Northern California Wedding Planner | Honeymoon Vibes

Whether it is a road trip to a cozy destination or an all inclusive Caribbean get-away, it is important to have this time together and to take a breather after all of the energy that went into your wedding day! Read on for tips on planning your honeymoon and for a handful of the top destinations!

Just like any other aspect of planning we recommend using a professional and knowledgeable travel agent, and our go-to lady is Janice Durfee with Durfee Travel.  Janice has helped many of our couples set off on their honeymoon getaways so we asked her to share some starter info on planning your trip:

"Your honeymoon can be the most romantic trip you'll ever take, and it can also be a lot of fun. Look for a destination that offers everything you want. Remember that there is no "ideal" destination - the personality of you and your partner will determine where on the planet your honeymoon should be. - Janice Durfee (Durfee Travel)"

Here are some of the destinations considered to be the greatest spots to honeymoon and top many newlyweds' travel wish-lists:

Janice Durfee, Owner
Durfee Travel & Tours
1-877-896-1668 (toll free)
530-896-1668 (Chico,CA)
website: www.durfeetravel.com
email: janice@durfeetravel.com 
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/DurfeeTravel

Wanna Get Away?

If you and your hubby-to-be are planning your fabulous honeymoon, or maybe a special anniversary trip then check out some of these great hotels offering 5% off of your stay.  Our favorite is Barcelo Pavaro Palace Deluxe.  If you are a myBarcelo member you can take advantage of even bigger savings during the Happy Days special.

Barceló Puerto Vallarta

The Barceló Puerto Vallarta hotel is an elegant premium category Mexican style resort on the Playa Mismaloya, with impressive views of the Bahía de Banderas. It has been distinguished as a 4 Diamonds Resort, awarded by the AAA. (Diamond Ratings System).  It has a total of 316 spacious and luxurious rooms divided in 179 junior suites, 109 family suites, 13 master suites, 12 grand master suites, and 3 presidential suites. All of them offer top quality and comfort including king size beds. Enjoy excellent service, entertainment, beautiful landscapes, lush vegetation, and the privacy you have been searching for.

The hotel offers various restaurants, bars and cafés, within the Barceló All Inclusive programme, in which varied, international and high class cuisine can be enjoyed. Apart from enjoying the beautiful beach with its tropical waters, you can also take advantage of the facilities including 4 swimming pools (one sports pool, 2 family pools and 2 children’s pool), 2 outdoor jacuzzis, a beautiful tropical rainforest, gym, games room and entertainment for adults and children alike. 5% discount in Barceló Puerto Vallarta. Enter coupon code: BPUERTOVALLARTA

Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe On the seafront of one of the 10 best beaches in the world, Barceló has a 2 km beach, the best in Punta Cana and protected by a coral reef that makes the pristine sea perfectly calm. The Barceló Bávaro Palace Deluxe hotel is found in this magical place and is characterised by its incredible levels of comfort and rest. This is made possible due to the new B-Room rooms that combine technology with the best beds on the market as well as raindance showers. The Bávaro Palace Deluxe is the ideal place for those who love good food since it offers a unique gourmet experience with its 11 different restaurants ranging from Japanese cuisine to traditional Mexican cuisine, and also includes meat, fish and international cuisine.   During the day, you will be able enjoy all types of sports imaginable, including golf, kayaking, windsurfing, sailing and hobie wave. Guests can also indulge themselves with the fabulous hotel facilities with an incredible, luxurious U-Spa Bávaro, swimming pools, gymnasium, shopping centre and a miniclub for the little ones. At night you can enjoy the lively nightlife at the hotel: shows, discos, casino...Prepare yourself, Premium Barceló Bávaro Palace Deluxe offers you everything you could want and more for your holiday and more.    Book with Barceló Bávaro Palace Deluxe and get a 5% discount. Enter coupon code: BBAVAROPALACE.

Wherever you decide to go, just make sure to do one important thing...Send us a post card! Happy Vacationing! ______________________________________________________________________

For more information, visit http://www.barcelo.com/barcelohotels/en_gb/home-barcelo-hoteles.aspx To save 5% on all Barcelo Locations click here

Terms and Conditions * Valid for stays and bookings until 31st December 2012. * This offer will not apply with Happy Days, Happy Nights, MiBarceló exclusive offers and also with special prices for residents. The 530 Bride is not responsible for any travel fees, discrepencies or disputes with the above company.

