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The Ranch at Rock Creek

I recently returned from the most incredible stay at The Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana!  This is a luxury ranch with a ton of fun activities, incredible food, and really genuine friendly service.  This certainly isn’t your typical honeymoon spot, but is perfect for couples that are really active and are wanting to do something different for their honeymoon.

This is truly an all inclusive experience- not just your food and drinks, but also a ton of activities.  We enjoyed a morning hike with gorgeous views, shot clay pigeons, went horse back riding, and even shot rifles and pistols!  If I had more time there I would have also loved to go fly fishing, try out their 3D archery, and shoot paintballs.  At night is a lot of fun too- the Silver Dollar Saloon has a bowling alley, shuffleboard, and a movie cinema!

The accommodations are really beautiful as well.  They have rooms in the lodge, luxury tents on the creek, and also private cabins.  Each is immaculately decorated in true ranch style, with fun little details.  Everywhere is really spread out which gives you a lot of privacy, and every guest has their own bike to easily get around.  We stayed in the Ponderosa cabin which I loved!  A few other favorites are Trapper Cabin for total privacy, Bluebird Cabin for romance, and The Historic Barn for families or a big group of friends.

I was so impressed by the details here.  The Ranch provides all gear, including cowboy boots!  And literally anything you ask for they will provide.  Popcorn while you are bowling? Of course! Going on an early morning excursion? They will have coffee and snacks ready for you!  Want to have a special dining experience? They will set up a private lunch or dinner on any number of private spots around the property.

 

Does this sound like your ideal honeymoon spot?  Or somewhere you would like to get away to for a long weekend?  Email us!  Clients of Ever After Honeymoons receive some special amenities during their stay!

One Year.

As I sit here, it’s hard for me to grasp that an entire year has already passed us by. It’s almost as if I blinked and suddenly catapulted from May 19, 2012 to May 19, 2013, but it’s such a strange juxtaposition, feeling at the same time that we’ve been together forever.

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I still remember those feelings of anxiety and nervousness as I primped and put on my dress…

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…and how all of those feelings dissipated when I saw your face.

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Although I can’t remember the silly things you said, I remember laughing A LOT to the point where I was worried that I would look ridiculous in all of the photos. Luckily our photographer managed to make us look amazing.

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And then at 5:00 PM, I held tightly to Daddy Hawk’s arm as he walked me to meet you. I could barely maintain eye contact for fear of completely losing handle of my emotions.

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But you took my hand and everything was all right again.

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After we said our vows, you almost forgot to kiss me, but I wasn’t about to let that slide.

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I can’t tell you what a relief it was to have you on my arm post-ceremony. Such a relief that I rained rose petals onto the floor with a victory shake of my bouquet.

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And just like that, you were my husband.

I could go on and on about our wedding because it was really beautiful. And the memories from that day warm my heart, but instead I’d rather focus on how it was the beginning of our life together and how far we’ve come in 12 quick months.

Mr. Hawk, I love you 10 times more than I did on May 19, 2012, and honestly I have no idea how it’s possible because I couldn’t have imagined loving you more at the time. I hope and pray that the love continues to grow exponentially throughout our lives together. We may not be perfect, but we perfectly complement each other, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner in life. Happy anniversary!

Now go grab me a margarita, clown. It’s time to celebrate.

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Western Wear

When you are in search of a classic country western getaway, look no further than The Ranch at Rock Creek! I just got back from the most gorgeous weekend, tucked away in the mountains of Montana.

Although Summer is upon us, Montana’s elevation leads to some colder climates. I made sure to bring along a few of my favorite pieces to keep me warm and western! (Photo via Pinterest)

Although my style leans toward casual comfort, there are certainly some beautiful western inspired pieces that can be fantastic additions to your honeymoon packing list! Dine in style with your love in either one of these great outfits! {Photo via Pinterest}

If you’re ready to kick up your heels and honeymoon in the countryside, email me!

Esprit Saint Germain

Traveling to France is even better when the Esprit Saint Germain is on my agenda. The warm and inviting hotel is located in the heart of Paris, on the Left Bank. Not only is it absolutely stunning with its modern features, the Esprit Saint Germain is also completely personalized and dedicated to making honeymooners feel like they are walking into a luxury home. Couples can enjoy complimentary cocktails by the fire each evening, after a delicious Parisian meal.

