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From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks

From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
Close your eyes, let your mind wander and imagine your perfect, have-it-all honeymoon.  If you’re picturing the most spectacular, breathtaking hotel in an intensely beautiful destination – complete with flawless service and a staggering attention to detail, then chances are, you’ve already visited Mr & Mrs Smith .

Mr & Mrs Smith is a brand I’m totally unabashed to say that I’m obsessed with. It never fails to disappoint. There’s nothing better than when a person, place or service exceeds expectations, not just meets them. And that’s what Mr & Mrs Smith do for me. I have been using their slick website for the last 6 years or so to find and book weekend breaks – and eventually our honeymoon – from their incredible collection of world-wide, soulful, boutique and luxury hotels, that range from the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful.

Mr STG and I have weekended at several of their recommended gems. From the love letter in art and architecture that is Villa Cora in Florence, to the insanely grand french Château de Bagnols , complete with fairy tale moat, drawbridge and honey- coloured stone towers, then back to the relaxed city-to-country retreat, The Pig in Hampshire. Each place was as spectacular as the one before and all shared the same impeccable service standards.

And no surprise really given that Mr & Mrs Smith was the brainchild of an inspired husband and wife team (James Lohan and Tamara Heber-Percy) who started the brand after enduring too many frustratingly mediocre breaks in hotels that didn’t quite live up to their brochure description or represent the stars they were brandishing. The chic duo upped the ante and created a real hotel guide for a style and service savvy market.

From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
Our bedroom at Château de Bagnols (I kid you not!)
From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
Our bedroom at the Bellevue Syrene

Booking my honeymoon with Mr & Mrs Smith

Mr STG and I didn’t think twice before booking our honeymoon with Mr & Mrs Smith. We had utter faith that they would deliver perfection when we most needed it. After organising my dream wedding and finding out the wonderful news that we were expecting our first bundle of STG joy, I was exhausted. I wanted some expert guidance on our honeymoon choices and needed the assurance that it would be just right. We wanted to relax, be totally pampered and go somewhere that Mr STG and I hadn’t been before. First destination Mr & Mrs Smith .

And lets just say that since our honeymoon at the Bellevue Syrene in the Amalfi Coast (yes, that’s what we chose!) our love affair with Mr & Mrs Smith has continued….

From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
Me & Mr STG on our Mr & Mrs Smith honeymoon

My top 12 Honeymoon picks

Considering I’m only allowed one honeymoon, I thought I’d live vicariously through you lovely lot and share my top Mr & Mrs Smith honeymoon picks (one of them even has its own kosher restaurant!).

Their honeymoons are literally out of this world – you really can expect celestial massages, starlight dining and earth-shattering services. Whether you want a few weeks of long haul lounging or a mini-moon in a romantic city, their around the clock travel specialists Smith 24 can tailor a trip to your tastes and budget.

And if, like me, you’re the kind of person who relishes and savours impeccable service and style at every turn, join me in the love affair with Mr & Mrs Smith.


Top 3 for Adventurers


From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
If it’s adventure you’re after, TreeHotel , in Norbetten Country, Sweden, is a fabulous choice… This has to be one of the only honeymoon destinations in the world that offers husky drawn sledge rides, ice fishing trips, and a possible peek of the Northern Lights from your treetop den.


From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
If you’re looking for large doses of peace and quiet, AWASI in Patagonia, Chile is simply perfect. Set in acres of stunning South American countryside, complete with forests, mountains and lakes, you can spy on the dramatic peaks of the Torres del Paine from your bed and enjoy private trips around the national park.


From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
Tsala Treetop Lodge in South Africa is a unique boutique resort giving you a mind-blowing, bird’s eye view of South Africa’s indigenous forest canopy from your luxurious stilted hut. Better still, it’s just 10km from the beaches, bars and boutiques of Plettenberg Bay.


Top 3 for Luxury Seekers


From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
Live out your castaway fantasies at one of the unspoilt tropical islands at Song Saa Private Island Villas in Cambodia.
Think intimate, luxurious and seductive – this place is truly special.


From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
Muse St Tropez in France is a boutique bolthole in the heart of Ramatelle. A serene yet stylish sanctuary, away from the St Tropez glitz, you wont even have to leave your room for a massage…


From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
You’ll have little incentive to ever leave your spectacular French-colonial bungalow in Hotel Le Toiny, St Barthelemy , a serene, hillside beach escape. Perfect, unspoiled sea views, private infinity pool and supreme island dining. The stuff of honeymoon dreams.


