Diane Warner's Wedding Question & Answer (25 page)

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Authors: Diane Warner

Tags: #Reference, #Weddings

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essentials: toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, makeup, contraceptives, medicines, a nightie, one change of underwear, an extra set of contact lenses, jewelry, camera, traveler's checks, passports, tickets, etc.
I've had situations when I've been traveling on business where a hotel doesn't have a room available after all, even though I have a confirmation number. How can I avoid this happening on our honeymoon?
First of all, have your best man call a few days ahead of time to confirm your reservations. Then, if you arrive and the reservation clerk tries to give you the run-around, ask to speak to the manager and tell him or her you are on your honeymoon (
always
tell everyone you're on your honeymoon, which will give you ''freebies," upgrades, and excellent service) and that your room was paid for in advance or guaranteed with your credit card. Be sure you have a written confirmation with you, not just a confirmation number. Then it will be up to the manager to provide you with a room, which will usually be a substantial upgrade. If the hotel is completely out of rooms, the manager must find you comparable accommodations in some other hotel nearby.
How much cash should we take with us on our honeymoon? Or should it all be in traveler's checks?
Be sure to have some cash on you, at least $200, preferably in small bills, which are handy for tipping. The rest of your money should be in the form of traveler's checks, also in small denominations because many establishments balk at anything $50 or more. By the way, keep a list of your traveler's checks' numbers, as well as your credit card numbers and checking account numbers, separate from the checks and cards themselves. If you're traveling overseas, be sure to convert some cash into the foreign currency
before
 
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you leave on your honeymoon. For emergency money, keep a little hidden away in your carry-on luggage (several hundred dollars), plus be prepared to use your ATM card at your destination if you should run short of cash.
What is the "honeymoon squeeze"?
Well, it's not good, I can tell you that! The
honeymoon squeeze
is where one thief engages you in conversation or bumps into you to distract you while his accomplice picks your pocket or steals your luggage. These thieves pick on honeymooners because they think they'll be easy prey; they usually hang out at airports, but be careful wherever you go!
What is your best word of advice to us as far as planning our honeymoon?
My best advice for you is to delay your departure for a day or two after the wedding; stay in the honeymoon suite of one of the nicer hotels in your city. This will give you time to catch your breath and get a little rest before you actually leave on your honeymoon. Too often the couple leaves the wedding reception at midnight and tries to make it to the airport for an overnight flight or, worse yet, tries to drive all the way to their honeymoon destination.
How long should a honeymoon be?
Although most honeymoons are only seven to 10 days long, most of the couples I've talked with agree that a honeymoon should be a minimum of two weeks. They think anything less than that goes by too fast and isn't restful enough after all the months of stress and planning. A poll taken by
Bride's
magazine showed that the average length of a honeymoon was nine days.
 
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What is the average cost of a honeymoon?
According to the same
Bride's
magazine poll, the average honeymoon cost was $3,200.
Do you have any tips for packing for the honeymoon?
Packing for a two-week honeymoon is no simple task. Here are a few ideas that can make it easier:
First make a detailed list of
everything
you will need to pack.
Allow an entire morning or afternoon to pack.
Open your suitcases and hanging garment bag in front of you on a bed.
Start with the heavy items: books, shoes, hair dryer, etc. (Wrap your shoes in plastic bags.)
Next, fill in around these heavy items with your soft, crushable clothing, such as T-shirts, underwear, nightgowns, jeans, etc. (Roll them up tight to keep them from wrinkling.)
Now you're ready for your blouses, shirts, slacks, dresses, shorts, etc. (Lay tissue paper between each item as you fold it into the suitcase.)
What are the "honeymoon blues"?
These are the blues that sometimes follow the letdown after the excitement and exhaustion of the wedding and its preceding months of preparation. They are nothing to worry about! They are common! Many honeymoon couples have them! The best cures are to:
Share your feelings with your new spouse.
Stay as busy as possible on your honeymoon (add a few extra sports activities or excursions to your itinerary).
 