Dining on this outdoor terrace would be the perfect Parisian escape! I absolutely love the elegance!

One of the many highlights of staying in the heart of Paris is the access to fabulous restaurants and boutiques. Esprit Saint Germain is just steps from famous Parisian favorites like Hermes and Laduree!

Upon arrival, couples receive red or white wine paired with French cheeses and a baguette, and a departure gift of butter cookies and bottle of mineral water. Email me to book your Parisian getaway!

 

St. Lucia

Jennifer & Nick deserved to unwind after their fabulous wedding, so I decided to plan their luxurious honeymoon at The BodyHoliday in St. Lucia! I stayed there last summer and loved it, so I knew that they would too! I am so excited to share their experience. They wrote me the sweetest thank you, and I just have to share it!

From Jennifer: “Our honeymoon was AHHH-MAZING!!!! Once we arrived at the airport our cab was waiting & our driver whisked us away to the resort, but not before stopping at a local bar for two “Pitons” and a bakery for delicious homemade and fresh out of the oven cheesy bread…Yum! After arriving at The BodyHoliday, we were led to our beautiful suite where they had a fresh fruit platter, champagne and flowers everywhere.

The staff was wonderful and very helpful. We took part in all of the water sports and I LOVED paddle boarding.

The sunset cruise was tons of fun and we met a few people whom we will probably keep in touch with. We also were sooo relaxed after our morning spa treatments, which were amazing!!

TAO was delicious and very refreshing. The sushi was the best we’ve had.

We took tons of beautiful pictures. Also, we were so glad you offered the helicopter ride. That was a great way to see the island and a quick trip back after a loooong week of fun!

Thank you so much for working with us and helping us choose a place that was a perfect fit for us!

Our honeymoon could not have been better. Relaxing at times, full of fun and activities, delicious food and wine, ahhh-the list could go on and on!”

SO happy to have planned a fabulous getaway for a fabulous couple! Email me to book your honeymoon!

 

French Polynesia Honeymoon: Amanda + Tim

I’m so excited to share Amanda and Tim’s amazing French Polynesia honeymoon today!  Amanda is one of the creative geniuses behind 100 Layer Cake and had one of the most gorgeous weddings (that was also featured in Martha Stewart Weddings).  I knew I wanted to create a honeymoon that was their laid-back style but also had some really fun and adventurous aspects to it.

They started out by flying to Tahiti and immediately hopped on a boat to a little island called Taha’a.  I decided they would love the gorgeous Le Taha’a Island Resort and Spa where they could relax in a comfy beach villa with bamboo walls, palapa roofts, and chic furnishings.

It’s the perfect place to feel pampered but still experience the island vibe.  There they were able to doze in the sun, snorkel and swim in the amazing crystal clear waters, and sip away on delicious tropical cocktails.

Next stop was Bora Bora!  This is one of the most famous island in French Polynesia and there are a ton of different resort options along the beaches.  Amanda and Tim decided to stay at the dreamy Four Seasons Bora Bora.

Bora Bora is full of turquoise water, white sand, and ridiculous views everywhere you turn.  The property is stocked with outdoor beds for napping, infiniti pools, and ocean side palapas (straw cabanas) to enjoy the ocean breeze.

You can’t forget to hit up the spa for a couple’s massage like Amanda and Tim did while overlooking the lagoon in a tropical hibiscus valley.

Congrats Amanda and Tim!  I hope you enjoyed your honeymoon as much as I enjoyed planning it!!

Want to visit Tahiti or Bora Bora? I can help!

Hermitage Bay

While I travel the globe, there are just certain places that really capture my heart. I know that after planning and participating in their wedding, my couples really deserve a place that allows them to relax in luxury. Look no further than Hermitage Bay! A luxurious, all inclusive resort in Antigua!

My favorite suites are the Hillside Suites with private, beautiful views, a large terrace and a private pool!

Couples can enjoy their private escape, or they can also follow the directed pathways to the hotel pool, located beach side!

