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honeymoon planning

Skiier on pristine snow covered mountainside, Iceland

Land of extremes – an Icelandic honeymoon adventure

by Rosie Hurwitz October 14, 2020

Our friends at luxury travel agent Go Bespoke share some of the team’s top recommendations for an Icelandic honeymoon in this guest post. It’s just 3 hours and 10 minutes flying time from London to Reykjavík. This land of extremes promises plenty of unforgettable experiences and memories for adventurous honeymooners. And with a Patchwork honeymoon fund, your friends and family can chip in to help make it even more spectacular!

What makes Iceland perfect for honeymooning couples?

Iceland is quite simply like nowhere else on earth. An arctic wilderness dotted with volcanic peaks, geysers, glacial rivers and geothermal lagoons. It is the perfect destination for honeymoon adventure seekers. For those who also like a dose of culture, the thrill of the wild is matched by the vibrancy of the capital city, Reykjavík. The city’s downtown area can be walked in less than a day.

There’s is plenty to discover, including cutting edge galleries, a burgeoning restaurant scene and lively nightlife. Whether Icelandic micro beers or cool cocktails are your thing, you’ll find plenty of choice. Stroll the streets to encounter an enchanting mix of old and new. The small painted houses rubbing shoulders with boutique hotels and stunning contemporary architecture such as Harpa – the city’s concert hall and home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera.

Image credit Thomas Malik

What are the best times of year to go on an Icelandic honeymoon?

The summer months from June to August offer plenty of daylight hours for outdoor adventures such as cycling, hiking and whale watching. It is effectively light for the whole 24-hour period, but the sun does set for around three hours per day. Therefore, make sure you’ve packed eye masks if you are visiting in the summer months! Book between October and April to be in with a chance of spotting the iconic Northern Lights. With the weather at its crispest, prepare to witness some breath-taking winter scenery. There are partially frozen waterfalls, dramatic icebergs and ice fields.

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Iceland — Image credit: Valeriia Bugaiova

What are your top tips for the best places to stay in Iceland?

Kvosin Hotel, Reykjavik

Explore the charm of the city from this fabulous boutique hotel. It’s located in the historic Kirkjuhvoll building in the heart of downtown Reykjavík. Built in 1900 Kvosin Hotel is a former townhouse which has been beautifully renovated with Scandi-style interiors. It makes the perfect base for spending a romantic city break for a couple of nights.

Book the ‘Big Room’ category if you’d prefer a bit more space. It offers an added lounge area and a marble-topped kitchenette perfect for in-room snacking.

Price: From £233 per night

Deplar Farm, Troll Peninsula

It doesn’t get more off-grid than this converted sheep farm in the remote Flijót Valley. There are just 12 luxurious suites to choose from. The farm’s mountainous location in the Troll Peninsula means it is ideal for outdoor honeymoon adventures. Activties range from heli ski-ing, hiking, horse-riding, salmon fishing to sea kayaking – not to mention viewing the Aurora Borealis. You can also spend your stay kicking back in the spa. You can hop from the geothermal-heated indoor/outdoor pool to the Isopod flotation tanks. There’s an outdoor Viking sauna or you canprop up the swim-up bar under the midnight sun.

Deplar Farm is about 5 hours from Reykjavík’s Keflavík Airport, or 150km from Akureyri Airport. You can also arrive by helicopter onto the farm’s own landing strip!

Price: From £2,200 per night (price includes meals, local transfers and two guide-led activities per day).

The Retreat Hotel At Blue Lagoon, Grindavik

This fabulous all-suite property is located in the Reykjanes UNESCO Geopark. It’s about 20 minutes from Keflavík Airport and 50 minutes from the centre of Reykjavík. Stay at The Retreat Hotel and you will gain access to The Blue Lagoon. This is one of Iceland’s most popular attractions. It ranks in the top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic and definitely one for the honeymoon bucket list. The mineral-rich waters there are the perfect temperature for bathing in, measuring 39 degrees all-year round. You will experience the exhilarating ritual that uses the lagoon’s silica, algae and minerals to rejuvenate even the most exhausted honeymooners!

The Retreat Hotel also has its own subterranean Retreat Spa and private Lagoon which you can exclusively access during your stay.

Price: From £1,100 per night in a Lagoon View Junior Suite. Including breakfast, unlimited use of the Retreat Spa, Retreat Lagoon and the Blue Lagoon, morning yoga, and a 7-course dinner for two at the Michelin-rated Moss Restaurant.

And your top tips for unforgettable Icelandic honeymoon experiences?

Soar over the Icelandic Highlands by private helicopter
Take a private boat excursion among the icebergs of the Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon
Book a private Snowmobile tour on the spectacular Langjökull glacier followed by a picnic lunch
Visit the waterfalls of Gullfoss and Skógafoss
Explore the vast black sandy beaches of the south coast on a private Super Jeep tour
Walk alongside the North American tectonic plate and Eurasian plate at UNESCO heritage site, Thingvellir National Park
Experience the spouting hot spring at Geysir.

Wow, well we’re certainly adding Iceland to our hot (or maybe not so hot) list! If you’re feeling inspired to plan an Icelandic honeymoon, use Patchwork. You can invite family and friends to treat you to experiences that will make your trip even more special.

Whether it’s £5 for a coffee, £70 towards a whale watching trip, or £150 for some sub-zero scuba diving, your friends and family will love to know they are treating you to the things you really want.

For more information about planning a honeymoon in Iceland, contact Go Bespoke on 020 8935 5779 or email the team at [email protected] quoting ‘Patchwork’.