Top 3 for Pure Relaxation


From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
On the wild, less visited shores of south-west Bali, a new level of luxury has arrived with Alila Villas Soori . Architecturally accomplished and sublimely minimalist villas overlook the cerulean Indian Ocean. Add a slick spa, decadent dining and you’re in pamper paradise.


From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
The stunning hotel Hospes Palacio del Bailio , in Cordoba, Spain is alive with art. Boasting palatial dimensions, carved Moorish gates, Tuscan inspired frescoes and 16th century Spanish architecture, you won’t fail to be bowled over. Not least by its much acclaimed Andalucian restaurant, set amid Roman ruins. Certainly a trip to dine out on!


From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
The cave-sheltered rooms, pergola patios and sun-drenched terraces tumble down the cliffside at Iconic Santorini in Greece. This traditional caldera-facing setting has been transformed with a perfect pool and an intimate spa.


Top 3 for Wellbeing


From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
A striking sun-kissed mountainscape, Six Senses Douro Valley in Samodaes, Portugal is set in a dip in the unspoilt Douro valley. An immaculate high-end honeymoon destination, the valley is one of the world’s oldest wine regions and overlooks mesmerisingly ordered terraces of vineyards. Offering hikes and aerial yoga – your honeymoon really will be above and beyond.


From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
Although it’s just a teeter from Capri Town’s main square, I’m not sure you’ll want to leave the super friendly five-star Capri Tiberio Palace in Italy. With a first class spa, indoor and outdoor pools and an outstanding Caprese inspired Kosher restaurant – Terazza Tiverio – with magnificent views over Capri, you have the makings of super chic relaxed honeymoon right there.


From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks
A wellbeing palace for dedicated yoga lovers, healthy-eating gourmands and anyone seeking tranquility, Sanarà Tulum is a sublime jungle-meets-beach Mexican hideout. Bright-white minimalist interiors echo the pristine white sands of the beach on your doorstep. Wellness programmes are available with an on-site nutritionist. What a beautiful and healthy way to start married life


So which of these makes your heart race? What kind of honeymoon are you dreaming of? Are you an adventure seeker or looking for a huge dose of 5-star, unadulterated luxury? It will be your first ever holiday with your “husband” so I recommend you make it epic with Mr & Mrs Smith …

From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks

Mr & Mrs Smith is a Smashing The Glass handpicked sponsor and this is a sponsored post.
Thank you for supporting our sponsors! You can find out more about sponsored posts here .
All images supplied by Mr & Mrs Smith :: Top Image: Grace Hotel, Santorini :: Bottom image: Hotel Escencia, Mexico

From the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful – My Top 12 Honeymoon picks

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Filed Under: Honeymoons , Smashing Sponsors Tagged With: honeymoon inspiration , Mr & Mrs Smith , sponsored post

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
One of the fabulous perks of being a wedding blogger is being invited to press days and WOW, what a fun time we had when we were invited to brunch with Mr & Mrs Smith at the super cool Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings, a couple of weeks ago on a sunny August morning.

In an enchanting, sun drenched, flower filled, Islington hot spot, along with a handful of other bloggers and press, we were introduced to Mr & Mrs Smith’s fabulous new cosmic-themed honeymoon hub .

The introductions were made by none other than Mr & Mrs Smith’s founder and current CTO – Tamara Heber-Percy. Admittedly we were a little star struck (if you missed the post outlining my obsession with Mr & Mrs Smith, then please allow me to fill you in right here ). And as for the location, there’s no real surprise that they chose a stand-out spot for brunch… because that’s what they do.

To give you more of an idea what, and how they do it, Mr & Mrs Smith have rounded up into their stable, 1000 of arguably the most stylish hotels in the world, and as an extension of this, their honeymoon hub is essentially, a call-off-the-search, look-no-further, honeymoon finding and booking service. That’s whether you’re looking for a mini moon, midi moon, full moon or maxi moon. Indeed the terminology has moved on.