Mark Your Calendars ~ 2012 Winter Bridal Shows

It's that time again, so mark your calendars with these important dates! You don't want to miss out on your local bridal shows because this is where you will meet professional & talented vendors who specialize in weddings.  By walking through a bridal show, you will see exhibitor booths for caterers, photographers, wedding planners, DJ's, wedding venues & more.  Taste samples of wedding cake and entrees like tri-tip & chicken. You will have the opportunity to save money with exclusive bridal show offers, and enter contests to win some sweet prizes. Tips: Wear comfortable shoes, bring a bag to hold all of your bridal show goodies & if possible have address labels printed to save you the trouble of handwriting your name and address on all of the contest entry forms!

2012 Winter Bridal Shows

Chico Bridal Showcase Sunday, January 8th, 2012 12:00 AM - 4:00 PM Silver Dollar Fairgrounds Chico, CA http://www.weddingsnorthvalley.com/show.html?show.id=1447

The Bridal Guide Wedding Show Sunday, January 15, 2012 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM Simpson University Event Center Redding, CA http://northstatebridalguide.com/bridalshows.html

Yuba Sutter Bridal Show Sunday, January 29th, 2012 Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds Yuba City, CA 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM http://www.ysbridalshow.com/Winter_Bridal_Show.htm

Winter Wonderland Bridal Show Sunday, January 29th, 2012 The Beda Place Meadow Vista, CA 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM http://www.thebedaplace.com/

Wedding Extravaganza Sunday, February 19th, 2012 Holiday Inn Redding, CA 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM http://www.theweddingextravaganza.com/

Northern California Bed & Breakfast Honeymoons

Ask any bride about her dream honeymoon and it most likely will revolve around romance, relaxation, peace & quiet and maybe even a little adventure.  Some couples go to the Bahamas, Mexico or Hawaii, but many couples are postponing their honeymoon due to job restrictions or other financial reasons.  Choosing a local destination is most often less expensive, and you can still customize your honeymoon to fit your needs. Bed & Breakfasts are the new vacation spots for people of all ages because it basically is a three-in-one deal: destination, lodging & food.  First, consider what your needs are and find the Bed & Breakfast that best fits what you are looking for. Things to consider are:

• Price per night
• Minimum Stay Duration
• How far in advance do you need to book the room
• Deposit
• Room Size
• Private Bath
• Honeymoon Packages (Champagne, Dinner, Spa Services or other perks)
• Food & Drinks
• Proximity to desired attractions (Beaches, Restaurants, Amusement Parks or Events)

Some of the Bed & Breakfasts that stood out, offer a charming and romantic alternative to honeymooning out of state. With many reasonable rates & packages, you really can plan a romantic and memorable honeymoon.

Carmel Country Inn Carmel, CA www.carmelcountryinn.com Toll Free: 1 (800) 215-6343

Features several room options, perfect for special occasions such as honeymoons and anniversaries. "You'll find our B&B in Carmel, CA, situated near Monterey, on the beautiful Central California coast offering galleries, fabulous antique & boutique stores, award winning restaurants and the enjoyable Sunset Center all within walking distance. Our Carmel California Inn provides spacious suites and cozy studios all with comfy down comforters, romantic fireplaces and some with luxurious Jacuzzi whirlpool tubs." - Carmel Country Inn ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 Weller House Inn 524 Stewart Street Fort Bragg, CA 95437 Toll Free: 1 (877) 893-5537 www.wellerhouse.com

Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, this Bed & Breakfast is a breathtaking Victorian Mansion with charm. "Easy walk to dining, shopping, and live music nightly. Very quiet street two blocks from the ocean and off of the main street. 10 minutes North of the village of Mendocino. Within 10 minutes of a wide variety of activities including Skunk Train, party boats, canoeing, golf, tennis, and a health club. Horse back riding is also available within 5 minutes." ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

 The Chateau Tivoli 1057 Steiner Street San Francisco, CA 94115 (800) 228-1647 www.chateautivoli.com

"Step inside to enter a world of Victorian splendor, filled with hand-carved woodwork, crystal chandeliers, period wallpapers, and oriental rugs. Charm and color are what San Francisco is all about, and there is perhaps no inn more charming or more colorful than the city's most celebrated "painted lady", the Chateau Tivoli." _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Durham House Inn 2280 Durham Dayton Hwy Durham, CA 95938 530.342.5900 www.durhamhouseinn.com

Featured on the National Registry of Historical Places, you will find generously sized rooms decorated with Victorian furniture.  Surrounded by beautiful greenery, almond orchards and two 500 year old oak trees, you will have no trouble escaping to this retreat!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Cory's Country Inn Chico, CA 95973 Reservations: (530) 345-2955 www.coryscountryinn.com