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Image of painted blue and green doorway with bicycle and cactus plants next to it

Honeymoon Inspiration

Original Travel’s slow travel honeymoon destinations for 2021

by Rosie Hurwitz September 29, 2020

written by Rosie Hurwitz

Planning your perfect adventure and choosing that dream honeymoon destination in which to kick off married life can be a tough decision at the best of times, but add in a global pandemic and things get a little more complicated. So Original Travel have come up with a few of their top picks for off-the-beaten-path honeymoon destinations, where you can escape the crowds and even – in some cases – avoid getting on a plane at all.

Ancient site of Nemrut Dagi, Turkey honeymoon destination — Stone faces at the ancient site of Nemrut Dagi, Turkey

Explore Eastern Turkey

If the idea of spending your honeymoon lying on a beach and never leaving the hotel is entirely unappealing, then E astern Turkey is probably the polar opposite, and so might be just for you. This is a honeymoon destination for culture vultures and history buffs, those who love sinking their teeth into a destination and really discovering all it has to offer. Turkey’s lesser-explored eastern region is filled with fascinating Christian history, including the final resting place of Noah’s Ark, Mount Ararat. Another highlight is visiting the earliest religious structure ever discovered – Gobekli Tepe, which is an archaeological site thought to date back to around 10,000 BC. You could also add on some time in Cappadocia, a region known for its iconic ‘fairy chimneys’ and other unusual rock formations – a sunset over this spectacular landscape is a sure-fire way to inject some extra romance into your honeymoon.

Zambezi river from the air

A Secluded Safari in Zambia and Zimbabwe

Have you always dreamed of spending your honeymoon on safari, but would rather go somewhere a little more off-the-beaten-path than the classics such as Kenya or South Africa? Then may we present Zimbabwe and Zambia. Think small luxury camps, secluded game drives (without the hoards of 4x4s you might find in some other top safari spots), the best guides in the business and romantic dinners under the stars in the middle of the bush. This honeymoon destination will serve you sunsets right on the Zambezi river – keep an eye out for hippos and other wildlife! Then top the honeymoon off with an unforgettable visit to Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World for a very good reason.

Slow travel Italian style

Italy may not exactly fit the ‘off-the-beaten-path’ honeymoon criteria, but if you’re looking for a flight-free, slow travel honeymoon destination then heading to Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot, by train might be the perfect option. At Original Travel, we are big fans of taking the slower route, and really enjoying the scenery along the way, and travelling by train allows just that, as well as being a much more eco-friendly alternative to flying.

Puglia is one of our all-time favourite spots in Italy, and one that hasn’t yet been totally overrun by tourists. Expect countryside dotted with ancient olive trees, beautiful baroque architecture in every town and village throughout the region, wonderful unspoilt stretches of coastline, and fantastic food that even other Italians acknowledge is the best in the country (praise indeed). In short, all of Italy’s best bits, but without the crowds – to us that sounds like the perfect honeymoon option in this strange corona-era (or any era for that matter).

Romance in Romania

Romania couldn’t be much further from the classic beach honeymoon destination if it tried, but if it’s authentic, memorable experiences in a beautiful setting that is virtually untouched by tourists, this could be just the answer. A trip to Transylvania is almost like travelling back in time, offering the chance to reconnect with nature and everything around you, which sounds like a very appropriate way to spend your honeymoon in our opinion. Spend your days getting to know local families, visiting craftsmen and artisans to learn about their trades and hiking through the stunning Piatra Craiului National Park (part of the Carpathian mountain range), all while staying in charming guesthouses and taking the time to truly slow down and live in the moment. This is also another destination that can be reached from the UK entirely by train, so fits the bill if you are looking to travel flight-free.

Taktshang Goemba, Tiger nest monastery, Bhutan — Tiger nest monastery, Bhutan

A Himalayan Honeymoon in Bhutan

If it’s eco-friendly travel you’re after, Bhutan ticks the box brilliantly. 70% of the country is covered by forest, which means that it soaks up more carbon than it emits, in turn making Bhutan the world’s only carbon negative country. Spend your honeymoon here visiting Bhutan’s ancient monasteries, soaking up the traditional Buddhism steeped culture and trekking through this pristine Himalayan environment.

While the country may have so far escaped the twin forces of globalisation and overtourism, there is luckily no shortage of luxury hotels dotted throughout the mountain valleys of Bhutan, so you will have a suitably luxurious place to rest your heads. The only downside on the eco-front is that unless you’ve got a very generous annual leave allowance, reaching Bhutan by train might be a stretch too far, so flying is really the only option (but luckily for you, Original Travel offsets all the carbon from our clients’ flights, so you can do this guilt-free).

Patchwork Honeymoon Fund honeymoon destination

If that’s inspired you to start planning your honeymoon, use Patchwork to ask guests to help treat you to experiences that will make it extra special. Whether it’s £10 for a bowl of orecchiette in Puglia, £50 towards a day’s hiking in Romania, or £150 towards a private game drive in Zambia, your guests will love to contribute to the activities that mean the most to you. Customise one of our templates (we have over 100 different honeymoon destinations) or start your own bespoke page from scratch.

Original Travel are working to instil confidence in people booking any sort of holidays at the moment, by ensuring flexibility in booking dates and destinations (in case travel advice changes) and offering travel insurance that covers coronavirus curtailment.

And of course if you use Patchwork honeymoon fund to collect gift money from friends and family, you have complete control of your money and total flexibility on where, when and how you spend it.

