The Best Honeymoon Destinations for Nature Lovers

Your honeymoon is the perfect time to disconnect after the busyness of planning a wedding to escape into nature. With so many incredible landscapes to explore around the world, it can be difficult choosing one that’s right for you. That’s why we recommend utilizing a travel professional to help you plan this important trip!

To provide some honeymoon destinations for Nature Lovers, we enlisted the help of Christina Carzoo, a Luxury Travel Advisor with Epperly Travel who runs the local travel website Christina Carzoo Travel.

Here are some of her favorite picks for a nature-focused honeymoon that will leave you inspired and recharged after your big day!

Australia

Australia is an enormous country which offers so much diversity in landscape. There are lush rainforests, deserts, coral reefs, beautiful beaches for surfing, the nature reserves of Kanagaroo Island, and world-class wineries to name a few attractions.

You can fly into and enjoy the glittering cities of Sydney or Melbourne before exploring the beautiful nature found here. While The Great Barrier Reef receives most of the attention (and deservedly so), Uluru, The Great Ocean Road, Whitsunday Islands, Daintree Rainforest and the Blue Mountains are also fantastic.

If you’re visiting the Great Barrier Reef in Australia be sure to base yourself at Qualia. Tucked away in an exclusive precinct on Hamilton Island’s northern-most tip, Qualia’s 60 private pavilions look onto the Coral Sea and the surrounding Whitsunday Islands. Featuring unique Australian design, its set amongst native Eucalypts, and each pavilion has been handcrafted from the finest imported and local timber and stone. To complement the natural surrounds, the interiors have been designed with fabrics and patterns inspired by nature.

South Africa

South Africa is one of Christina’s all-time favorite destinations and truly has something for everyone. Start your honeymoon in beautiful Cape Town where you will find ample opportunities to explore the city’s unbeatable setting. You can hike Table Mountain or Lion’s Head, relax on one of their incredible beaches, explore the Capelands Wine region, visit the adorable colony of penguins at Boulder’s Beach and take in the beauty of Cape Point.

South Africa is full of amazing properties that are both romantic and scenic. In Cape Town, be sure to check into The Silo which towers above the V&A Waterfront and provides magnificent views of Cape Town’s natural wonders, iconic Table Mountain, Lion’s Head and Signal Hill.

Of course, no trip to South Africa is complete without doing a safari to look for the Big 5! You’ll find no shortage of luxurious safari options towards Kruger National Park and Sabi Sands Reserve. Londonlozi, one of South Africa’s original private game reserves, is a pillar of global ecotourism and a proud family-run business. As a luxury private game reserve, it has been lauded internationally for its foresight and progressive land and wildlife management practices, as well as its productive community involvement.

Hawaii

Don’t overlook Hawaii just because it is a perennially favorite honeymoon destination! These beautiful islands are popular for a reason. Apart from their stunning beaches and rich culture and history, Hawaii boasts a wide variety of landscapes and excursions sure to please any nature-loving couple. From black sand beaches, to mountains, lush rain forests, stunning waterfalls, the famous Road to Hana, Waimea Canyon and the picturesque Napali Coast, you will have plenty of amazing outdoor sites to explore should you want to leave the beach.

You’ll find plenty of resorts offering you the perfect honeymoon experience to unwind and relax as well and Andaz Maui at Wailea is one of Christina’s favorites! This luxury hotel is set on 15 beachfront acres and features regional farm-to-table dining at its four on-site restaurants, direct access to Mokapu Beach, and rooms boasting tropical views.

New Zealand

New Zealand has some of the most diverse and dramatic landscapes in the world. Often added on as an afterthought to an Australia trip, New Zealand deserves its own visit outright. Made up of two islands, the North Island and South Island, this far-flung country is a nature lovers dream!

Full of incredible National Parks, fjords, tropical rainforest, glaciers, mountains, beaches, alpine lakes, world-renowned wine regions and extreme sports to satisfy any adrenaline junkie, you could spend months exploring this truly gorgeous country! This honeymoon destination is not for someone who wants to simply sit on the beach and relax as the perfect way to explore the country is to do it by road trip taking in as many places as possible. Start your honeymoon in Queenstown and make sure to visit the Milford Sound, Lake Wanaka, Kaikoura and Franz Josef Glacier.