"The Inn is a lovely blend of country lodging, fine food, bird watching, a bocci court, guided hikes to Mount Lassen, an outdoor movie theater and beautiful art representing the best of Northern California."  - Cory's Country Inn ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

O'Brien Mountain Inn 18026 O'Brien Inlet Road O'Brien, California   96070 (530) 238-8026 www.obrienmountaininn.com

If you are looking for romance & adventure, The O'Brien Mountain Inn offers you the best of both worlds in a elegant yet casual environment surrounded by lush forest views.  Located near Lake Shasta, you can find outdoor adventures such as fishing or exploring the Shasta Lake Caverns or go wine tasting at some of the nearby wineries.

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On The Beach Bed and Breakfast 181 N. Ocean Ave Cayucos CA, 93430 Toll Free 1 (877) 995-0800 www.californiaonthebeach.com

On the Beach Bed & Breakfast, well the name speaks for itself doesn't it? With ocean view rooms, immediate access to the pier and the beach, and great amenities you might end up wanting to never leave! It's the Perfect blend of comfort and class in addition to the beautiful scenery, plus with activities available including wine tasting, Hearst Castle tours, horseback riding, surfing, kayaking, fishing and hiking.

If you know of  a Bed & Breakfast or honeymoon destination that  you would like to recommend, let us know!

Personalize Your Wedding Registry

Traditionally, a wedding registry consists of crock pots, cutlery, kitchen gadgets & bathmats, but times have changed.  Many couples move in together prior to getting married and may already have the majority items needed in the home department. If you are still in the early planning stages of your wedding, consider asking potential vendors like photographers, DJ's, florists, or caterers if they have registry services available or if they are willing to make an arrangement with you.  If so, you will be able to include information for your guests to help contribute to your wedding by helping you upgrade to better photography packages, and maybe a few extra decor features that you wouldn't have opted for without their help.  We recommend sticking to your wedding budget, and simply registering for the "extras," because you do not want to count on your registry gifts paying for your entire wedding.

Your guests can contribute towards upgraded packages including more hours with your photographer, premium wedding album, custom canvases. Wedding Photo Albums, make a great keepsake and are a  neat way to always have your wedding memories handy!

A wedding photography registry can increase your budget for photography and give your friends and family a way to give you something meaningful that you really, truly want! This is a personal gift that won't be returned or re-gifted.

Floral budgets can take up a large portion of your wedding funds, by adding your florist to your wedding registry you may be able to add some of the premium centerpieces and decor that you have always dreamed of!

How to let your guests know about your registry: - Include an insert with your invitations with vendor information, and what you have registered for. - Post your registry information to your wedding website, Facebook or your personal blog. - Word of mouth, pass on the information to your friends and family and delegate your mother or another relative to be in charge of providing all of the details.

For your own privacy, most vendor registries will not include the balance, or the price of the package you register for.  You might also have the option of having your guests purchase gift cards towards a package or service as well.  Make sure that you have discussed all of the details with your vendors in regards to what happens if you receive extra money after the balance has been paid in full.  Another detail to find out is if there is a charge to your guests for using online registry payment methods such as paying by credit card.  Some websites charge a nominal fee, and others charge a percentage of the monetary gift.

Travel Companies such as Unforgettable Honeymoons, offer a registry option for your guests to help you pay for your dream honeymoon.  Create your own wedding website, blog  & photo album to share with your guests and let them in on all of the details of your wedding & honeymoon plans.  We are willing to bet your guests will be thrilled to make your trip even more amazing by purchasing some of these honeymoon essentials!

-  Airfaire -  Champagne & Strawberries Welcome -  Room Upgrades -  Sunset Cruises -  A night on the town -  "It's Always Happy Hour" Drink Vouchers -  Snorkeling Adventure -  Glass Bottom Boat Rides -  Breakfast in Bed -  Dining ( local dining, steakhouses, romantic candlelight dinners) -  Couples Massages -  Grooms Day at the Spa -  Manicures, Pedicures, Facials & Body Wraps -  Gratuities -  Tray of Hand Dipped Chocolate Fruit

For more information on Unforgettable Honeymoons' Registry click here. If you have already booked your honeymoon and have made your travel arrangements, ask your travel agency if they can set up a registry arrangement for your trip.  They may have a deadline of when all monetary gifts must be received, in order for them to ensure your trip is paid for.