The top image in this post is courtesy of Giulia Zanca

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Natasha of AllCall Travel, standing in Dolomites, Italy

Honeymoon Inspiration

Hidden Gems for The Perfect Venice Honeymoon

by Rosie Hurwitz September 7, 2020

written by Rosie Hurwitz

Natasha, founder of AllCall Travel has written this guest post to share some hidden gems in Venice. Read on for an unbeatable mix of “off the beaten track” and classic Italian opulence, to help you plan your post-Covid honeymoon trip of a lifetime.

Honeymoon planning can be tough. You want to decompress from the day—too much family time, endless planning, and inevitable stress—but you also want a trip of the lifetime that fulfills every vacation hope and dream. Right? I get it.

A few years ago my husband and I road tripped through northern Italy. Milan to Lake Como to the Dolomites to Venice. It wasn’t our honeymoon, but it was beautifully planned if I do say so myself! I love planning great vacations and know how broken the whole process is. That’s why I started Allcall. It can be hard to plan a trip, to find the hidden gems that make it feel like you’re truly experiencing a destination. Especially in famously romantic places like Venice.

I’d love to share a few tips and finds from my trip. Hopefully, they will help with your own Venice planning.

First stop – the Dolomites

First suggestion, spend a few nights in the Dolomite mountain range before heading to Venice. Just a three hour drive from Venice, this region of Northern Italy left me totally awestruck. A mix of Italian, Austrian, and Swiss culture, it’s like no other area in Italy. Stay at Terra The Magic Place. A sister and brother duo run this Relais & Chateaux property with a 2-star Michelin restaurant in the lobby. Whether you go in the winter to ski or in the summer to hike, you’ll find yourself totally in love, with both your partner and the region.

Woman walking away from camera with view of the Dolomites, Italy ahead go her

If you are looking for a real adventure, hike to Lago di Sorapis. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s 7 miles I’ll never forget and the drive in is world class.

Next stop – Mini road trip to Venice

Then make your way to Venice. If you are driving, there is a rental car drop off right over the Ponte della Libertà bridge, connecting Venice to the mainland. It’s easy to miss so keep your eyes peeled! Drop your car; you’ll be on foot or boat for the remainder of your trip. (P.S. take the speed limit seriously on the bridge to avoid collecting tickets along the way, it’s all radar monitored. And trust, you’ll be getting Italian bills in the mail for years to come.)

Neighborhoods to live like a local in Venice

Let’s talk neighborhoods. My personal favorites are Cannaregio and Castello. Both feel like areas where people actually live. You’ll rub elbows with locals while enjoying a glass of vino at little cafes and wine bars or shopping at the butcher and market. Unlike San Marco, it is not tourist central. I do suggest an afternoon in San Marco to check out of the famed Piazza and Saint Mark’s Basilica. Grab a coffee at 300+ year old Caffè Florian, just don’t expect an off-the-beaten path feel in this area.

Buildings and architecture in Castello, Venice, Italy

Eating and drinking in Venice

My favorite restaurant in Cannaregio is Il Paradiso Perduto, if you are looking for a genuinely good time, great cheap drinks, and excellent seafood, look no further. This spot is filled with loud, young, rowdy Italians and you’ll have a blast. There are only 2 time slots for dinner, make sure to call ahead to get reservations. You won’t be sat on time, so don’t come starving. Do come ready to drink.

Exterior exhibit at Peggy Guggenheim Collection

My favorite restaurant in Castello is Al Covo. This family-owned restaurant is perfect for a white tablecloth dinner, when you feel like getting all dressed up. The fresh pasta is what you dream about when you plan a vacation to Italy, and the seafood is what you expect when you plan a trip to Venice. There’s a reason it’s included in the Michelin Guide. The Castello neighborhood is also home to Giardini della Biennale, which hosts the Biennale Art Festival every year. But it’s worth checking out year round, even just for amazing views and peaceful surroundings.

Snacks and beers on table by window at Bar All Arco, Venice, Italy

One of the things I love about Venice is the mom-and-pop bars that offer 3€ beer, wine, and aperol spritz paired with cichettis. Cichettis are basically mini open faced sandwiches topped with all types of incredible local ingredients, like fresh mozzarella and tomatoes drenched in olive oil or fresh sliced white fish with green olives. You’ll find spots like this all over the island, but two worth checking out are Bar All’Arco (a must) and Osteria Al Squero. Osteria Al Squero is conveniently located next to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, which is also a must.

I love these little bars, but sometimes you want to feel the full opulence of the city and for that I recommend grabbing a cocktail at the Aman Venice. It’s what you would expect, extremely over the top and high-end in all the right ways. Grab a drink by the water or at the bar, either way you’ll be pleased.

Aman, Venice, interior of building with stained glass windows and grand staircase

And lastly…

It can be tough to find those gems in Venice that aren’t pummelled with tourists and selfie sticks. But I promise, they exist. A few closing pieces of advice. Be sure to have a shortlist of places you know you want to go beforehand, otherwise it can be easy to fall into a tourist trap. Be prepared to walk, you’ll find spots you never could have had on a list and moments where the beauty of the city comes to life in unexpected ways.

Venice Patchwork honeymoon fund in an iPad

Feeling inspired? Make it happen!

Set up a Patchwork page inviting your guests to contribute to specific activity on your trip. From a night in a luxury hotel to a gondola ride, a gourmet dinner for two, to the biggest gelato in Venice, your friends and family will love to know they’ve treated you to an unforgettable experience. Use one of our easy to customise templates to set up your Venice honeymoon page or create your own bespoke adventure by setting up a page from scratch! When you’re ready to book your honeymoon, contact Natasha at AllCall for expert advice. You can see a full list of her recommendations, including favorite lodging options at any price-point on Allcall, or if you are looking for something more custom, join the Allcall Travel Club.

