Planning your honeymoon is an important part of the wedding planning process.  No matter where you choose to go on your honeymoon, consider a honeymoon registry as a way to help you make your honeymoon dreams come true.

Honeymoon registries work the same way as a gift registries.  Your guests purchase portions of your honeymoon vacation – everything from romantic dinners, excursions for two, accommodations or airfare – it is the perfect, unforgettable gift.  Brides and grooms who choose to register for their honeymoon are able to pre-plan all the things they really need for the most important trip of their life.

Enjoy sipping on a cafe au lait at a French bistro with your true love on your Paris Honeymoon.

Stroll hand-in-hand along the Champs-Elysées, savor an intimate dinner in a Paris bistro, enjoy romantic views from the top of the Eiffel Tower—and do it all surrounded by that famous Parisian joie de vivre!

For more romantic inspiriation, view the Paris Photo Gallery part of the Places of a Lifetime series from National Geographic Traveler magazine.

Elegant piazzas, glistening waterways, famous art and stunning cathedrals awaits on your Italy Honeymoon.

Take a romantic gondola ride through Venice‘s canals; gaze into one another’s eyes over a plate of pasta while sipping Chianti in one of Rome‘s many piazzas—now that’s Amore!

Paradise awaits on your Hawaii Honeymoon!

Take romantic strolls along the pristine white-sand beaches and watch beautiful sunsets in Oahu.  Relax together by tranquil pools while enjoying the tropical sea-breeze in Maui.  Take part in fun activities such as snorkeling, hiking, and whale watching, eat sumptuous cuisine at a festive luau or enjoy a scenic drive along the Hawaiian coastline. Experience the tropical honeymoon you’ve always dreamed about in Hawaii!

When choosing your honeymoon, the first and most important step is deciding and agreeing upon your destination. Among couples who have a traditional wedding, 99% take a honeymoon. Roughly 60% travel to a foreign country and 40% honeymoon in the United States. You want a destination that will please both of you, so here are some tips and ideas to ensure your honeymoon lives up to your expectations:

1. As a couple, talk about your ideal vacation. Do you want relaxation or an on-the-go vacation? Do you desire a topical getaway or would a colder location be ideal? Do you want to visit museums? Or would you rather sit on a beach? Know that you may need to compromise with each other. Although this is your first trip as a married couple, it will not be your last. You may need to negotiate on certain aspects of the trip.
2. Choose the time period. Would you rather travel immediately following your nuptials, or would you prefer to wait and travel at a later date? If you are on a budget, you may be able to save money by traveling during off-season time periods.
3. Decide on the type of hotel you desire. Select a hotel that fits your personal style and budget.
4. If you are taking a honeymoon abroad, allow for ample time to ensure your passport is current. It may take several weeks to receive your passport after you have applied.
5. Sign up for a honeymoon registry. Your wedding guests count on your gift registry to know what to give you. By registering for your honeymoon, you can have a remarkable honeymoon paid for by your friends and family.

To start the Honeymoon planning process use a planning questionnaire to help guide you in the decision making process.

Happily ever after begins with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fun, romance and quality time with your new spouse.

The rest of this month we vow to provide you with the essential information to plan the perfect honeymoon and highlight some of the most romantic honeymoon destinations in the world.

Over the next few weeks stroll the white-sand beaches of Hawaii, indulge in a wood-fired Neapolitan pizza in Italy or enjoy romantic views atop the Eiffel Tower in France.

Get ready to say “I Do,” the honeymoon vacation is just beginning…

Operating year round, the Glacier Express is one of the world’s most scenic mountain railroad lines. The trip from the southern Swiss Italian border town of Zermatt to St. Moritz in the east takes seven and a half hours and covers about 250 miles. And it is some of the most glorious time you will ever spend with your camera.

Originally a winter conveyance between the two legendary ski areas, it is now most popular with sightseers. Crossing 291 bridges and entering 91 tunnels, it is a masterpiece of railroad engineering. Running past the lakes and pasturelands of central Switzerland, the highlight is the crossing of the Oberalp Pass at 6,500 feet. Large windows can open to smell the fresh mountain air or get an unencumbered view of the meadows, valleys and picturesque villages.

Although it is not Switzerland’s tallest mountain (14,692 feet, the Du Four Peak is15,634 feet), it is its most famous. Dominating the ski Mecca of Zermatt, the Matterhorn has been drawing vacationers and mountaineers to this pedestrian only town since the mid1800s. Located on the Italian border in the German-speaking zone, this is where the country’s tallest mountains soar over Europe.

None is more majestic than this twisting rock and snow encrusted monument, jutting its angry cobra head into the blue Alpine air. The four faces of the mountain are so steep that snow does not accumulate and avalanches are so common they have formed glaciers at the base.
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The European brown bear is the beloved symbol of Bern. You find it on everything from the city flag to clock tower faces, tourist collectibles of all types from plates to scarves, they’re image is even found shaped into chocolates and gingerbread.

The word Bern comes form the German name for bear and is featured on the oldest city seal, dating to 1224. Legend has it that when the town was formed by Berthold V, Duke of Zahringen, in the horseshoe bend of the Aare river in 1191, the first animal killed on a hunting trip in the outskirts of town was a bear, and so the name. Bears have been kept in the Barengraben (Bear Pits) at the expense of the city since 1513. They are located below the beautiful city rose gardens, at the middle of the bend in the river. The rose gardens lie on top of a steep hill and afford one of the most beautiful views of the entire city.

In January 2008 there was sadness in the Swiss chocolate world. Rudolf Sprungli, former head of Lindt & Sprungli chocolate company passed away. His chocolate company created its addictive bars and candies along the banks of Lake Zurich, at the second stop on the ferryboat ride. It is a favorite place for chocolate lovers to debark and take their sweet time on the factory tour. During the day, when the winds are blowing off the water in the right direction, the scent of chocolate reaches into town and enrobes the city. The Swiss love chocolate and eat about 25 pounds apiece yearly. The only country to eat more than Switzerland is the dentist’s favorite, England.

Chocolate is a multi-billion dollar industry in Zurich. The other big chocolate mogul in town is Barry Callebaut, who is a sourcer and buyer of beans from around the world and producer of industrial chocolate for sale to Nestle, Hershey and Cadbury, among others. In his office building in Zurich, one of the floors is the Chocolate Academy, where pastry chefs and bakers are trained in the use of chocolate.

He’s just opened a new chocolate factory and academy in China where they aim to introduce the products seductive charms. All eight of his chocolate factories around the world have Chocolate Academies attached to educate and share new knowledge and techniques with chocolate artisans. He’s sort of the Johnny Appleseed of Chocolate.