What’s Your Honeymoon Style?

No matter what you and your fiancé like to do, the honeymoon of your dreams will be the perfect way to celebrate your new life together.

Are you and your fiancé the type of people who love spend your vacation relaxing on the beach and soaking up the sun? Or do you love exploring new locations and cultures? Regardless of your vacation style, there is a honeymoon destination just for you! We have many amazing places worth exploring here in the United States, so you don’t have to travel far to find what you’re looking for. However, honeymoons are a great opportunity to explore the wider world around us.

Don’t feel like you have to leave for your honeymoon trip immediately following the wedding. Many couples choose to spend the day after their wedding with their friends and family who have travelled to witness their marriage. A simple brunch at the hotel where most guests are staying or at a local restaurant is a great way to visit with wedding guests you may not have been able to spend time with at the reception. Some couples even choose to wait a couple of months before leaving on their honeymoon.

When you sit down to plan, be sure to have an idea of when you’d like to travel, how long you’d like to stay and an idea of the types of things you’d like to do on your trip. If you don’t have a specific destination in mind, contacting a travel agent and sharing your wishlist is a great way to get started. Travel agents tend to have extensive knowledge and experience with honeymoon travel. They work directly with resorts and cruise companies which usually means you will get a better deal and maybe even a few perks added in. Your travel agent will monitor your reservations as your trip approaches and alert you of any changes. This will save you time and money, and give you peace of mind as you travel because you know if something goes wrong, the answer is a quick phone call or email away.

Charlie Brown’s Travel

(972) 880-4141 charliebrownstravel.net

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

We know it’s a bummer, but if you and your new spouse are jet-setting on your honeymoon right after the wedding, you’re going to want to use your maiden name when making your travel reservations. It takes time to process and issue the marriage certificate which is required for changing your name on official documents. Then you have to wait to receive your updated identification such as a drivers license or passport in your new married name. Traveling under your maiden name will cut down on the stress of receiving these documents on time.

Once you get back from your amazing trip you can apply for a name change on your passport. You will have to mail in your old passport, but it will be returned to you along with your brand new passport with your new last name. As long as you file the name change form for your passport (called a 5504 form) within 12 months of your wedding, you will not have to pay an additional fee for the change.

CREATING YOUR REGISTRY

Registry shopping must be one of the most fun parts of wedding planning. Who doesn’t love new towels and sheets? However, if you were looking forward to going up and down the aisles with one of those scanner guns, you might be disappointed. Most retailers have moved away from this process, and most wedding registries are created online.

The days of the traditional registry with its formal dinnerware, crystal stemware, and silver that requires polishing, are behind us. Today’s bride and groom are registering for items that fit their lifestyle. That’s not to say you shouldn’t register for porcelain and crystal if that’s your entertaining style, but don’t feel like it’s a requirement.

Before you and your fiancé rush into creating your registries, either online or in person, take inventory of the pieces you have, and what you wish you had. Be sure to note down anything that is starting to look worn, or maybe doesn’t work anymore. Those are great items to add to your registry. Don’t hesitate to do a bit of research on some of the larger ticket items, either.

Guests appreciate plenty of options, so be sure to register for a wide range of items across many different price points. To the right is a list of traditional and modern items often found on registries.

WHERE TO REGISTER

Where you register can be just as important as what you register for. Keep in mind that some of your guests prefer to go to a physical store and browse your registry items in person, while other guests will want the ease of ordering online. With that said, almost anything can be added to a registry these days. Retailers like Best Buy and Domino’s Pizza have even jumped on the wedding registry bandwagon. Yes, you can create a pizza wedding registry.

Stores like Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Kohl’s are popular locations for registries, and are easily accessible within the Texoma area. For those wanting to create an online registry, Amazon, Zola, and Blueprint Registry are popular.

Some retailers offer a completion discount which allows you to purchase unfulfilled items on your registry at a discounted rate for a short period of time after your wedding.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to pick just one place to register; two or three gift registries are completely acceptable and even expected. Remember that your guests like to have options on where to shop and what to get you.