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View over Southlawn, Maunalani Resort, Hawaii

Honeymoon Inspiration

Insider tips for Exploring Canada & Hawaii

by Rosie Hurwitz August 10, 2020

written by Rosie Hurwitz

This guest post is for couples looking for a mix of action & beach-time, the combination of Canada’s westernmost province, British Colombia (BC), and America’s 50th state, Hawaii, is hard to beat. Julie from luxury travel experts My Native, takes us exploring for the perfect Canada and Hawaii honeymoon…

Wooden cabins on stilts over water, Canada

What should couples expect from British Colombia?

Meander through the markets, boutiques & cafes of downtown Vancouver
Vancouver is home to some fabulous microbreweries; take advantage of the city’s free bikes to tour the craft breweries on two wheels. We’ll provide you with a map of our favourites. If you’re more of a foodie, our gastronomy tour of Vancouver won’t disappoint.
Floatplane into British Columbia’s most remote lodge, Nimmo Bay
Take a yoga class on the dock
Soak in a cedar hot tub beneath a towering waterfall
Learn how to fly-fish
Paddle board or kayak across the world’s most tranquil waters
Enjoy a guided hike in the Great Bear Rainforest
Spot humpback and orca whales
Head to Whistler for some adrenaline-packed heli-hiking & white water-rafting

Men in large canoe, Maunalani Resort, Hawaii

Perfectly connected – from Vancouver to Hawaii

Just a 5-hour flight from Vancouver, head to Hawaii for some R&R. And when you’ve tired of the beach, learn to surf, paddle an outrigger, swim in the island’s seven sacred pools (& waterfalls), snorkel, dive, and join the ‘Morning Ocean swim clinic’ if you’re an early-riser! We’re excited about the brand-spanking-new Auberge Mauna Lani on Big Island; their beachfront bungalows with private pools are hard to beat for couples looking for privacy. If you prefer a smaller, quieter, boutique property – aka, no children – consider Hotel Wailea on Maui. Their ocean-view suites and pool-side cabanas are divine. And if you have time to combine two islands, we’d definitely recommend it.

Surfshack, Maunalani Resort, Hawaii — Image by Steelblue

What should couples expect from Hawaii?

Manta Ray Night Snorkel on Big Island. Set sail as the sun goes down on a private catamaran in search of gentle manta rays;
Volcanos With a Geologist on Big Island. Keep an eye out for glowing lava rivers and lakes on a helicopter flight over Volcanoes National Park. Then, join a geologist for a hike through the park to see active volcanic features such as craters and cinder cones up close!
Ranch Horseback Ride on Maui. At this secluded hilltop ranch, join your cowboy guide for a private horseback ride along a rugged path that winds its way through a scenic valley towards the Pacific Ocean.

Image by Steelblue

Want to go? Here’s how

Set up a Patchwork page inviting your guests to contribute to specific activity on your trip – from bear watching to white water rafting, a massage on the beach, to cocktails at sunset, your guests will love to know they’ve treated you to an unforgettable experience. Use one of our easy to customise templates to set up your Canada honeymoon page or your Hawaii honeymoon page or create your own bespoke adventure by setting up a page from scratch! When you’re ready to book your honeymoon, My Native delivers exceptional luxury and travel experiences and is focused on providing a truly unique and bespoke holiday. Contact Julie at My Native and she will create a tailor-made adventure just for you.

Fast facts:

Flight times: London to Vancouver is 9 hours direct, & Vancouver to Hawaii is 5 hours direct.
Best time of year to travel: June – September

There are no direct flights back to the UK from Hawaii so, on your way home, stop off in San Francisco for a few nights of California cool in our favourite US city.

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Patchwork Perspective

Coronavirus and your honeymoon – our advice

by Rosie Hurwitz March 7, 2020

written by Rosie Hurwitz

For couples planning a wedding and a honeymoon, this is an uncertain time. Advice relating to the Coronavirus (or Covid-19) has changed and continues to do so at a rapid pace. If you’re planning a honeymoon, and want to ask guests to contribute, but don’t want to commit to booking your trip yet, Patchwork is the perfect solution.

Fund your dream honeymoon now but travel when you’re ready.
Stay independent of travel agents and receive your gift money direct.
You decide when and where to book your trip – when and where it’s safe to do so.
Don’t know where you’re going yet? With a Patchwork honeymoon fund you don’t need to.
A flexible, secure, stylish, no-risk honeymoon fund for savvy couples planning their weddings in 2021.
Easy to set up. Collect cash direct. Keep track of gifts.

Stay up to date and keep your options open.

Couples looking to book their honeymoon trip of a lifetime will be holding back and operating on a “wait and see” basis. But where does that leave couples who have already booked their honeymoon or are collecting funds for a honeymoon? There’s no shortage of information and advice already out there, so we won’t repeat that here. If you’re concerned about how the Coronavirus will affect your honeymoon plans, do keep checking both the Foreign Office advice and ABTA. However, if you’re planning your wedding and want to ask guests to help fund your honeymoon, read on to find out how to do it risk free. In short, collecting money for your honeymoon with Patchwork is a smart response to COVID-19.

The flexible honeymoon registry: fund your honeymoon now, travel when you’re ready.