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Talk about your future and all the fun things you will do: with your gifts, with your friends, with each other.
Try to get some rejuvenating sleep and rest.
Fortunately, this mini-depression only lasts a couple of days, if you experience it at all.
How do we go about applying for passports?
First, ask your travel agent if passports are required for your destination. If they are, begin early with the application process; it can take two or three months. You can apply for your passports at county clerk's offices, certain authorized post offices, and any federal passport office. You will need to bring your proof of citizenship (your birth or naturalization certificate), proof of identity (driver's license), two identical 2-x 2-inch head-shot photographs and money to pay the passport fee (about $42).
When my husband and I recently tried to renew our passports, which we obtained originally with no hassle at all, we discovered that my husband's official birth certificate (which was acceptable when his first passport was issued) was no longer considered "official" enough, so we went through several months of unbelievable red tape to go back through Alameda County's archives to retrieve his birth certificate so that an officially certified, acceptable copy could be made. The moral of this story is that you shouldn't assume it's easy to get a passportit isn't always, so start early!
After going through all of that, what do we do if we lose our passports?
First, report the loss to your nearest U.S. embassy and follow their instructions. It will be helpful to them if you know your passport number, date, and place of issue (keep
 
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this information separate from your passport when you start out on your trip). Many seasoned travelers keep a photocopy of their passport packed separately, of course. But please don't lose your passports!
Should my fiancée apply for her passport in her married name?
No, you won't be able to do that. She will need to apply for her passport in her maiden name, which will work out fine because it will still be legal once she's married. Just be sure her airline ticket is in her maiden name because it is imperative that the names on her ticket and passport match.
How can we stay healthy on our honeymoon?
Here are some suggestions:
Pack a portable medicine "chest" that contains: all your regular prescription medicines; additional prescription medicines in case of nausea, allergies, motion sickness, and urinary-tract infections; insect repellents; cold remedies; and antibacterial ointment and spray.
If you're traveling to a foreign country, such as Mexico, don't drink the water. Don't even chew the ice! Drink only bottled water, sodas, or other bottled beverages.
Bring plenty of sunscreenand use it!
What about tipping on our honeymoon? I don't know how much to tip for each service
.
I'm a great believer in tipping on the merit system. If someone gives me great service, I think they deserve a great tip; on the other hand, if I'm treated poorly or ignored, I
 
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may leave nothing at all. But assuming you'll have at least acceptable service everywhere you go, here are some tipping guidelines:
Airport porter
$1 per bag
Ship cabin or dining room stewards
$3 per day, per person
Hotel bellboy
$1 per bag, plus a dollar or two more for extra service (giving you directions to restaurants, etc.)
Doorman
$1 tip for hailing a taxi
Waiter or waitress
15 percent of the bill (Note: Generally, it is not necessary to tip at buffet or cafeteria-style restaurants.)
Hotel chambermaid
$5 per couple, per week
Taxi driver
$2 or $3 per trip, plus a little extra if the driver helps with your luggage or races across town to get you to your destination on time.
Parking attendant
$1 to $2 when car delivered
Golf caddie
25 percent of his fee
Tour guide/charter bus driver
$5 per couple
 
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Do you have any cost-cutting tips for us while we're on our honeymoon?
Here are several tips that can save you a chunk of money:
If you are honeymooning in a foreign country, don't exchange money at your hotelgo to a local bank instead.
Be sure to pack plenty of film, toothpaste, shampoo, and suntan lotion, the four things most likely to need replacing at your honeymoon site, where they will cost much more than at your discount drugstore back home.
Ask the locals for good, but inexpensive, places to eatif you go the four-star route every night you'll run out of spending money real fast!
Don't even
think
of touching the minibar.
Find out if tipping is the norm; in some countries the service charges are already built into the menu prices!
Don't phone hometoo expensive, especially from your hotel room where they may tack on a per-call service charge.
Always take advantage of the complimentary breakfast offered by your hotel; even if it's continental, it will at least pacify you until lunch.
Use public transportation or your hotel's shuttle service as much as possibleavoid the high cost of a taxi.
Don't get carried away and buy more than you can bring back through customs
without
paying duty.
 
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Do a lot of free (but romantic) things, such as taking a mountain hike, collecting shells along the beach, etc.
Tell
everyone
you're on your honeymoonyou'll be surprised how many freebies this news will bring!

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