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
Me and Sharon (STG team writer) at the fabulous Mr & Mrs Smith press breakfast at Bourne & Hollingsworth

We all just need a holiday

Gathered around an enormous farmhouse table laden with fruit salad, yoghurt, granola, smoked salmon bagels and toasted sourdough, Tamara – who, by the way is as smart, stylish, warm and inspirational as we’d heard – ran us through the results of their honeymoon inspired survey. Take a look at the graphic at the foot of the post for a roundup.

Aside from the hysterical number of people who’d been caught in a compromising position on honeymoon, there were some interesting findings in how people would choose to honeymoon again given the chance.

Given the choice between an all-expenses-paid trip to the Maldives or the moon, most people chose, perhaps unsurprisingly, sunbathing on the magical beaches in the Maldives. But let’s face it when it comes to a honeymoon, no matter how adventurous and intrepid we think we are, we all just need a holiday. Especially after organising your dream Jewish wedding and using your very last drop of energy and patience achieving just that.

And isn’t it interesting that only a third of couples opted for the combo-moon, pairing a city/culture stay with a beach break? Most opted solely for the beach retreat. The flying and flopping honeymoon isn’t dead after all.

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
Of-the-moment honeymoon trends

So where is everyone going? Mr & Mrs Smith have identified five trending long-haul destinations. Given the choice to honeymoon again this year, half of the already married couples would head to Sri Lanka. There has been a burgeoning boutique hotel movement there for a while now and has become a firm holiday favourite for the big one. If that appeals you really must check out Mr & Mrs Smith’s Sri Lankan gems .

Japan is another favourite. It’s a bit different in terms of honeymoon destination, but it really has everything from skiing to crazy city culture. Considering it’s just got the Olympics, I can see this destination wedding going through the roof in the next four years.

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
Where to go when…

That’s all well and good but what’s the best time to go to any of these places?

When’s the sweet spot between the rains and the searing heat, a time when hurricanes hardly ever happen? How many times have you goggled “best time to go to x”? You’re not alone.

Mr & Mrs Smith, always with an eye on service and those added extras, have created a simple but effective month-by-month breakdown of the globe’s best getaways .


January

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
Nestled in glorious greenery – a short drive from Patong beach , Keemala Phuket ‘s holistic philosophy proposes healing spa rituals, healthful homegrown cuisine and an eco-friendly ethos. And did I mention that the swimming pools are on stilts?

January in Phuket = Very little rainfall and lower humidity.


February

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
Think Hollywood colonial. And grand romance. At Dar Zemora Marrakech , the scene is set with six-metre high ceilings, sweeping terraces, stone fireplaces (lit every evening), jewel- coloured rugs and French doors leading to the elegant garden.

February in Marrakech = Beat the New Year blues with a dose of Moroccan sun. Spring and Autumn are warm but Summer is truly sweltering.


March

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
Hidden amid lush coconut palms and mango trees on one of the tinier Isletas de Granada, Jicaro Island Ecolodge Granada is a leafy patch of paradise floating on Lake Nicaragua. Arrive by boat for a truly Bond style entrance and dine on the jetty overlooking mean, green Mombacho Volcano.

March in Granada = Leave your brollies at home – rainy season starts in May. Nicaragua doesn’t really do cold.


April

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
Unleash your inner Indiana Jones at Coqui Coqui Coba Residence : this two-tower hideaway sits in an ancient ruined city with jungle, lagoons and caves as its playground. That and an orange-and-vanilla-scented spa – heaven.

April in Yucatan = Catch the tail end of high season when the sun- worshipping throngs disperse. February is Carnival time in nearby Cozumel.


May

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
This really is lagoon luxe. Perched around an idyllic secluded island in a crystal-clear coral lagoon, Baros boutique hotel will exceed your highest fantasy-island expectations.

Add to the mix serene contemporary rooms (including overwater villas), fine-dining, blissful spa treatments, a ridiculously beautiful pool and activities from yachting to yoga, and you really have the ultimate escape.

May in The Maldives = The Easter rush eases off by May. Unsurprisingly there’s never a bad time to honeymoon in paradise.


June

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
Designed with a nod to the Iberian peninsula’s history, Finca Cortesin incorporates both Moorish and Castilian elements, and effortlessly manages that hard-to-pull-off trick of being glamorous and comfortable at the same time. Oh and it also boasts one of Spain’s best golf courses!

June in Marbella = With 320 days of sun, there’s not much in the way of bad weather, June though, guarantees a summer scorcher with fewer crowds.


