I’d so delighted to share this honeymoon in Costa Rica with you!
Bonnie and Brett wanted a place with sunny beaches, but also the opportunity for adventure. I knew just where to send them, Costa Rica! It was exciting for them visit a country they had never been to and where Bonnie could practice her Spanish!
Straight from the source: We just competely loved the people, as well as the amazing scenery: Arenas del Mar, which overlooked the beautiful western coast of Costa Rica, and El Silencio, which sat in a valley surrounded by the rainforest covered mountains of the country’s central region. We were spoiled at every turn, and were constantly surprised by the level of service provided.
Honeymoon tips: We would tell other couples to go in with open minds and really try to soak in the culture of the place you visit. Get to know the people, the food, the language and the culture so you’ll feel like you really appreciated every moment of your trip. Our decision to rent a car helped us take in everything at our own pace and definitely added the element of adventure.
Adventure & wildlife galore: We loved our hike through Manuel Antonio National Park, where we were able to search for animals (e.g. white faced monkeys, three-toed sloths, etc.), plants and flora so unlike anything either of us had seen. We took every “off the beaten path” hiking path we could find and really felt like we were discovering the park on our own!
They’ll never forget: Our favorite memory would definitely be our morning walks on the beach at Arenas del Mar. We were able to take in the scenery, while still enjoying each other’s company and basically have the beach to ourselves.
Upgrade me! They received a honeymoon welcome at Arenas del Mar when they came back from dinner to chocolate strawberries, candles everywhere and rose petals on the bed. At El Silencio, they received a free massage and a special honeymoon welcome note.
From one pair of newlyweds to the next, if you’re looking for “Unique, beautiful and tranquil” Costa Rica was made for you! Let’s talk and I’ll tailor a honeymoon just for you!
Accommodations: Arenas del Mar & El Silencio
Honeymoon Planning: Ever After Honeymoons
Picking the right honeymoon destination can take some couples a lot of time, while others know exactly where they want to go. It’s always helpful during decision time to see real couple’s honeymoon experiences!
Chris and Connie had an amazing time at the Royal Davui Island Resort, Fiji. If you’re looking for privacy and romance, this just might be the spot. The resort is located on a private island and hosts adults only with just 16 Vales (Vale is Fijian for home) on 10 gorgeous acres.
Just steps away from Chris and Connie’s Vale they could snorkel, jet ski, kayak, and scuba dive! Connie really appreciated the “rich ecosystem of fish and coral by the island.” I can only imagine how spectacular the underwater views were.
Scary! Chris saw a shark while they were scuba diving, so you better be up for some adventure! For all those fishermen out there, Chris caught a Spanish mackerel, and it really highlighted their trip.
Fiji advice from Chris + Connie: Decide ahead of time if you want to have a relaxing vacation or an active one so you pack the appropriate clothing! Fiji was really laid back, and I packed a lot of clothes that were too dressy for the island, and didn’t pack enough clothes for all the activities we wanted to do.
The couple loved how the staff was so friendly at Royal Davui and felt like they were family by the time they left.
A few of their most fond memories included a couples massage and a picnic at the private sand quay (which you may remember I featured in a previous post!).
Thank you Chris and Connie for sharing your honeymoon! I’d love to send more couples to this exotic, exclusive, and friendly locale. Contact me!
Honeymoon Planning: Ever After Honeymoons
Hotel: Royal Davui Island Resort, Fiji
I feature many real honeymoons on here, but what makes this one really special is that Isaiah and Dana visited Hotel Le Toiny in St Barths and The Viceroy Resort in Anguilla just as we did on the trip I recently featured (Part 1 | Part 2). Now you get to hear all about the hotels and islands from a honeymoon couple!
I’ve already told you so many of my favorite parts about St Barths and Anguilla that I’m excited to share what Dana and Isaiah had to say!
Choosing St Barths & Anguilla for their Honeymoon
We would have never chose St Barth’s or Anguilla without Katie. These two islands weren’t even on our radar! But after we filled out Katie’s first questionnaire, she sent us some amazing options for our honeymoon. From there, we had some decisions to make – and it came down to whether we wanted to go for the historical, touristy destinations of Italy and Greece, or the relaxing, tropical islands of St Barth’s and Anguilla. We always knew from the start that we wanted to travel somewhere new for the both of us. In the end, we chose St Barth’s and Anguilla because we knew we were going to need some tranquility in our lives. These two remote places definitely had that and lots of history to boot!
Unforgettable Moment
In Anguilla, we had a blast traveling to Scilly Cay, which is basically an extremely tiny island along Anguilla where they serve HUGE portions of lobster, crayfish, and chicken for lunch. With no electricity on the island, they rely on a large abundance of charcoal grills to prepare their food fresh daily. Not only was Scilly Cay beautiful, but it was also fun! We went with another honeymoon couple who we met at our resort and we all drank way too many Rum Punches and finished our gigantic plates of food in no time. We’d definitely go back!
What they Loved
At Hotel Le Toiny in St Barth’s, we of course loved having our own pool right outside our humongous private villa; and the fact that breakfast was served on our porch each morning was definitely a plus! Having that was everything and more than we could have ever asked for. But mostly, we loved getting to know the island, the history behind it, and the French people who occupy it. We found everyone to be extremely nice, helpful, and interesting. Aside from all that, the food was insane! We ate Top Chef meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday.