FORMAL DINNERWARE Dinner, salad and dessert plates Pasta and soup bowls Bread and butter plates Teacups and saucers Fruit bowls Teapot, creamer and sugar bowl Gravy boat Serving bowls Covered casserole dish Platters

CASUAL DINNERWARE Dinner plates Soup and cereal bowls Bread and butter plates Salt and pepper set Covered butter dish Mugs Canister set

FINE CRYSTAL Water goblets Wine glasses (red/white) Champagne flutes Iced beverage glasses Martini glasses Brandy snifters Decanters and pitchers Candlesticks

BAR-WARE Tumblers Highballs/Pilsners/Beer glasses Ice bucket and tongs Wine cooler or wine rack Cocktail shaker and pitcher Bar utensils

FLATWARE Knives, forks and salad forks Soup spoons and teaspoons Serving spoons and forks Butter serving knife Cake and pie server Gravy ladle Serving set KITCHENWARE Cutlery and stake knives Cutting boards Timer Mixing bowls and spoons Dish towels and hot pads Paring, chef and bread knife Carving knife Colander Spatulas and whisks Pizza cutter Spoon rest Baster Rolling pin Cheese grater

COOKWARE Sauce pans, sauté and frying pans Stock pot/Dutch oven Steamer/Double boiler Wok/Stir Fry pan Roaster Grill/griddle

BAKE-WARE Cookie sheets Muffin pans Cake and pie pans Baking pans Bread pans

ELECTRIC APPLIANCES Hand mixer Waffle iron Bread maker Rice cooker/vegetable steamer Toaster/Toaster Oven Food Processor Blender Electric indoor grill Coffee and tea makers Can opener Slow cooker

KITCHEN LINENS Dish towels Cloths Kitchen mats and rugs TABLE LINENS Table cloth/table runner Place mats Napkins and rings

HOME ELECTRONICS Television Bluetooth Speaker Radio/Clock radio Home stereo components DVD/Blu-Ray player

DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES Picture frames Lamps Vases

BEDROOM LINENS Flat and fitted sheets Pillow cases and shams Comforters and bed skirts Blankets Mattress pads

BATH LINENS Bath sheets and towels Hand towels and wash cloths Bath mat and rug Shower curtain and rings Bath accessories Hamper

HOME & PERSONAL CARE Vacuum (upright and hand-held) Rug cleaner Iron and ironing board Portable steamer Broom, dust pan and mop

LUGGAGE Upright suitcases Garment bags Duffel bags/Tote bags Accessory bag

CHANGING YOUR NAME

Following the wedding, you will need to take your signed marriage license to the county clerk’s office to obtain your marriage certificate. The marriage certificate is a piece of paper that proves that you are legally married. It does not mean your last name has legally changed. When you are getting your license before the wedding, be sure to find out the timeline for filing it after the wedding.

You will be required to present a copy of your marriage certificate to complete the process of changing your name at government agencies as well as non-government institutions. We recommend ordering three certified copies of your marriage certificate because you may have to surrender a copy as you go about changing your name at different places.

The first place to change your name is at the Social Security Office. Then you may begin to use your new name. We recommend going to the Department of Motor Vehicles next. Don’t forget to change your name at these places as well:

Banks Medical Care Provider(s) Insurance Mortgage Lender or Landlord Professional License County Tax Assessor Credit Card Companies State Tax Commission Employer (fill out new W-2) Dept. of Revenue Retirement Documents U.S. Passport Postal Service Investment Companies Utility Company Voter Registration Legal Documents Wills

ANNOUNCEMENTS A newspaper engagement announcement requirements and whether or not they accept is one of the first opportunities for a couple photos. Some newspapers have a form for you to announce their engagement to the public to fill out, which they then use to compile your using their local and city press. With different wedding details into their own newspaper requirements for each newspaper and issues format. Others will allow you to write the of etiquette to consider, writing newspaper announcement. engagement announcements can be tricky, especially if you’re writing your own.

Typically written in the past tense (since the engagement has already occurred), the announcement is from the point-of-view of the party hosting the wedding, traditionally the parents of the bride-to-be.

The first step is to contact the news source in which you plan on placing the announcement to find out their guidelines and any associated costs. Be sure to ask about length