With Patchwork, all gift money contributed by your guests goes directly to you, and you can spend it exactly when and how you wish. Patchwork doesn’t hold your funds at any time. We don’t book travel or experiences for you and we don’t issue ‘vouchers’. We are independent of travel agents and tour operators, so your honeymoon money is totally yours. Patchwork simply allows you to ask your friends and family for money towards a honeymoon in a way that’s stylish, personal, fun and secure. So, whether COVID-19 blows up or blows over, you can collect gift money for your honeymoon now, and choose when and where to go when you’re ready.

What if you’ve planned a honeymoon to a country that’s now affected?

Firstly, don’t panic. Depending on where and when your trip is booked for, you may still be able to go on your honeymoon! Speak to your travel agent or airline to find out if dates can be moved or tickets changed, and check current advice about travel restrictions. If you just feel unsure and worried about the Coronavirus and decide to cancel, you may not be able to claim a refund. If you have booked the whole trip with a tour operator, you have more rights than if you’ve booked flights and hotels independently, ABTA is the best source of up to date information. With Patchwork it doesn’t matter if you’ve set up a page to collect contributions towards a trip but then change your mind. Whether you swap the Seychelles for Scotland, or Colombia for Cornwall – because all cash gifts go direct to you, Patchwork is completely risk-free.

Planning your honeymoon, but worried about having to make last minute changes due to COVID-19?

More and more couples are choosing to ask guests to fund their honeymoon instead of asking for wedding gifts and with Patchwork it’s super easy and secure. With a Patchwork honeymoon fund, you can set up your honeymoon fund to start receiving gift money from guests now. Then decide where to go and book your trip when and where it’s safe to do so. Hoping to honeymoon in Japan? With Patchwork people can treat you to a sushi dinner, garden tours, massages at the spa or cocktails on a rooftop terrace. If your honeymoon plans change due to concerns about Coronavirus and you end up traveling somewhere completely different (or deciding to staycation instead) your gift money is yours, meaning you can spend it any way you like!

Want to set up a honeymoon fund but don’t know where to go yet?

Then a Patchwork honeymoon fund is the perfect choice. If you use Patchwork to collect honeymoon contributions, your money is safe and secure and there’s no risk whatsoever. All gift money goes directly from your guests to you. We have 100s of readymade templates for honeymoon funds to destinations all over the world. If you want to set up a honeymoon fund but don’t know where to go yet, our new template can help. Invite guests to fund an island escape with our gorgeous “Beautiful Island of Somewhere” patchwork. Your guests can still pay for your hotel accommodation, meals and other treats, and when you’re ready, you can decide where to book your trip! So you can relax, knowing that you have the flexibility to change your plans at any time, without any stress.

Durdle Door, Dorset

Not sure about a honeymoon overseas?

We’re seeing more and more couples choosing not to travel abroad for their honeymoon at all. For the last couple of years concerns about Brexit were impacting couples’ decisions around travel and this year we have COVID-19 to navigate. At Patchwork, we love seeing people choose to do things a bit differently. We have plenty of gorgeous wedding registry ideas that mean your guests can still choose to treat you to experiences rather than pots and pans. And you can enjoy a fabulous honeymoon closer to home.

Patchwork honeymoon fund "A Year of Dates" in iPad

Alternative honeymoon idea: A Year of Dates

Instead of planning a honeymoon abroad, why not make the fun last a whole year? With a Patchwork Year of Dates honeymoon fund, friends and family can contribute to date nights, weekends away or new experiences that you can enjoy as a couple. Friends can choose to pay for you to hire bikes for a day to enjoy a day out cycling. Or pay for tickets so you can go and see your favourite band live. Maybe there’s a town near by that you’d like to explore? Ask friends and family to chip in towards a weekend away and take a few mini-moons throughout the year!

Alternative honeymoon idea: A Campervan Roadtrip

Coronavirus or no Coronavirus, many couples are starting to realise that airport stress, jet lag and lost baggage aren’t the best way to start a romantic honeymoon! Forget the long haul flights and enjoy a honeymoon on the road, stopping off enroute to discover new parts of the country at your own pace. Use our Campervan Road Trip template to ask guests to contribute towards different parts of your trip. From fish’n’chips by the sea, to filling up the van, everyone can contribute to your roadtrip honeymoon.

Alternative honeymoon idea: Honeymoon at Home

If the Coronavirus is making you wary about booking a honeymoon abroad, why not join the many other Patchwork couples who are choosing to discover some of the hidden gems at home! Ask guests to contribute to a Honeymoon at Home Patchwork and once you’ve collected your cash gifts, you can decide where and when to make your bookings. You could book a two week trip to a part of the country you’ve never visited before. With Patchwork you can ask guests who’ve been before for tips on what to see and do! Or you could break up your honeymoon at home in to a few smaller mini-moons and make your honeymoon last longer. A weekend exploring a historical city perhaps, or a few nights by the sea. Your gift money might go further if you choose to honeymoon at home too. Check out Airbnb for beautiful and unique properties close to home.

Or let your imagination run wild

Alternatively if you’ve got something completely different in mind – we’d love to help! People have used Patchwork to fund all sorts of wonderful and unusual wedding gifts. From puppies and tattoos; to yurts and vegetable gardens. And even a flock of sheep.

Yes really.

Patchwork lets you collect funds for absolutely anything. So let your imagination go.