As part of your road trip, be sure to stay at Matakauri Lodge, spectacularly located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. Matakauri Lodge offers luxury lodges accommodations in Queenstown and looks out to a mesmerizing panorama of the big three; The Remarkables, Cecil and Walter Peak. Food and wine are a highlight of a stay here, as their executive chef personally tailors menus to guests’ tastes. With one of New Zealand’s top wine regions, Central Otago, just down the road, wines are well matched to each meal. 

Wyoming

Not wanting to travel quite so far for your honeymoon? Luckily the United States has plenty of gorgeous destinations you can choose for this special trip including California, Oregon, Colorado and Maine. However, one of the most beautiful domestic destinations is Wyoming. A year-round destination for nature lovers, whether you want to ski on the legendary slopes of Jackson Hole or explore some of our country’s most incredible National Parks, Yellowstone or Grand Teton, the landscape of this stunning state is sure to leave you breathless!

The Four Seasons Jackson Hole provides the perfect base for exploring some of Wyoming’s best attractions. This Five-Star alpine resort is surrounded by some of America’s most rugged peaks, celebrated ski runs and an inspiring array of wildlife in nearby Grand Teton National Park. Here you can ski, hike, bike, raft or just enjoy a soak in their year-round, heated pool.

Email Christina at Christina@EpperlyTravel.com to plan your perfect honeymoon or you can visit https://christinacarzootravel.com. You can also follow her travel adventures on Instagram @ChristinaCarzooTravel.

Wedding Gift-Giving for Guests: Favor and Gift Ideas from Give Gifted

While a wedding is ultimately about the bride and groom, guests also spend a significant amount of time and money to help a couple celebrate. The wedding planning process is chock full of tasks, but it’s important to plan ahead and properly appreciate your wedding party, close family, and wedding guests. 

There is a lot of expectation for couples during wedding planning. The engagement period is supposed to be blissful, but it’s often stressful as well. From engagement parties, bridal showers, thank you gifts, and other pre-wedding events, the gift-giving itself can be overwhelming. Take the weight off by planning all your gifts at once with our ultimate guide to wedding gift-giving from our friends over at Give Gifted.

Engagement Party Favors

Planning a wedding is usually not easy on a couple’s wallet, but it’s not cheap for guests, either. Chances are that some - or many - guests will be flying out, booking hotel rooms, giving the newly-weds a wedding gift, and perhaps purchasing an entirely new outfit for the day of the wedding. Kick off your gift-giving with a meaningful yet inexpensive keepsake for the engagement party guests. A small, personalized gift box with a unique cocktail recipe and a custom-labeled champagne split is a cute gift that doesn’t require any excessive splurging. 

If you or someone you know is very crafty, consider making a DIY gift that doesn’t require expensive materials but still looks classy and heartfelt. For example, personalized wine glasses with a custom sticker is a useful, cheap wedding favor idea. Consider bagging gourmet popcorn with a tag that says, “He Popped the Question” for a cute, punny gift. 

Wedding Welcome Gift Bags

Whether you are planning a destination wedding or are in your hometown, chances are that many of your guests will be traveling. When guests arrive at the wedding destination and check into their hotel room, plan to surprise them with a wedding welcome bag. Small yet meaningful items are the key to this unique wedding gift idea. To save time and money, give each guest the same gift and let the personalization be in the card or tag specific to each family or guest room.

Edible favors are a crowd favorite. Whether it’s a small box of macarons, an assortment of sweet and salty snacks, a hangover kit or a small gift that fits the theme or environment of your wedding, they will surely appreciate it.

Included in your welcome bag should also be important information about the weekend’s upcoming events. If your guests are staying in a hotel, chances are they are new to the area. Provide guests with directions to the wedding venue and the phone number of a designated family member or wedding party member to help with anything they might need. Consider hiring a luxury car or SUV driving service to escort your guests to the big day. These small details ensure your guests feel welcomed and comfortable in an unfamiliar environment.

