Pick a Pair

Once a year the Sperry Top-Sider girls come by the office to show us their new lines of shoes. Well today was that day. And while the different styles are sure to be a hit for boat-lovers and Hamptons-on-the-weekend types, we were delighted to see they had some styles that would be perfect for a destination wedding. Here are some of our favorite picks:


This men's flip flop is perfect for a ceremony on the sand.

For something a little dressier, you can't go wrong with a slip-on — very South Beach.



This Marion flat comes in multiple colors (including white) but seriously, how fun is silver?
Something about this Southport red wedge just screams "take me dancing".


Shoes ... sigh.

Vegas' Newest Playground

All the news outlets are buzzing about it — MGM-Mirage’s CityCenter, which officially opens today on the Las Vegas Strip. This $8.5 billion complex is jaw-dropping in its size and scope — its 18 million square feet comprise a casino, a high-end shopping area, 42 bars and restaurants, and four soaring hotels.

Its flagship property, ARIA, boasts a whopping 4,004 guest rooms, each with modern furnishings and “one touch” technology (the “good night” button turns everything — from TV and music to lights — off, while activating the privacy notification). In addition to an 80,000-square-foot spa, multilevel nightclub (complete with a wall of interactive projection screens) and three pools, ARIA is also home to Viva Elvis, a Cirque de Soleil extravaganza that features 75 acrobats, a five-story stage and rare home movies.

If you’ve got Sin City on your radar, whether for your wedding, honeymoon or bachelorette bash, be sure to check out this brand-new attraction — we know we’ll be paying a visit as soon as we have the opportunity!

Fly Free with Facebook

Become a fan and fly for free — sounds too good to be true, right? But a few airlines are upping their social-media game with creative sweepstakes on Facebook. Here are my two recent favorites:





JetBlue
If you managed to snag an All-You-Can-Jet monthly pass back in September, then you already know the joys of flying whenever you want on JetBlue. Become a fan of the airline on Facebook, and you’ll automatically be entered in The All-You-Can-Jet Fan Sweepstakes, which has tons of awesome prizes, including the grand prize — the coveted yearlong All-You-Can-Jet pass. But that’s not all: Each week one lucky fan will win a pair of roundtrip tickets anywhere JetBlue flies, plus fans can form teams in order to win a five-day/four-night vacation package for four. And a final added bonus: For every 250,000 fans JetBlue receives before January 31, 2010, they’ll add another All-You-Can-Jet pass as a grand prize. I can already hear the waves in Costa Rica calling my name!

Southwest
Even if you’re already a fan of flying sans baggage fees on Southwest Airlines, their Fans Fly Free promotion gives you another reason to love them. As a thank you to their customers, the airline is giving away 100 pairs of roundtrip tickets anywhere they fly. All you have to do to enter is become a fan of Southwest Airlines on Facebook before December 31, 2009. Easy, right? And it would be the perfect excuse for a bachelorette party in Vegas!


And while you're at it, become a fan of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons! And if you're jonesing for more giveaway action, head over to our contest page to win free trips, beauty products and fun stuff!

Travel Alert: Turks & Caicos Special!

Still looking to book your honeymoon? Not only can you still snag a deal this season, but you can also do it in style. To commemorate its one-year anniversary, Villa del Mar, a boutique hotel in Turks and Caicos, is offering special rates from December until April. Located on popular Grace Bay, this hotspot boasts 42 rooms overlooking white-sand beaches and crystal-blue water. Island-hopping on this UK territory is a noted past-time, or, just spend the day snorkeling, golfing, fishing or lazing on the beach with a big fat coconut drink in your hand.

Here’s the info:

December: All room rates are 25% off (including the top-floor ocean-view penthouses). Fancy!
January: Deluxe studio room rates are 50% off (no minimum stay required)
February – April: Book a 7-night vacay between February 1 and April 30, 2010, and get two nights free. (Reservations must be booked by December 31, 2009.)

For more details or to make reservations visit yourvilladelmar.com or call 1-877-209-0506.


Now that’s a way to warm up this winter!

5 Beauty Essentials Small Enough to Carry On

Like many people, I’m headed home for the holidays, which for me means boarding an airplane. I’m determined to avoid paying any luggage fees, so I need to get my beauty products through security in my carry-on while still leaving room for all the gifts I’m bringing.