July

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
Total seclusion and nothing but soaring condors, starry nights, breathtaking views from your cabin and a wood-burning fire for company. The only reason to venture out from your peaks-and-Pacific isolation at Post Ranch Inn will be for some surf-and-turf at Sierra Mar or a soothing treatment in the spa

July in Big Sur = Summers are lovely – a bit foggy in the morning, clearing by the afternoon. Spring and Autumn hardly disappoint, mind.


August

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
Uxua Casa is the stay of choice in this beautiful seaside village. The Brazilian elite, not to mention style-savvy visitors from the US and Europe, flock to its 10 private casas all year round, drawn by its stunning beachside location, dedication to sustainable tourism and the sort of interiors that wouldn’t look out of place in Wallpaper* or Elle Decoration.

August in Bahia = The winter is sunny and sedate and you wouldn’t have to jostle for beach space. For Carnival fun, visit December to February.


September

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
The painstaking renovation of Monastero Santa Rosa , a 17th-century monastery, has resulted in a unique Cliffside Amalfi boutique hotel between Positano and Amalfi. Steeped in history, lavished with top-quality furnishings, and set in gloriously scented tiered gardens, the 20 ocean-view rooms and Santa Maria Novella-stocked spa are remarkably spacious and utterly romantic.

September in Amalfi = skip the July and August hordes by heading here in September when cooler days mean more exploring, and less queuing.


October


Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
The award-winning Six Senses Zighy Bay beach resort in Oman is not just remote, it’s like nowhere you’ve seen before: cradled by craggy mountains and dipping its toes into the opal blue waters of the Musandam’s fjords. Adventure seekers this is one for you. Where else in the world can you choose to arrive by speedboat, 4×4 or paraglider?

October in Oman = To make the most of the adventures on offer, you’ll want to avoid the height of summer – October to April is the perfect window.


November

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
Outback ultra luxe. With access to over 7,000 acres of pristine Blue Mountains wilderness, Emirates One & Only Wolgan Valley, Australia is a world-class spa. Private villas where in-room swimming pools come as standard, this will be one special honeymoon.

November in The Blue Mountains = the cooling climate of the mountains makes for a refreshing mid- summer retreat. Here, Yulefest is literally Christmas in July.


December

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith
The name is no coincidence; Ian Fleming penned all 14 of his James Bond novels in his villa at Goldeneye Hotel & Resort Jamaica , now the hotel’s centerpiece. How super cool is that?

This idyllic cluster of whitewashed cottages and suites on Jamaica’s Oracabessa Bay is massively inspirational. Swim-up hillside spa, watersports area or treetop restaurant, as well as oh my, that setting!

December in Jamaica = Bypass the end of the hurricane season (November) and enjoy calmer skies. Rainy season (May and October)


I hope there is enough inspiration featured here to get you booking the most romantic break of your life. Breathe deeply and remember – we all just need a holiday… and you deserve it.

Visit Mr & Mrs Smith ‘s award-winning website and booking service for yourself and find your honeymoon from a pick of the world’s most inspiring boutique hotels.

Book online or through the Smith24 travel team 24/7, for money back on every booking, best available rates and a free Smith extra on arrival.


Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith

Mr & Mrs Smith is a Smashing The Glass handpicked sponsor and this is a sponsored post.
Thank you for supporting our sponsors! You can find out more about sponsored posts here .
All images supplied by Mr & Mrs Smith :: Top Image: Alilia Villas Soori, Bali

Honeymoon all year long with Mr & Mrs Smith

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Filed Under: Honeymoons , Smashing Sponsors Tagged With: honeymoon inspiration , Mr & Mrs Smith , sponsored post

Zankyou – A Personal Wedding Website and Registry Service

Zankyou – A Personal Wedding Website and Registry Service

Planning your wedding is one of the most difficult, yet exciting, things you’ll ever do. So, in a world where more and more people are getting connected why not take advantage of an online service to make sure your guests are up to date about your wedding?

Zankyou is one of the world’s leading online wedding website and registry services and their websites are available in 8 different languages in over 18 countries. You can create your own customized registry with the gifts you want, whether they are from Zankyou’s catalogue of gift ideas or created yourself. There is no limit to what you can list as you aren’t tied to any particular store.

