad - hand over your cash.

I was on a tour in Europe a few years back with some Australians, the tour leader told the group as they arrived in France "you will be expected to tip in restaurants here." She lied, well she withheld the truth what she meant was "As a tourist who does not speak French, you will be expected to tip in restaurants here."
The same can be applied to most EU countries.
Tipping is always expected by tourists - but it is at your discretion.

If a group of Americans sat down to lunch in Ireland and did not leave a nice tip at payment, the staff would be insulted. If the group were Irish, they would not pass any notice.

Also I find quite funny that the higher price bracket you climb in Europe, the more expected* the tip is. If your lunch costs €10 in a cafe no need for a tip. If it costs €35 then a tip is anticipated - like you have not paid enough in the first place.

Tipping is a lovely gesture. I worked as a waitress in Ireland - and I understand the importance of the extra change, the appreciation that is parcelled with it.

But it should never be expected or forced, it is always at your discretion.

*Not mandatory

Not welcome in Istanbul

Istanbul, previously known as Byzantium and or Constantinople is a cultural and historical hub.

It is the only metropolis in the world to sit on two continents - Asia and Europe and because of this has enjoyed and endured one of the most interesting history in the world. It is a maze of beautiful architecture and promotes itself as a “modern Muslim city.”

This place sounds right up my alley – history, culture, architecture, religion – it even has a reputation for a unique night life.

Taksim Square, Istanbul
(c) fifiheavey

But when I visited last month, it didn't live up. It didn't even stand up.

Because I didn't feel welcome.

The city is amazing, old and new buildings contrast, streets wind up and down, history pores from almost every street corner. And yet it did not come together for me.

The colours and smells from the late night shopping around Taksim Square were intoxicating, the puffs of coloured smoke and strange taste of the hookahs entertained and the music pumped all night long.

On the other side of the city, the Blue and the Suleymaniye Mosque dominated, they commanded respect. The Grand Bazzar, Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia - all were fascinating.

Taking a puff of a Hookah
(c) fifiheavey

But I didn't feel safe, I didn't feel welcome and above all I didn't feel respected.

I love finding myself in a new city, the strangeness, the unknown, the difference. You can't beat being somewhere for the very first time. Yes you must take photos, see the sights and dine in local cuisine. But you must also wander, drift away, tuck your camera away and observe, blend in and see the city as a passer by.

The shouting didn't bother me, the hassle didn't affect me, the comments didn't even take a flinch.

It was the looks.

As I walked alone down the streets (appropriately dressed), trying to get my bearings, politely smiling and shaking my head to various offers from street stalls, I felt weary and anxious.

The sellers were unlike the men in Marrakesh who forced you to buy something you merely glanced at, they were aggressive about it.

They did not appreciate my lone status, I felt like it insulted them. But even in a larger company with men at the table they showed no greater respect. They stared suspiciously – not grateful at all for our custom.

The best kebabs in town
(c) fifiheavey

My thoughts on Istanbul are surprising to me, I am usually so open to cultural differences, to a conflict in ideals, manners and beliefs. But what I experienced in Istanbul was stronger than a difference. It was stand off-ish.

I felt like they wanted me to know – you and your ideals are not welcome here.

My friends felt the same way, acquaintances back home also understood my explanations.

“You are not in Europe now” a friend was told during an exchange in a bar one night.

He was right, of course – but we were in the former European Capital of Culture, in a country that once campaigned to be part of the European Union.

Two trams pass by at the gates to Galatasary High Square on Istikal Street
(c) fifiheavey

Did I miss the point – have I got Istanbul all wrong?