Destination brides like you are trying to pull off the same trick — saving money while maxing out suitcases with favors, decorations, programs and other wedding items.

Luckily for both of us, more and more quality beauty brands are packaging their most popular products in travel-size, TSA-approved bottles. And you only need to make one stop to get all the essentials — Ulta. To prepare for my travels, I went on a mini shopping spree there last night, and here’s what I bagged:

Redken Color Extend shampoo and conditioner — because even though I’m on vacation, my hair still needs the same love that it gets at home.

Paul Mitchell Super Skinny serum — effectively smoothes hair, whether you’re up against tropical humidity or the static electricity caused by dry indoor heat in cold environments.

Givenchy Very Irresistible rollerball — because when you’re around all those important friends and family members, you’ve got to smell amazing!

H2O+ hydrating body butter — deeply moisturizes and isn’t watery like many hotel-room lotions.

bliss Lid + Lash Wash makeup remover — so you can start fresh the next day.

Real Wedding: Karen and Cary, Pittsfield, Vermont

I totally heart our featured wedding this week! Karen Ku and Cary Graham are two adorable New Yorkers who wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life for their wedding. They weren’t sure where to have the ceremony when a friend suggested Riverside Farm in Pittsfield, Vermont. They booked the venue sight unseen — a brave choice that turned out beautifully. I love Karen’s description of her wedding vision:

“Honestly, there were so many adjectives running through my mind when we first started putting our plans together, some of which were a bit contradictory (as our florist once pointed out to me) — warm, romantic, rustic, chic, simple and elegant. But I think most importantly we wanted our wedding to feel personal and to avoid anything we felt was too ‘cookie-cutter’ Our hope was to bring our close friends and family together for a relaxing weekend in a beautiful, peaceful place.” I’m pretty sure most brides can relate to that feeling.

Since I myself am a self-proclaimed music nerd, I love seeing how other music fanatics incorporate it into their wedding day, and Karen and Cary were after my own heart!

They have a running joke about starting a fictitious band named “Kuraham” and used it throughout their theme. These are cute little figurines that acted as their band mascot, which they used on the invitations and placecards.

For a unique spin on the typical CD favors, they recreated their favorite album artwork using photos of themselves — 14 covers in all, a different one for each table. Then they printed out the same mock album covers and hung them in record frames behind the cake table. (I am so borrowing this idea for my own wedding!)

I also love their placecard display. They found this old bathtub on the farm and had their florist fill it with ferns before "planting" each card.


Photos courtesy of the talented Karin von Voigtlander

Get the full wedding story and read planning tips from Karen here.

Just Back: Oasis of the Seas Cruise

It’s a tough job researching wedding and honeymoon destinations, but someone’s got to do it. For our upcoming March/April issue (on stands 2/23/2010), my latest adventure was on a 2-day cruise aboard the Royal Caribbean’s brand-spanking new Oasis of the Seas.

Seeing the ship docked in Ft. Lauderdale was unbelievable. I knew it was the largest in the world and five times the size of the Titanic, but it didn’t really sink in until I saw the other humungo cruise liners humbled in its presence.

Here I am, feeling like an ant!

Once onboard, I was in awe of the massive size of the Royal Promenade. Having been on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas a few years back, I was curious to see all the new additions the Oasis had in store. I started at the Boardwalk — a section designed to replicate Coney Island — complete with a seafood restaurant, an ice cream shop and a carousel! Another bonus was that my room overlooked this bustling area. From my balcony I had a fabulous view of the Aqua Theater, an amphitheater that converts from a stage (where Rhianna performed the previous evening) to a pool (where the ship’s professional diving show will be held). Since this end of the ship is open, I could also take in ocean views while watching zip-liners soar above my head.

Our Fabulous Stateroom

The view of the Aqua Theater from our balcony

Zip-liners soared above our heads! I wish I had time to try it out!

My first-ever carousel ride on a cruise ship.

Another groundbreaking concept unique to the ship was Central Park, an open-air promenade lined with sidewalk cafes, fine-dining restaurants and, most importantly, live plant life. A lush landscape like this has never been done before on a cruise ship and is very challenging to maintain because of the salty ocean air. But one of my favorite parts of this new area was the Rising Tide bar, where the bar itself acted as an elevator between Central Park and the Royal Promenade two floors below.

