A couple visits a venue for their wedding. Despite initial doubts, they fall in love with the natural surroundings and unique features. The property is owned by a retired couple who aim to make dreams come true for new couples. The wife impresses the bride with her thoughtful approach to creating magical experiences for weddings. The couple reflects on their journey to this point and their hopes for a lifelong partnership.
Amanda reflects on her past marriages and her journey to sobriety, highlighting her newfound ability to dream of a wedding. She discusses her thoughts on different wedding styles, expressing a preference for Cottagecore or Fairytale themes. She seeks advice on choosing a wedding style and venue.
Amanda’s dream wedding venue is a top priority, setting the tone for the event. Beyond aesthetics, she emphasizes the crucial role of staff and seeks genuine feedback from past customers. Joining local Facebook groups helps her make informed decisions, ensuring a special day that truly reflects her and David as a couple.
Shortly after we announced that David and I were getting married, one of the first questions asked was, “where are you going for your honeymoon”? It was day 2 of being engaged. I have known for months that he was going to propose. However, my planning mind had not gotten to the Honeymoon phase. I was still dreaming of what venue to use.
I asked David where he wanted to go and his reply was exactly as I expected. “I don’t know, where do you want to go?” Ugh, that was a frustrating answer. We both knew picking a cabin on a random lake was not going to be enough for our Honeymoon. This is supposed to be a special vacation. It’s a time to do something different. The possibilities were endless and overwhelming.
I thought about the top places I have always wanted to visit. Maine, Montana, New York and France. Those are drastically different places and not exactly known for their Honeymoon romance destination spots, except maybe France. Then again, do I really want to have a cliche romantic getaway? Nothing wrong with it. David can be very romantic. In his own way and when he plans it. I think back to the night he proposed and there seemed to be some pressure on him. It was beautiful. He was not acting like the David I enjoy spending time with. He was nervous.
What is romance anyways? Would that not be where 2 people are completely relaxed and in a happy place just being with each other? Rose petals and candle lit dinners are great. Our Honeymoon needed to be about doing something we truly enjoyed. And affordable. Leaving the country was out of the question. A European vacation (or Holiday, as they would say), would be the ultimate dream. It is unrealistic at this time in our lives.
Ocean or Mountains? Without a doubt, both David and I are mountain people. I like to get adrenaline pumping by watching a bear walk across the lawn of our AirBnb. I do not like to get adrenaline pumping by stepping on a random creature in the ocean. The heat and sweat drive me insane but not as much as walking around with sand between my butt cheeks. The few times we have had the opportunity to go on an Ocean getaway, David has shown no interest. At least with this we were on the same page.
A few years ago I had a friend who went on a train across the country. I remember listening to the stories he would tell and I was mesmerized by the videos he sent. Even the ones of the great plains. I remember finding a video of someone who talked about their adventure on a train ride across the county. When I showed David then, he seemed very interested. When I brought the idea up to him, his reply was “That would be cool”.
I did some research and found only 2 companies that offered this. Amtrak Vacations and Vacations by Rail. Vacations by Rail seems to be a travel agency that sells Amtrak Vacation packages. Pricing is almost exactly the same and the packages are customizable. I have reached out to both companies because at this point will come down to customer service. So far, Amtrak Vacations has been the only one that has reached out by phone and emailed a quote. Vacation by Rail has sent some automated emails but I have yet to speak to an actual person. I did ask for brochures from both companies. Vacation by Rail will sending out an information book about the packages for North American (US and Canada). Amtrak Vacations has several downloadable brochures. At first, I wasn’t to thrilled about having to download a brochures but these are interactive and actually really great.
We are in our very early stages of planning. We will not be getting married until April of 2027. That gives us plenty of time to decide exactly where we want to go. We have a whole county to choose from. From National Parks to big bustling cities. We can get a mix of it all.
Have any tips or advice planning a honeymoon or vacation? Have you taken a vacation by rail? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
With love and anticipation,
Amanda Jo
