Los Angeles For A Honeymoon

Los Angeles for a honeymoon? How much fun can that be?  Well, living there for many years, it is easy to understand the question. This is one of the busiest cities in the world with freeways going in a multitude of directions, crazy traffic and people finding the fun things there are to do.  Every weekend can be a holiday.  But a honeymoon?  Where are the romantic spots? 

No surprise, they are along the western beach communities with the low-keyed, sandy beach, ocean view restaurants and romantic bedrooms of Malibu, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Marina Del Rey, El Segundo, Redondo and Hermosa Beach cities and the wild and wacky Venice.  Flights to Los Angeles Itl. Are generally reasonable and near the beach communities mentioned.  The laid back atmospheres of these areas can add to your honeymoon experience, and with a quick drive inland you find exciting things to spend your awake hours.  There are find many world-class restaurants, nightclubs and hotels on WeddingLinks.com for Los Angeles.  Couples find unique areas to visit and entertainment ideas in this resource.  This is one city where you do need to rent a car at the airport and have good maps.

Take a yacht cruise for the afternoon; it is a camera’s delight to look back at the harbors and shoreline.  The Marina Del Rey’s yacht harbor is one of the largest in Southern California.  Many people live aboard their yachts and tour the cities along many coastlines.  I highly recommend you gain passage on a boat heading to delightful Catalina Island, just west of the mainland.  The island offers fun walking, shopping and swimming for the day.  Yes they too have hotels with views of the water. The feel is very European and tranquil as the daytime tourists leave for the day and the island becomes yours. 

Designing your visit is part of the fun.  There are tour buses that take you to the MGM Studios for a day visit.  Tours to take you through Hollywood and Brentwood (where the stars live).  Many couples find the amazing collections at exciting museums like the Getty and the Bowers and cowboy movie actor, Gene Autry’s Western museum along with the Huntington Library and Gardens house famous works of art to be rediscovered by you. The unbelievable Labra Tar Pits are also popular visits.  

When you are from relatively small cities, the inner Los Angeles skyscrapers are a sight to behold and experience.  Just taking the elavator to the top terrace and looking around at the sister buildings and views can be inspiring.  . Long Beach is home to the cruise ship harbor and the historic Queen Mary (now a hotel in the harbor). This is a very interesting place to stay, tour and host a wedding.  If you are fortunate to be in Los Angeles when the Hollywood stars are walking the red carpet or there is a performance at the art and cultural center, aim for tickets in advance.  If visiting on the New Years Day, try to go to the early morning Rose Parade in Pasadena.  Enjoy Los Angeles; it has a lot to offer!!

Hawaii Wedding & Honeymoon Destinations

The Hawaii Islands are considered a paradise by young and old. The soft breezes, the exciting live volcanos, amazing cultures and history, and romantic beaches bring everyone to life and foster a determination to return again soon.  The Islands of Maui and Oahu appear to be favorite wedding locations with Kauai and the main (largest island) Hawaii being the next.  You will find venues on every island on Weddinglinks.com plus popular wedding reception services to assist with wedding and honeymoons.

 

 Diamond Head Photo from Wikiki Beach in Honolulu by Judith Rivers-Moore

The largest island, Hawaii moves from rain forest to volcanoes to a mountain with the largest telescope in the world. There is an amazing history of the people at the University of Hawaii.  The island is easy to get around and the lodging ranges from resorts where you  swim with the dolphins to condos and  simple beach shacks you can rent. A quieter retreat for the mind body and soul.

While Honolulu is the capital city on Oahu Island, it remains the exciting and happening city for honeymooners with great restaurants, romantic hotels on Wikiki Beach and fun nightclubs. There is a quieter part of the island of Ohau that many couples and vacationer’s seek to stay and play. Tours take you to the Polynesian Village where weddings are held also and daily shows with Hawaiian style meals of bbq pork and pineapple are long remembered.  There are amazing pineapple plantations for tours and historical Pearl Harbor. 

View From Westin Hotel at Kannapali on Maui by Judith Rivers-Moore

Couples see many whales through this passage area from Lanai to Maui  from January - March. 

We find  many destination wedding couples love laid back Maui for their wedding planning or quiet Napeli shore getaways where diving and surfing are awesome. Appealing to romance, the western sunsets hold you in appreciation the rest of your life.  Maui is also a surfers paradise with several championship competition areas.  