Wherever you choose to travel to on your honeymoon, or whatever you choose to ask guests to fund – take care, have fun and please share and let us know how it’s going! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or get in touch at [email protected]

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bride-and-groom-sit-in-back-of-wedding-car

Patchwork Couples

Patchwork Couple: An Intimate Wedding & Honeymoon in Mexico

by Ismay Ozga April 26, 2018

written by Ismay Ozga

Alex and Sophie have been together for ten years. They met at university in 2007 and were put in the same house (with five other people!). It took a year of living together for either of them to make a move, but thank goodness they did and they’ve been inseparable ever since. The couple planned an intimate wedding and then set off to their dream honeymoon destination – Mexico. We asked Sophie all about it.

How did you get engaged?

Alex proposed at our home that we renovated together, I’d just come back from a friend’s baby shower and he surprised me with an indoor picnic, complete with all my favourites (we’re big foodies!). He got down on one knee and said the most lovely things but I don’t remember any of it because I was smiling so much and wanting him to get up to have a big hug!

What kind of wedding did you plan?

We’re both quiet people so the idea of walking down the aisle with lots of people watching filled me with anxiety. We were set on having an intimate, low key and relaxed wedding. I have a pretty big family and we wanted to celebrate with everyone so we had 30 close friends and family to the ceremony, followed by a relaxed picnic lunch just like our engagement. Then we invited the rest of our lovely family and friends to celebrate late afternoon into the evening for a slow and low style barbecue.

What was your first dance?

We love to watch films, hate romantic comedies, and enjoy something a bit different. ‘You and Me’ by Penny and the Quarters is a song that means a lot to us, both because of the film connection and the beautiful lyrics with a vintage vibe.

What was your favourite part of the day?

We were both very nervous about the ceremony because all eyes would be on us. Every time I heard the song I would walk down the aisle to (‘Heartbeats’ by Jose Gonzalez) I would cry thinking about the whole experience. This built up and up until the day we got married. I was so shaky when I walked down that I was just focused on not tripping up and felt calm seeing Alex there smiling from ear to ear. I didn’t cry, thank god and we both loved the whole thing. What seemed like it was going to be the scariest part was actually the best!

Why was Patchwork the best gift registry for you?

We wanted to create a visual mood board of our hopes and dreams for our honeymoon. Patchwork allowed us to compile everything and create a photo album to get excited about on the lead up to our wedding and honeymoon.
We knew we wanted to have our honeymoon in Tulum, Mexico and wanted our friends and families to see what we’d planned to do. We weren’t expecting anything and just wanted to enjoy the experience together. People were so keen to see what we planned to do and wanted to help us have the trip of a lifetime.
Our family and friends liked the ease of logging on and choosing what they were putting money towards. People were able to choose experiences that they wanted to be a part of and this opened up talking points at our wedding, and ever since!

How did you feel when you set off on your honeymoon?

We were a little overwhelmed with everyone’s generosity. It was so exciting that we were able to go and experience everything we’d dreamed of doing. Swimming with wild turtles in the ocean, visiting beautiful cenotes, exploring an underwater cave, having an authentic Mexican cooking lesson, drinking far too many margaritas and eating incredible tacos!

Patchwork made it really easy to see everything we wanted to do, identify how much we had to spend and who had bought us each particular experience. We were able to send tailored thank you cards and people really appreciated knowing what we were spending the money on and how they had helped make it happen.

Would you recommend Mexico to other honeymooners?

We absolutely loved our trip to Tulum, Mexico. Mexico was somewhere that we’d always dreamed of going but never thought we’d be able to experience. As soon as we arrived in Mexico, we said we needed to come back again and again! We experienced the jungle, the bustling town and the beautiful boho beaches. We loved every minute, thank you Patchwork!

Thank you Sophie & Alex for sharing your patchwork story with us. And a big congratulations from Team Patchwork!
Wedding photography by Angela Ward Brown.

If this has inspired you to make your own patchwork, just customise one of our readymade patchworks or create one from scratch.

P.s Listen to Alex & Sophie’s first dance song in our new Spotify playlist, made up of lots of our Patchwork Couple’s first dances.

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Honeymoon Inspiration

The Best Honeymoon Funds

by Ismay Ozga April 6, 2018

written by Ismay Ozga

Want to ask your guests for cash towards your honeymoon instead of gifts? Research into the most successful and best honeymoon funds on Patchwork has highlighted some pretty interesting (although maybe not so surprising) facts. The best honeymoon funds can make giving money meaningful. So here are our tips on how to raise the most money for your honeymoon fund. While at the same time making the experience as much fun for your guests as possible.

Show everyone what you really, really want

Your guests want to get you what you really REALLY want. So the first thing you need to do is let them know what that is.
And we don’t mean just saying ‘money towards our honeymoon fund please’. That’s a good start, but the more precise you can make the request in your patchwork description the better. Tell people where you’re going, when and why. If you don’t know yet that’s fine, but say so. “We’re not sure exactly where yet, but we’ll be heading off for some winter sun. Somewhere with great food and good wine. So all recommendations welcome!”

Make the best honeymoon fund that’s unique to you

Whether you create your patchwork from scratch or customise one of our templates, it helps if you can make your honeymoon fund unique to you. Describe the individual experiences you are asking your guests to fund. Use as much detail as possible. This really helps to bring each activity to life and allows everyone to connect with you and your trip. We know that your friends and family feel strongly about knowing how their gift will be spent. This is the best way of ensuring that they feel happy, involved and valued.

Be specific – it’s all in the detail!

If you know what hotel you’re staying in, tell your guests why you’ve chosen it – what makes it so special. If you don’t know yet, that’s fine, you can still describe the type of place you’re dreaming of. For example, an Airbnb with a view over New York, a bamboo hut in Ubud or a boutique hotel on the beach in Tulum. Adding details like the what, where and why makes your patchwork more engaging for your guests. It will inspire them to treat you to more of your chosen experiences!