The entrance to Central Park

Guests enjoying the outdoor cafes and greenery

The Rising Tide bar starts on the Royal Promenade and ends two floors above in Central Park!

But that’s not it. There are plenty more honeymoon-worthy features on the Oasis, such as loft-style two-story staterooms with jacuzzi tubs, a world-class spa, 24 dining options and happening nightlife, so be sure to grab our March/April issue for the inside scoop.

Gifts for the Guys

Whiskey Stones
$19.75

Whether your man is looking for groomsmen gifts or you’re shopping for your special guy this holiday season, we know you want to find those one-of-a-kind items. And let’s be honest — shopping for guys can be hard, which is why I love gentsupplyco.com. They have tons of clever gift ideas, from Whiskey Stones (to keep your favorite drink cool) to the Indiana Leather Adventure Duffel (perfect for the traveler in your life). Another fun bonus: They offer a $7.95 flat shipping rate — great for the holidays! Happy shopping!

The Indiana Leather Adventure Duffel
$345.50

Paris - Where to Eat

I recently got back from a personal vacation to Paris to visit my sister, who is studying abroad there. I’ve never been one of those girls whose heart starts fluttering at the very mention of the Eiffel Tower, but within moments of stepping onto the historic, bustling streets of the City of Lights, I was enchanted.

A big part of Paris’ allure is its brasseries, patisseries, cafes and the like, which are literally on every corner. And even in the autumn chill, plenty of locals were sitting at sidewalk bistro tables chatting away in that delicious language (I was compelled to eavesdrop even though I couldn’t understand a word). In case you’re considering a honeymoon in grand Paris, here are the five establishments that top my list.

The hubby and me toasting at Le General

Best for pre-dinner cocktails — Le Bar at Le General
To celebrate our first night in Paris, we convened in the lobby bar of our hotel, near Place de la République less than two miles from the city’s center. Our party shared a bottle of Bordeaux, but the funky bar serves beer and other cocktails too. The space is all pink and white, with mod lighting and atmospheric music. It was the perfect way to shed travel stress and get excited for the adventures ahead.

Sis, Mom and Dad with onion soup at Bistrot des Vosges

Best for French onion soup — Bistrot des Vosges
This eatery’s proximity to the Bastille has certainly helped its popularity, but it honestly has some of the best soupe à l’oignon in the city. Located on Boulevard Beaumarchais, it features an inviting red-and-yellow interior, smiling service, and a traditional menu of tender pork, chicken and beef dishes.



Best lunch cafe — Brasserie Esmeralda
On day two of our visit, we toured and climbed to the top of Notre Dame on Île de la Cité. Afterward, we were ready for some nourishment, and a cute cafe at end of Rue du Cloître Notre Dame, behind the cathedral, lured us with its clever name. A simple, traditional lunch menu of ham-and-cheese croques, baguettes and savory crêpes hit the spot — and the view of Notre Dame’s impressive posterior didn’t hurt either.

Hubby, Mom and Dad awaiting our meal at Un Zèbre

Best dinner restaurant — Un Zèbre à Montmartre
After our morning at Notre Dame, we were eager to hit another famous landmark — Sacré Coeur in the Montmartre district. Few experiences in Paris can beat ascending the stairs to the top of Paris’ highest hill, taking in the view from this turn-of-the-century basilica, and then wandering through the surrounding neighborhood lined with eclectic shops and cozy eateries. The best is this hipster enclave on Rue de Abbesses. Don’t be fooled by its unassuming interior; the food is insane! Generous portions of braised beef and steaming lasagna left us raving and fully satisfied.



Best for crepes — Chez Imogène
On our last night, I still had yet to try a real French crêpe. Luckily, this up-and-coming crêperie was just around the corner from our hotel. As it has only a handful of tables, reservations are highly recommended — we even saw a couple of parties turned away. My savory-crêpe entree was filled with mouthwatering morsels of shrimp, scallops and fish, and to finish, a sweet crêpe drizzled with white chocolate and topped with cherries and homemade vanilla ice cream was my French-crêpe fantasy come true.