Exquisite Honeymoon Destinations & Function Venues

PLANNING YOUR HONEYMOON

… and the adventure starts. This is exactly what your honeymoon should be. Months of planning and hard working has ended in the climax of your wedding day, and now you can relax and enjoy the bliss of a few days holiday with your newly wed loved one. A honeymoon is far more than only a holiday – it allows you and your partner to really settle down in a relaxed atmosphere and start your life together.

There is, however, more to planning a honeymoon than just getting into your vehicle and driving to the most exquisite holiday resort. If you want it to be an adventure to last you a lifetime, it will take careful planning – travel arrangements, book accommodation, pack the correct luggage, arrange passports etc. The individuals with the budget that allows it will probably opt for places such as a tropical island or some exquisite overseas venue, but for those unfortunate couples with a fairly limited budget, there is good news … South Africa is a highly rated honeymoon destination worldwide, so you do not have to go overseas to enjoy an exquisite honeymoon.

When planning your honeymoon, it could be a good idea to sit together as a couple and plan a vacation that both of you will enjoy. It could be a few relaxing days at one venue, it could be an organized tour, or, if you are both adventurous people, you could follow one of the latest trends – adventure honeymoons. The most traditional adventure is a safari honeymoon, but it could be anything from skiing, biking, nature watching while roughing it etc. If this is your scene, there are numerous companies that specialize to custom tailor your honeymoon.

There are a variety of different options that you could consider when trying to decide how and where you should spend those few precious days together. These range from visiting travel websites, stopping at your travel agency, looking through travel magazines, or simply chatting to friends. If you are not good in planning such things, it may be a good idea to seek the assistance of professionals. There are many companies that could assist you with ideas, as well as the planning of your honeymoon. If you decide on this option, you should make sure of a few things:

• Does the company have experience putting together honeymoons (you specifically want a honeymoon package – not a normal holiday package)?
• What travel services do they provide?
• If you settle for an international destination, it will be more assuring if the company that you make use of have solid contacts in the specific country of your choice.
• What does the package include (meals, lodging, travel, car rental etc.)?
• Make sure that everything is paid for – you don’t want to arrive at a venue only to find out that your accommodation has not been paid for.
• A good travel agency or honeymoon planning company should be able to provide you with some handy information about the venues, such as restaurants, tours, sights etc.
• Make sure that you take the necessary precautions if you enter malaria areas.

You should, however, keep one thing in mind – even though it is a once in a lifetime event, do not overspend your budget. It is not worth having an exquisite honeymoon if it puts you in financial disarray. It could only put pressure on your very vulnerable first few years together.

HONEYMOON PACKING LIST

The destination that you choose will determine what you should pack. Here are a few ideas:

Documents

• Traveling tickets (airline or bus)
• Drivers license
• Passport (for international travel)
• A list with all the critical information (venues, hotel addresses, telephone numbers, etc.)

Personal items

• Make sure of the climatic conditions at the venue and pack clothing accordingly.
• Include casual clothes (shorts, costume, sandals etc.) as well as semi formal clothes for a romantic dinner at a posh restaurant.
• Socks
• Underwear
• Appropriate footwear (sandals, casual shoes, formal shoes)
• Sleepwear
• Video camera, camera and film
• Toiletries (remember the make-up, deodorant, perfume, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste and razor)
• Sunscreen
• Birth control (if you do not plan on having a honeymoon baby)
• Scented candles (if you seek that extra touch of romance to your baths together)

CHOOSING A WEDDING VENUE

Since childhood times you have dreamed of getting married in a small, romantic chapel up in the mountains, on a lovely open sandy beach. Now is the time to be creative and make your dream come true. Do not be put off by what other people want – this should be the greatest day in your life, so GO FOR IT! Some couples in the past opted for going through the ceremony twice – in some exclusive romantic venue with some close relatives and friends, and on the traditional method in a church shortly afterwards.

To stimulate your creative mind, seek the assistance of wedding websites, wedding coordinators, wedding magazines etc. It is the job of these people to satisfy the wedding needs of future couples, and most of them have vast experience.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you choose a reception venue:

• If you move away from the traditional church wedding, you should make sure that climatic conditions during that time of the year will not cause a dramatic change to your plans.
• Make sure that the venue is easily accessible for your guests.
• If not, make sure that you have transport assistance to get the guests to the venue.
• Before you start planning the reception, you should first make sure that the number of guests that you have invited will comfortably fit into the venue (do not crowd the venue, as it could spoil the atmosphere).
• Look if the venue will be suitable for your catering style (is there a stove, refrigerator etc.)
• Is there electricity?
• What time should you leave the premises?
• Will neighboring tourists (if the venue is in a holiday resort) or residence be affected by loud music?

For more info or bookings contact us at:

BENGUERRA LODGE
Tel : +27 (0) 11 – 4520641
Fax : +27 (0) 11 – 4521496
www.benguerra.co.za