Weddings and Honeymoons are easy to plan on any of the islands. There are beautiful resort hotels, beach wedding venues, delightful wedding dress and shops for formal or informal weddings. Whether you fly or cruise between the Kauai, Lani, Molokai, Hilo and the large island of Hawaii, you will find romance, warm welcomes and beautiful people enriched by their history and the culture steeped in the stories of their spirituality and island Gods. Shared through dance, story telling, art and food.

Creating A Sonoma Destination Wedding & Honeymoon

Named one of the top ten most romantic wedding regions in the USA and the third most popular destination wedding area, the picturesque Sonoma County is host to world class, award-winning wineries and great towns to explore. There are hundreds of wineries and you will find five major regions with many appellations, thousand foot hills and endless vineyards.  Sonoma County offers a multitude of wedding venues with some of the finest vineyard views, professional wedding and event vendors and honeymoon hotels for your enjoyment. The additional beauty about Sonoma is the exciting Pacific coastline with hotels, vacation rentals, fine dining and the Bodega Bay Harbor where fishermen still go out to sea.  The redwood groves and dotted landscape hold oaks and pines.

by DUphotography.com

An hours drive North of San Francisco, you will enjoy visiting the historic Sonoma Valley, part of the Carneros Valley. The last Spanish mission is there and the city square bustles with visitors determined to find out the history, the best buys and where the  winerys are in the region. Lodging is unique with boutique hotels, romantic bed and breakfasts and delightful restaurants with some of the finest chefs. Famous vintners include Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves, Sebastiani and the new Jazzui winerys. There are too many to mention from the Carneros region.

The Valley of the Moon is a favorite for wine tasting .  One of the more picturesque areas with boundless parks, hiking trails, vintners tours and beautiful settings for wedding sand events. Famous vintners are Kunde,  Chateau St. Jean and B.R. Cohn wineries. The local Indians called it the Valley of the Moon and Jack London (famous writer) lived in the area near Glen Ellen.

Santa Rosa is the largest city enjoying some of the best restaurants and lodging and excellent wineries above the city and along the 101 corridor and boutique wineries just west of town.  Favorites for weddings are the Paradise Ridge and for events, Kendall Jackson. People are wowed by the wild animal preserve, Safari West and the Charles Shultz Museum,  Luther Burbank Gardens, but thousands come for the Sonoma wine festival in October of each year.

by DUphotography.com

Heading North on Hwy 101 you will find delightful vineyards in all direction with the Healdsburg Square waiting for your visit. From the Russian River wine region to Dry Creek and Alexander Valley, we have enjoyed vintners in each area and the new  Francis Ford Coppola Winery and Resort encourage reservations for food and swimming. I love the gardens at Ferrie Carano.  While some stop in the Healdsburg area, there are many lovely vineyard venus and nice lodging toward Geyserville with  excellent wines to enjoy. It takes several days to explore the regions and many visitors like the casino perched above the Alexander Valley floor.

It is easy to plan a destination wedding or elope to Sonoma Wine Country.  California laws give you a license to be married the same day you arrive Monday-Friday by 12 noon.  You will find romantic lodging, peaceful settings, glorious redwood trees and a beautiful Sonoma, Pacific Coastline.  Enjoy the many vineyard venues and wine tasting ideas on WeddingLinks.com

WeddingLinks.com loves to talk travel with those planning romantic destinations, getaways, honeymoons and more. For awhile we will be asking your input on favorite honeymoon areas. Thanks, Judith Rivers-Moore.

Lets talk about Los Angeles, California, a favorite honeymoon region and notable destination wedding area with Disneyland, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Malibu, Laguna, Newport and Huntington Beaches to name a few...and the glorious San Diego Pacific Coast beaches. Love the California coastline sunsets.

Los Angeles is a vast complex of cities and industrious communities. While most of the world hears about Hollywood, Brentwood, Burbank Catalina Island and the famous beaches, there are amazing honeymoon resorts and hotels to enjoy and places to plan a beach wedding or fun vacation throughout Southern California.

With MGM being a favorite, we also found the exciting museums like the Getty and Bowers and Gene Autry’s Western museum along with the Huntington Library and Gardens house exciting collections to be discovered. The unbelievable Labra Tar Pits are also popular visits. This is a “must drive city” as most of the public transportation does not connect well. This website has links to hundreds of affordable and beautiful wedding venues and your wedding planning is made easy with very accomplished wedding planners. Los Angeles is filled with wedding and reception services for wedding music, wedding flowers, photographers in Palos Verdes, Palmdale, San Fernando Valley and east to Pasadena, Glendale, Whittier, Downey and Hacienda Heights. The beautiful beaches along Venice, Malibu, Santa Monica and Long Beach offeing many favorites overlooking yacht harbors with sandy beach wedding venues and honeymoon resort hotels, inns and restaurants. There are beach houses and historic houses for rent and some are available to host events. Nightlife and clubs are big in Los Angeles, you will find something for everyone. Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary in the harbor.  WeddingLinks.com and HoneymoonLinks.co have great ideas for your wedding, honeymoon and romantic destinations. Thousands of local and global links with fun articles to read.