Let your friends get in on the action!

While you’ll probably spend most of your honeymoon eating, sleeping and enjoying time together we’ve noticed people love to fund the fun/crazy/out-of-the-ordinary stuff like bungee jumps, scuba dives, swimming with sharks. So make sure you include some action in your honeymoon fund. Even if that means taking the lift to the top of the Eiffel Tower, riding on the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto or watching the bull running (from a safe distance) in Pamplona.

Remember – people love giving gifts they’d like to receive

Your dad probably won’t want to pay for tattoos in Thailand. Although your mates might. Giving gifts is super personal and a really meaningful way for people to not only show their love for you, but say something about themselves too. Classic car enthusiasts will choose to hire you a Cadillac for a day. Dancers will fund flamenco lessons and party people will want to treat you to all the cocktails! People want you to experience the things they already enjoy. It’s a way for them to connect and means you can spend an evening comparing your experiences over dinner on your return.

Ensure there’s something for everyone

Obviously you should only include things in your patchwork that you genuinely want to experience yourself. But while you’re creating your honeymoon fund it’s worth considering the range of your guests’ interests too. If your friends are foodies, animal lovers or culture junkies including gastronomical experiences, wildlife activities and/or historical tours will make obvious choices for them. If you make gift-giving personal and joyful for your friends they’ll give more generously!

When it comes to gift options – the more the merrier!

Generally people want to give a gift that will put a smile on your face (or scare the life out of you). They want to give a gift that will create a memory that you’ll treasure forever. So don’t deprive them of the chance by limiting the number of exciting experiences you put on your list.

It really doesn’t matter if 10 people choose to treat you to a couple’s salsa lesson and you only have time for one. You can thank all ten people for the experience. You can send each one a personal message and photo of you on the dance floor. They’ll all feel good that they helped make it happen. And with the extra cash left over you can always treat yourselves to a few more tequilas in the bar. Everyone’s happy!

Think romance, logistics and don’t forget the turtles!

In general, luxury, unique and romantic experiences are funded more often than functional and everyday ones. So make sure you include plenty of special treats in your Patchwork honeymoon fund. For example, champagne breakfasts, couples massages and the ‘love upgrade’ at your hotel.

However to keep everyone happy it makes sense to include some sensible items. Therefore Nan will understand and be happy to take care of for you. You could ask for taxis from the airport, a night in a nice hotel, a travel guide or a flight upgrade.

And finally, we’ve noticed a bit of an obsession among guests with turtles. It doesn’t seem to matter how many turtle-watching patches are on a list. Or how much they cost. They are always top-funded experiences so our tip is: ‘DON’T FORGET THE TURTLES! Clearly this might be tricky if you’re off to Iceland or Canada in which case substitute turtles for other super cool animals like huskies or bears.

If you go low, guests go high

Lastly, it’s a good idea to include little treats – bottles of beers, ice-creams, or fresh coconuts on the beach. You can set the prices of gift items and experiences within your patchwork to as much as £500. But you can also set them to as low as £1 and we definitely encourage you to do so. Including lower priced treats not only means everyone can afford to buy you something. But, although it sounds counter intuitive, it also encourages people to spend more.

Setting all of your patchwork items to £50 plus because you want people to spend at least this much might not work in your favour. Not only will it exclude some people altogether but setting the bar in this way goes against the spirit of giving and makes people feel resentful. The assumption that people should spend at least a certain amount generally results in people spending this and no more. Whereas deliberately presenting lower priced gifts inspires good will and generally encourages people to spend more. With people topping up their gifts with ‘little extras’, buying multiples of one thing or a selection of different gifts.

With Patchwork guests give more

According to a recent survey by American Express the national average spent on a wedding gift in 2019 was £66. With Patchwork the average gift spend was £85. We believe this is because the experience is more personal, fun and meaningful that buying from a traditional gift list or giving cash direct. It’s also because most patchworks are priced in a way that enables everyone to contribute something and inspires those who can afford to, to give more.

You can find more ideas on how to create your honeymoon patchwork here, and browse through our gorgeous templates here.

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Patchwork Couples

Patchwork Couple: Honeymoon to Bora Bora

by Ismay Ozga March 22, 2018

written by Ismay Ozga

Dan & Emily live together in the Oxfordshire countryside with their two ragdoll cats, Charlie & Leo. Dan is a record producer and musician (DJ Fresh!). Emily is a photographer and a passionate home cook. They met briefly through mutual friends in 2013, a few days before Dan had leave the UK to tour Asia, they exchanged contact details and the two of them spent the entire time talking on the phone and on Skype. They talked all day, every day, often falling asleep on the laptop because of the 7 hour time difference. The couple arranged to meet again in person on the day Dan returned. At that point it was very obvious that they were already in love – it seemed impossible that they had known each other for just a few weeks. Since that day, the two of them have never spent more than a couple of days apart. We spoke to Emily all about their wedding and honeymoon.

How did you and Dan get engaged?

We got engaged during a bomb scare in Gibraltar airport! We landed there for a festival Dan was playing at and he had it all planned out (besides the potential terrorist threat part). He wanted to propose on the runway, which has an incredible backdrop, but we were stuck stationary for over an hour while the suspect item was removed. Finally, as we disembarked he asked our dear friend Jamie to take a photo of the two of us in front of The Rock of Gibraltar and as he did Dan got down on one knee and proposed! The cabin crew were in on it, Jamie was in on it, all of my family and his knew and I had no idea.

