Georgina Cruz

If the two of you are hopelessly romantic, a plain wedding trip just won't do. You'll simply have to have a honeymoon with a special theme. These honeymoons, built around a certain motif, appeal most to dreamers everywhere-those couples who like to bring along at least one fantasy tucked in a corner of their suitcase.

Perhaps you dream of traveling back in time together to a medieval castle in England, or of being marooned on a deserted island. Or maybe you prefer a jungle theme: gliding in a canoe past waterfalls in a steamy rain forest.

Picking the right theme for both of you, and bringing it to life during your wedding trip, is easy. First, discuss what appeals to the two of you at length-much like you would do to decide on a destination for any honeymoon sans theme. If you each have your heart set on different fantasies, and you have the time and resources, you'll surely have a fabulous honeymoon. If your schedule or your budget will not allow, don't despair; you can live out one fantasy during your wedding trip and the second one during an anniversary celebration.

After you select a theme, make the appropriate travel arrangements-there are plenty of programs and packages out there that, with just a few touches from you, can blossom instantly into your own personal fantasy. And finally, bring along anything and everything or make any special arrangements on site that you feel will enhance the theme. Be as creative as you wish.

For example, friends chose to go native in Hawaii for their honeymoon. They achieved their own “Garden of Eden” feel by booking a solarium suite with island decor and a skylight aboard American Hawaii Cruises' Independence. The glass ceiling enabled them to enjoy each other under a chandelier of stars each night, and, in addition to the traditional flower lei greeting at the airport and a luau feast, they arranged for flowers to be left on their pillows every night.

You could add a few other touches to develop the theme even more fully, such as scattering rose petals every evening on your bed and in your bath water, and having the ship or land-based resort (the cruise can be combined with stays in Maui and other Hawaiian islands) serve you exotic tropical fruits in bed for breakfast one morning. You could also place a burning torch or two on your terrace one night when you are at the land-based resort (and enjoy the ambience while sipping coconut water). Also, while on the cruise, search at each port of call till you find your own favorite secluded cove. Toast the sunset with fragrant flowers in your hair.

You get the picture. Grab hold of a theme and don't ever let go. Use your imagination and have fun! The memories will last a lifetime. There are theme honeymoons for a wide variety of tastes and pocketbooks.

Editorial Note: Excerpted from Signature Bride Magazine, Summer/Fall 1998 issue. Copyright 1998. Reprinted with permission from Signature Bride Magazine.

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