Clients of Ever After Honeymoons receive a complimentary couples massage! Massages can be enjoyed at the Garden Spa or in the privacy of your Pool Suite or Beachfront Cottage.

Ready to go? Email me!

Le Sirenuse

I adore Italy, but after visiting Le Sirenuse in Positano, it has quickly become one of my favorite Italian destinations! Couples can enjoy the spectacular Amalfi Coast from the steps of the hotel! The view is breathtaking!

The Sant’Antonio, an absolutely gorgeous wooden boat, takes up to 12 people for complimentary daily excursions along the coast, from June to September (weather permitting).

Couples can experience Italian luxury by renting a private boat through Le Sirenuse to explore the coast. Drop off at any of the local favorite spots: Pompei, Paestum, Ravello or Amalfi! The Le Sirenuse concierge provides complete assistance with organizing any excursion. Yachting in Italy? Yes please!

Couples receive $100 spa services credit when they book through Ever After Honeymoons.  Email me to plan your Italian getaway!

I Messed Up

Y’all, I’m not kidding. I seriously messed up.

Let me ask you a question. What do you actually need in order to get married? You need two people who want to marry each other and a person who will perform the ceremony. And in most cases in the US, you need rings. We have all those things.

But…when we bought the rings, we didn’t have them resized because it was winter. (Do you see where this is going?)

Cut to Wednesday. Mr. Whale and I have been meaning to go get our rings resized for a few weeks now. But we didn’t think it was a big deal, because we thought it would just take a few hours to get it done, a few days maximum. (This does happen, right? I’ve known plenty of people who got their ring resized right in the shop!) So we had big plans to go see Iron Man 3, and we were going take our rings in before the movie. In order to decide on a movie time, I called up Zales and asked how long it usually takes to get a ring resized. The response? Two weeks.

We don’t have two weeks. Cue panic. My ring is currently a size 7. It needs to be a size 4.5…

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Image from Muppet Wiki

Naturally, I panicked. And naturally, I had decided to make this phone call while walking to a final exam. So I burst into tears while walking down the sidewalk. (Thank god I had my sunglasses with me.) Then I had to call Mr. Whale and tell him that we don’t have rings for the ceremony. While this might normally also make him panic, I think he realized that I was having a major meltdown about having been so stupid about something so important, and he was completely supportive. Within 30 seconds we had a plan.

And so, without further ado, I present to you my back-up wedding band, courtesy of QVC:

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Available at QVC

Hey, at least I have a travel wedding band now! I still plan on having my real wedding band in all the usual photos of the rings. And I’m going to use it in the ceremony. But afterward, I’ll slip on the fake ring so I don’t lose the real one. Somehow, Mr. Whale’s ring fits now (we thought it was too small before, but maybe it was too big…either way, it fits now), so we actually don’t need to do anything special for him.

So…I feel pretty stupid. And I’m bummed that I won’t get to wear my ring for at least two weeks after the wedding. (I’ll still have to send it out to get it resized…) But, there’s nothing I can do about it now.

Anyone else make this mistake, or am I literally the only one?

*For those of you wondering why I didn’t just take it to another jeweler to get it resized, doing so would have voided my warranty with Zales.

Qualia

One of my favorite aspects of travelling is being able to scope out fabulous perks for my couples at each location! The next stop on my list of places to go is Qualia. An absolutely lavish resort on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef, Qualia takes care of every single detail imaginable! I have had many couples stay here, and they have told me it’s simply outstanding!

Each aspect of Qualia is dedicated to making its guests feel as though they have escaped to a tropical paradise! Very private and romantic, Qualia will make every aspect of your honeymoon feel luxurious.

One incredible experience that cannot be missed is the beach drop off. Qualia will carry guests by boat to a private beach for their own adventure and enjoyment! Ideal for swimming, snorkeling or a picnic!

Qualia will organize every detail: a gourmet picnic (additional cost), beach umbrella, beach mats and towels, sunscreen and repellent, a map, and two-way radio to request your pick-up at the end of a perfect day. You and your love can have an entire day together on a private beach. How lovely!

My couples receive a dinner on the Colors of Sunset Cruise, including a tour of the Whitsundays, with canapés and selected alcoholic beverages for two, once per stay. Ready to go? Contact me!