Honeymoon Registry

Zankyou – A Personal Wedding Website and Registry Service

It’s easier than ever to create a honeymoon registry with Zankyou. You can create the separate stages of your journey to inform your guests all about your honeymoon. Allow your guests to fund your exploration of Europe or your journey to the Far East of Asia. Where do you want to go? The sky really is your limit!

Zankyou – A Personal Wedding Website and Registry Service

Your honeymoon registry can be as general or specific as you please, for example “Contribution to our Honeymoon,” or you can customize your honeymoon fund down to the smallest details. Many guests love to feel like their money is going towards something specific so they’ll take great pleasure in knowing that their contribution is paying for a romantic meal in Cancún, tickets to Disneyland, or snorkelling in the Caribbean. Apart from your honeymoon registry you can ask your guests to donate to various other things such as a new car fund, a home development fund or even a charity fund if you feel like you already have everything you need.

Zankyou – A Personal Wedding Website and Registry Service

Wedding Website

You can also create and personalize your own wedding website completely free with Zankyou, adding details about your wedding day or any pre-wedding events, like your bachelor and bachelorette parties, for example. A Zankyou website is so quick and easy to create. The web link can then be passed on to family and friends, allowing them to go online and check out times, locations, recommended hotels, and whatever else you want to include. They can RSVP, write comments and donate to your registry while they’re there too. Everything your guests need for your wedding in one place!

Zankyou – A Personal Wedding Website and Registry Service

Sign up today at Zankyou.com and start planning your big day the right way!

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Sneak Peek! Martha Stewart Weddings Destination Issue {And Liz + Colin’s Wedding}!

Guess what, lovelies? The destination issue of Martha Stewart Weddings hit newsstands today! The pages are packed with 114 inspiring places to wed or honeymoon, and {most exciting} the issue also features Liz and Colin’s Bahamian wedding at Sandals Emerald Bay Resort in Great Exuma!
Sneak Peek! Martha Stewart Weddings Destination Issue {And Liz + Colin’s Wedding}! If you’ve been following Merci, you may remember I had the pleasure of joining the Martha Stewart Weddings team as they planned all the pretty pieces of Liz and Colin’s big day. We posted Liz’s pre-wedding beauty regimen with Paul Labrecque and tweeted incessantly about the fun dress fittings at Kleinfeld and ring selections at Kwiat . We even shared rehearsal tips with Martha Stewart Weddings editorial director Darcy Miller the day before Liz and Colin said “I do.” But we didn’t have the chance to share the details of the big day, until now… Sneak Peek! Martha Stewart Weddings Destination Issue {And Liz + Colin’s Wedding}! This week, Merci New York will be sharing some of our own behind-the-scenes shots of the beautiful beach wedding that was… as well as some great advice from the wonderful experts that made it happen. So, be sure to stay tuned…
In the interim, the Martha Stewart Weddings team has graciously shared these exclusive photos with Merci New York’s readers… they capture all the gorgeous details of the day, and are only a sampling of what you will see in the issue!
Sneak Peek! Martha Stewart Weddings Destination Issue {And Liz + Colin’s Wedding}! All-white roses and calla lilies adorn the tablescape, which is part of the Sandals Grand Romance package with Martha Stewart.
Sneak Peek! Martha Stewart Weddings Destination Issue {And Liz + Colin’s Wedding}! Custom designed tambourines, horns and whistles paved the way for a New Orleans inspired recessional. Sneak Peek! Martha Stewart Weddings Destination Issue {And Liz + Colin’s Wedding}! Piles of well-wishes and a timeless silver and ivory invitation suite set the tone for a beachside “casual chic” affair.
Sneak Peek! Martha Stewart Weddings Destination Issue {And Liz + Colin’s Wedding}! The yearbook-inspired programs spoke to Liz and Colin’s high school sweetheart past. Sneak Peek! Martha Stewart Weddings Destination Issue {And Liz + Colin’s Wedding}! Liz gifted her bridesmaids with crystal and sterling earrings {sources available in the issue}. Sneak Peek! Martha Stewart Weddings Destination Issue {And Liz + Colin’s Wedding}! Dessert table sweets with a backdrop of Caribbean sand, sea and sun. Sneak Peek! Martha Stewart Weddings Destination Issue {And Liz + Colin’s Wedding}! New Orleans-style beignets were passed after dinner… guests left with darling favors {also part of the Sandals Grand Romance package with Martha Stewart}.

All photos Mikkel Vang for Martha Stewart Weddings.