The Viceroy Resort in Anguilla was the highlight of the second part of our trip. Not only was it extremely pristine and gorgeous, but it was so big, that we were able to lay out at the beach one day and try the various different pools (including this infinity pool) within the resort the other days. We also LOVED the spa! My brother and sister-in-law got us a couples message to their spa as our wedding gift and it was so heavenly that we decided to go again to end our trip on a high note.
Cherished Memory
She said
For me, it would be our first night in Anguilla! It was a Monday and upon arrival, we were told there was a Manager’s Happy Hour in the Sunset Lounge later that night. We got ready and headed down to the bar where this happy hour was taking place, and immediately we were served complimentary drinks of our choice. I was taking in the beautiful scenery of the resort and people watching, of course, which is one of my favorite past-times. Then, we went to dinner at one of the Viceroy’s many restaurants, and afterwards, we danced the night away while DJ Sugar was spinning at the Sunset Lounge! We both had a blast and have great pictures showcasing how much fun we were having with each other!!
He Said
I loved St Barth’s, especially the night we had dinner at On the Rocks, located in the Eden Rock Hotel. The restaurant had a really cool ambiance and the food was unbelievable. We actually only ate appetizers and desserts and we were more than satisfied. It was a great night and we had the best time together.
Honemooner Hints
In St Barth’s, definitely rent a car but be aware that it is really scary to drive! Isaiah ended up loving it, but I was always nervous because the roads are not what we are used to. They were extremely rocky and mountainous! It was great to get out during the day and explore the island, but we always took cabs at night.
One of the best restaurants we ate at in St Barth’s was Bonito, set in the center of Gustavia, this restaurant is set on a cliff overlooking the city! The service was phenomenal.
Shopping in St Barth’s was great. One night, we shopped in the town of Gustavia and then went to a few bars for a drink, namely “Le Select” which was a total locals joint and famously known for where the song “Cheeseburger in Paradise” was written. Eventually, we went to dinner and made friends with some other Americans visiting the island. It was a blast!
In Anguilla, stay at the Viceroy! That would be our only advice! We saw other hotels and nothing came close to comparing.
Three Little Words
Dana: Hard to top!!!!
Isaiah: Unreal, unreal, unreal!
Does this sound like your perfect honeymoon? Contact me and I will take care of the rest!
Hotels: Hotel Le Toiny & Viceroy Anguilla
Planning: Ever After Honeymoons
I’m excited to share another real honeymoon with you!
Andrew and Meghan decided to celebrate their honeymoon in Turks and Caicos because of it’s beautiful beach scenery and short plane ride for tropical Caribbean luxury. They jetted of to The Veranda. This resort is all-inclusive and located on the world renowned Grace Bay Beach.
These two went on a snorkeling excursion in the 3rd largest reef in the world! They were escorted to shallow water to snorkel for conch. Meghan had done some research about Turks & Caicos and learned that conch is a delicacy within the region. After snorkeling and selecting their conch, they were off to a private beach where their guide cleaned them. Boy, were they in for a treat – or at least Andrew was. He enjoyed a fresh conch salad which is eaten raw!
Kayaking, paddle boarding and sailing are all activities included, so naturally they tried everything! Not to worry if you have never been on a hoby sailboat before, they provide you with instructions and if you need some extra direction, like these honeymooners couple did, a rescue boat comes out to give a little direction. Andrew and Meghan took it out again the next day!
The Veranda also has bikes available. Our honeymooners took a short bike ride to the beachfront restaurant Hemingway’s. Which according to Meghan, was a perfect taste of home after a week of island food.
{image via The Veranda}
This resort is spectacular and Andrew and Meghan were upgraded to a room that included a living room, dining room and fully stoked kitchen. A perk at all-inclusive resorts which Andrew raved about, is that you get to take a bottle of wine, champagne or six pack to your room. Hey, sounds good to me!
Does this look like your perfect honeymoon? All you need to do is contact me and I’ll take care of all the details.
Hotel: The Veranda
Planning: Ever After Honeymoons
All of my clients are pretty amazing, but I really loved working with Pete and Carmen who were such a delightful and fun couple! After their gorgeous wedding (which was featured on Green Wedding Shoes here and here) they headed out for an incredible honeymoon to Australia. Their honeymoon let them see the sights of Australia from the waters of the Grand Barrier Reef to the top of Harbour Bridge in Sydney. They were lucky enough to stay at four separate hotels giving them a true Aussie experience!
{snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef}
{relax at the Kewarra Beach Resort}
{hike (and swim!) to waterfalls}
{wine tasting in the Hunter Valley}
{personalize a lock of love on a Sydney bridge // enjoy your day relaxing at a pool or beach}
{climb Harbour Bridge in Sydney}
Thank you Pete and Carmen for letting us enjoy your photos and experiences. It looks like you took your love to new heights!
Looking to get explore Australia? Let me plan your honeymoon at no cost to you. Contact me!
Hotels:
Kewarra Beach Resort
Thala Beach Lodge
Novotel Rockford Darling Harbour Sydney
Chateau Elan Hunter Valley
