Designer Honeymoons

Annie’s Escapes plans custom vacations as unique as you are.

by LAURA DESISTO

In an age of online travel planning, many travel agents have fallen by the wayside. But for seasoned honeymoon travel expert Ann Petronio, of Annie’s Escapes (anniesescapes.com), business is booming … and for good reason. When Petronio meets with couples, she takes the time to discover what makes them tick, curating once-in-a-lifetime trips that suit their distinct personalities. .

“No two couples are alike,” says Petronio. “They (couples) have shared interests, tastes, likes and dislikes that are as unique to them. So why should they settle for a cookie-cutter honeymoon?”

Sometimes couples come to Petronio with a specific destination in mind, but often they come with a general “wish list.” That was the case for couple Ashley and Ryan, who came to Petronio for a honeymoon that included the beach, wine, adventure, exploration and multiple stops within one trip. With this in mind, Petronio steered the couple to South Africa, where their itinerary included a stop in Cape Town, hiking Table Mountain, wine tasting in Stellenbosch and a safari in Kruger National Park.

“When we met with Ann we had a couple locations in mind, but she asked questions that made us focus on the experience and what kind of trip we wanted to have,” says Ashley. “Ann was fantastic, very attentive, and she personalized the itinerary to fit exactly what we wanted. She even answered our questions during our trip! It was the best experience we could have hoped for and the perfect trip to begin our marriage.”

While Petronio books her fair share of high-end vacations such as this one, she does not shy away from planning honeymoons for budget-conscious couples.

Rose and Ian, an outdoorsy and adventurous couple from Colorado, came to their initial consultation with a wish list that included hiking, surfing and national parks.

“They needed to do all this within a pretty modest budget,” says Petronio. “What I came up with was Colombia, with stops that included Tayrona National Park, Cartagena for culture, history and food, and a side trip to the El Rosario Islands.”

“Our trip to Colombia was truly amazing,” says Rose. “It was exactly what we hoped for: a perfect combination of outdoor activities. Our little hotel in Tayrona had a jungle and an ocean view and we could pick mangoes on the way to the beach. Our hotel in Cartagena had the most gorgeous view of the square and the Old City. Ann really hit the jackpot with these hotels.”

In addition to her vast knowledge of many areas of the world and what they have to offer, Petronio also has relationships with local ground operators that the average traveler doesn’t have access to. And that can make for a much more personalized (and safer) experience—especially when couples are traveling far from home.

“I can also help couples come up with cool stuff to see and do that they may not think of,” she says. “But the true secret sauce of our success as a travel company is that we really take the time to listen and consult. And we pride ourselves on making each honeymoon as unique as our clients.”