You can reach us on your mobile phone with  m.Honeymoonlinks.co

Please blog us with some of your favorite romantic honeymoon or getaway spots. 

Safety TIPS For Weddings & Receptions

Who would ever dream a wedding and reception could be unsafe in any way?   Surprisingly, there are a few things to think ahead about regarding safety for yourself and guests beside the responsible hospitality rules around alcohol serving.  Please join us on the Blog and share your safety issues and ideas for safer parties and events.

1. Children:  In a public setting, children should be attended constantly for their safety.  Many locations have pools, ponds, trees to climb and ocean surf.  We find parents relax with a few drinks and sometimes do not pay attention to what their children are involved with.  We find brides hire nannies or special entertainment and sometimes have a play room or tent on the beach set up for the children to be accounted for. At some locations, large trucks and cars moving in parking lots can be a concern.

2. Using an event site with non permitted kitchens can often lead to lack of fire equipment and exits. Poor refrigeration and stoves can be a nightmare to work with and food spoils. 

3. Couples lighting the unity candle can set the wedding veil on fire.  Candles at the ceremony area need to be placed firmly into the candelabras indoors and in a glass container outside.  Check with facility rules before purchasing candles, some event sites and churches do not allow them. 

4.  Electrical Power concerns for event rooms or back yards is a big problem and important question to ask if you have a musical entertainment, electric light show and need of a back-up generator.

5. Horses are beautiful and a wonderful part of a wedding, but they often weigh 1,500 pounds or more and have been known to step (unintentionally) on the feet of humans.  Also, if a horse is not used to crowds, it may become excited, buck and run.

6. For private home or ranch events: Parking areas in fields or grassy areas could be subject to fire with car ignition sparks starting one.  Please have canister fire equipment and watering hose hooked up and on hand, and a parking attendant to watch over this.

Many brides take out wedding insurance for their event, find out more on our web portals:

WeddingLinks.com and HoneymoonLinks.co  access from mobile at:  http://m.honeymoonlinks.co
thousands of venues and vendors, articles and wedding planning resources.

Best Wishes,  Judith Rivers-Moore - join Judith on Facebook and the WeddingLinks blog.

Tips For Planning A Trip To The South Pacific Islands of Hawaii, Tahiti and Fiji

We just returned from a research trip to Hawaii, Tahiti and the Fiji  Islands for our new IPad and Kindle books, "Romantic Destinations". This will be released in late December 2012 along with our new "Romantic Destination - Napa and SonomaWine Country".  

Join me on the Blog and please add your input to our list of Travel TIPS.

This area covers the (related size) land mass of Europe. There are hundreds of tropical islands and atolls with white sand beaches and black lava beaches, beautiful palm trees, the sweetest pineapple and exciting views. The memorable friendliness of the diverse cultures will live in our memories for years. There are awesome hotels and resorts waiting for tourist from all parts of the world seeking vacations, wedding destinations and romantic honeymoon spots.  These areas are packed with extreme sports, surfing, diving, zip line, swimming with sharks or manta rays, wonderful tours and relaxing and awe inspiring venues.

    
Overwater bungalow or villas     Tahiti Beach bungalows   Fiji sunset  travelbeach.org        Hawaii surfing - HawaiiPictures.com

We are still getting our photos out of the camera..... Yes, you can believe the colors in these photos.

We found so many wonderful event sites and unique services, fun tours and great restaurants. We hope you can enjoy some time there soon. We met with many owners, managers and event coordinators for interviews (regarding the books) and some of the questions we asked surrounded travel concerns they experienced with their guests....here are a few to discuss.

#1.  The islands take some time to get there.  They saw honeymooners so exhausted from the trip they could not enjoy the first few days of their stay.  They recommended couples come a week after their wedding day or later, so they were not so tired from the wedding preparations. When planning to be married at the honeymoon resort, it is best to plan two days after arriving.

#2.  The islands each have a north, south, east and west side to stay on.  For no disappointments, ask which way the hotel/water bungalow faces and if the beaches are swim safe and the sand coloration before you book them. Some beaches have sugar white sand and others black sand.