Photo by: Lauren Gabrielle Photography

The Big Day: Wedding Favors

To help make the wedding favors easier, consider aspects of your wedding that make your Big Day unique: Where is the wedding located? What season is it? Does your wedding have a theme or color scheme?

Keeping your gifts in line with what’s relevant for your wedding will make it that much more impressive and meaningful. For example, if you’re planning a winter wedding, consider a plush blanket or mittens as a unique wedding favor. If your wedding is in the Spring, create custom Garden boxes, fit with seed, a small plant pot, and a mini shovel. For Summer weddings, supply a table of multi-colored sunglasses for your guests to take home. Not only is this gift functional, it also supplies great photo opportunities!

No matter what wedding occasion you are choosing to give away favors for, it’s important to keep in mind how important your wedding guests truly are. No matter the price, the most thoughtful gifts are cherished the most. So, whether you have a big budget to splurge with, or are on a tight budget for your wedding, there is always something you can give as a gift.

About Give Gifted

Give Gifted was born while creating gift bags for a Mother's Day tea. After stepping back and seeing the finished product, we realized we wanted to show the love we put into making gifts to all.

No event or occasion is off limits. We understand how much time and energy goes into event planning and sometimes the little details can be forgotten. Let us take some of the work off of your plate and create unforgettable gifts.

We are here to create unique, hand-crafted, personalized gifts with your specific recipient in mind every step of the way. Already have the contents of a gift but no time to make it beautiful? We can take care of that, too!

Photo by: Brittany Gidley Photography

Thoughtful Bridesmaid + Groomsmen Gift Ideas from Give Gifted

While a wedding is ultimately about the bride and groom, it is also about the people who are there the most in the planning process and days leading up to the big day. It is important to show the ones standing by you at the end of the aisle how much they mean to you as well, with thoughtful bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts.

With gift-giving comes great responsibility, and even greater expectations. From engagement parties, bridal showers, thank you gifts, and other pre-wedding events, the gift-giving itself can be overwhelming. We looked to the experts over at Give Gifted, for the best gifts for our best pals.

Bridesmaid Gifts

While all of your wedding guests are special, there are a few guests that are truly at the heart of your wedding. When you invite or ask your best friends to stand up with you at your wedding, it’s tradition to offer a special gift. Because the number of gifts in this scenario is just a handful of people rather than a few hundred, you might have a bit more room to treat your bridesmaids to a special surprise. 

The most ideal gift idea is a custom bridesmaid gift box that is personalized to your bridal party. Each box can be the same or slightly different. The key, however, is to show them how important they are to you and create a memorable experience. If they love fashion and jewelry, consider getting each of them a personalized necklace with their name on it. If they love being cozy, get them a personalized bathrobe or fuzzy slippers! These gifts can also make for a really cute photo opportunity on the day of the wedding.

Photo by : Lydia Ruth Photography

Groomsmen Gifts

The groomsmen have equal importance in the wedding party and love getting showered with gifts! Because these are some of the most special wedding guests, you have every right to spoil them.

Do your best buds like to travel? Are they foodies or craft beer lovers? When you ask yourself these questions, finding a gift will be a breeze.

Here are a few ideas that any groomsman will love:

• Personalized travel bag or garment bag

• A personalized grill set

• A custom watch or wallet

• A personalized sports jersey

As long as you take your friends’ interests into account, they’ll love their gifts.

Photo by : Suzuran Photography

About Give Gifted

Give Gifted was born while creating gift bags for a Mother's Day tea. After stepping back and seeing the finished product, we realized we wanted to show the love we put into making gifts to all.

No event or occasion is off limits. We understand how much time and energy goes into event planning and sometimes the little details can be forgotten. Let us take some of the work off of your plate and create unforgettable gifts.

We are here to create unique, hand-crafted, personalized gifts with your specific recipient in mind every step of the way. Already have the contents of a gift but no time to make it beautiful? We can take care of that, too!