#3.  Working up to the sun's rays is always a concern. They are close to the equator and people need to understand the sun blocks only block bad rays, not the burns.   Working from 10 minutes up to the next 5 minutes and on up - works best in achieving a non-red or peeling tan.  They have had many a couples getting married be a bright red and many couples nursing a sunburn and destroying their honeymoon.

Photo by Judith Rivers-Moore

#4.  Food prices are considerably higher than your home town.  After all, they do have to ship in many items.

You will find many of the resorts, hotels and services already linked on WeddingLinks.com - Search the area and remember Tahiti is part of French Polynesia and Hawaii is United States.

LUXURY Wedding Venues, Wedding Services & Ideas For Wedding Celebrations

                                     
     Adding Luxury to Your Wedding  Celebrations

Couples can add one or two luxury touches to their celebration or bring luxury into light in every part of their ceremony and reception.

Luxurious Ideas For Your Wedding and Reception Venues
Most weddings require two or three venues and guest housing. While proximity may be important, we also see a high-end wedding can be a destination wedding to unique parts of the world. While finding an opulent site with beautiful wall hangings, frescos, crystal chandeliers, gold leaf trim, marble dance floors and velvet curtains rein high on the list, luxury and opulence can include renting a winery, wine cave, skyscraper roof garden with magnificent views.

A local historic mansion or lovely beach house that has been well cared for works very well. We see historic sites, tents, unique museums, botanical gardens, observatories, aquariums, art galleries - all impress and allow you to utilize the backdrop to its fullest while increasing the interest and enjoyment of your guests.
                                      Couples often chooses an event site that reflect their interests.

You've heard it before - the INVITATION sets the tone of your wedding day celebration. Engraved, Calligraphy and hand made can be inspiring

Your Ceremony.  Whether it is a beautiful church, cathedral or natural environment in the woods, beach, garden or vineyards, we find it is important to be heard and seen. A raised platform for the ceremony, good microphones, ample lighting, shaded ceremony area (when outdoors) add to your guest appreciation.  A printed program with names of the presenters, languages, explaining ethnic customs. These allow the guest to feel included and thus brings a richness to their experience.

Find links to luxury wedding venues and services on WeddingLinks.co
Photos by DUPhotography.com

Your Venue Entry can be the first impression for your guests. Select a location in a nice section of town with an impressive entry or drive and top the luxury with valet parking services.

With an outdoor environment, make certain there are no apparent car sounds or air flight patterns overhead. Choosing a setting with fountain, waterfall or lovely stream, beach and waterway views can mesmerize your guests.

Nature and natural setting have a way of enriching every part of our soul.
Staging and lighting of the ceremony and/or reception are a real trend in luxury weddings. The outer building or interior lighting will excite your guests. Top the luxury with a light show during the reception music and or/ fireworks and sparklers (depends on the fire laws and your event site rules).

Aisle decor adds to the Luxury Look.  An altar cloth or arbor includes the use of the poly tulle that reflects twinkle lighting is a beautiful and romantic effect for evening weddings.  Beautiful aisle flowers and garlands offer a richness to the ceremony.

Brides often state: classical music sets the tone for their ceremony. Served by wait staff is more elegant than a buffet, champagne poured throughout an event is a luxury statement, engraved gift items from the couple add luxury well spent.

Luxury Ideas For An Evening Wedding
Outdoor weddings and evening weddings often have wine and cocktail services with canapes’ (hors d’oeurves) served prior to the party guests being seated. Hire a guitarist or one or more instrumentalist to set the mood of the day. As ceremony time nears the seating or gathering time is announced. Waiting for newlyweds to arrive prior to serving food and drink is passé.  Ceremony and Reception entry doors can be managed by persons to direct the guests to their seating...this adds to the glamour. The male ushers generally take on this task,  but we see luxury style weddings hire staff to complete this duty so the wedding party is exempt from these duties. Romantic outdoor evening weddings in full moonlight with flickering votives and oil lamps.

Luxurious Ideas For Your Reception Room Look:
When reviewing reception sites, fund those that provide a luxurious appearance. Entries to the venue and ceilings are key to visuals. Room appearance is directly affected by the look of flooring, chairs, full-length tablecloths (or pooling linens) and overlay cloths of unique fabrics. We find larger rooms incorporating a furnished area near the bar and away from the music is enjoyable Party rentals with matching dinner service, centerpieces and setting the table with specific folds to napkins for the dinner menu, unique favors all enhance the table appearance. When allowed, candles, votives and unique wedding favors enrich the mood.

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