What kind of wedding did you plan?

We wanted to have loads of handmade touches. The wedding cake was made by myself and my mother-in-law Jil, the place cards were origami which our friends pitched in to help create, we designed the invitations from scratch. It really made the run up to the wedding so much fun. It gave us an excuse to get together with our loved ones before the big day to create something beautiful that everyone could be a part of.

Did you have a first dance?

No, we just hit the dance floor with everybody as the music got going. As we did a great big rainbow appeared in the sky (according to the smokers outside!)

What’s your advice for other couples on their wedding day?

Hire a videographer. For us it really captured the spirit of the day in a way pictures can’t.

What made Patchwork the best honeymoon fund for you?

We wanted to fund our honeymoon in Bora Bora, which was definitely a bucket list trip – a dream come true, and somewhere we had always wanted to go. Using Patchwork for our gift registry was completely suited to our idea of the perfect wedding gift, an amazing experience for the both of us. Patchworking our honeymoon also made us really think about the experiences we could have on our trip, we did things we wouldn’t normally have done like a traditional polynesian lunch and a fishing excursion!

Since friends of ours had already used Patchwork over the years we had an idea of how well it would work for us – the slick interface, room for creativity and ease of use put it above any other website we were considering.

It was immensely humbling for us to receive so much love and generosity from our friends and family, who, by the way, were thrilled that they could buy our wedding gift without having to leave the house! It was lovely for them to feel as though they could contribute to our honeymoon in such a simple but meaningful way.

So you didn’t want to go down the traditional gift list route?

No, we’d lived together for 3 years before getting married so we really didn’t need anything for our house. Patchwork enabled us to create something easily online for people to gift as little or as much as they wanted with a fun personal touch.

Even older family members had no problem figuring out how to send us a wedding gift!

Would you recommend your trip to other honeymooners?

Absolutely, it was paradise on earth. The most beautiful thing either of us had ever seen by far. We spent it scuba diving with manta rays and biking around an extinct volcano. We were so lucky to experience something like that in our lifetime.

Thank you so much lovely Emily & Dan for sharing your sweet Patchwork story with us. And a huge congratulations from Team Patchwork!

If this has inspired you to make your own honeymoon fund patchwork, just customise one of our readymade patchworks or create one from scratch.

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Patchwork Couples

Patchwork Couple: A Manchester Wedding and Californian Road Trip

by Ismay Ozga November 3, 2017

written by Ismay Ozga

Harriet and Chris met six years ago in a chip shop at the end of a night out in Sheffield, where Chris was studying. They overheard each other’s Brummy accents, started chatting and hit it off instantly. They’ve since moved to Manchester together and married this summer in a humanist ceremony. We asked Harriet all about their wedding day and the road trip honeymoon that followed.

How did you get engaged?

We got engaged in New York, it was always very important for me to get married, but for Chris it was never really a big thing. When Chris bought me a holiday in New York for Christmas I honestly thought it was his way of buying himself more time! We’d been away for 4 days before he popped the question in the most beautiful candlelit bar in the East Village, with a ring made by one of my best friends, Naomi Jago – we decided not to tell anyone until we got home which meant we were in the most perfect love bubble – it was really lovely.

What kind of wedding did you plan?

We planned a city centre party, with our friends and family as the main focus – we really just wanted everyone to have the nicest of days, lots of booze, great food and dancing. We had a very personal humanist wedding ceremony in the People’s History Museum in Manchester, followed by a party in an old cotton mill in Ancoats – it was important for us to get married in the city we live in and both the venues were so laid back, so we really could do anything we wanted.

What was your first dance?

We had the Villagers cover of Elvis The Wonder of You – the words said everything that we felt about each other.

What advice would you give to other couples on their wedding day?

The one thing I’d say is to do whatever you want – weddings are great when they reflect you as a couple. We love having people round to our house for dinner so really wanted it to feel like a big dinner party. That’s how I ended up serving our guests my home made desserts and since the wedding so many of our guests have commented how nice that was – so just do whatever reflects you as a couple!

Why was Patchwork the best honeymoon fund?

Of all our wedding decisions Patchwork is up there as one of the best ones – for us it was a no brainer. We have lived together for 5 years and have recently renovated our first home, so we have everything we need. All we wanted were lots of memories that we would treasure forever, and with Patchwork our guests could help us have the BEST summer.
Everything about using Patchwork was incredibly easy – from making the Patchwork to the gift giving itself. It also made it very exciting as we planned our honeymoon so far in advance, so people could buy us very specific things.
We were originally worried about how the older members of our family would feel about us asking for money as well as the technology side of Patchwork – but they all loved it – they loved knowing what they were buying for us and loved how simple it was. Our friends loved it – a few of them are now planning on using it for their weddings next year.

What did you ask your wedding guests to contribute towards?

Our Patchwork funded our Californian road trip from San Francisco to LA. We picked this as although we have had many brilliant holidays before, we really wanted our honeymoon to be the dream holiday – and we would never have been able to fund a holiday like that on our own. We started in San Francisco for 5 days, then travelled down the Pacific Coast Highway stopping at Monterey, Santa Barbara and then we arrived in LA, stayed in Santa Monica and then finished off in West Hollywood.
Knowing that all of our friends and family had paid for us to do certain things made me so much more emotional about everything. We took pictures of ourselves cycling down Venice Beach and eating posh dinners and sent them to the friends that had bought us that gift. It was so lovely to thank everyone in that way.

Harriet and Chris’s top 5 tips for a Californian road trip:

Spend a day at a winery
Walk the Golden Gate Bridge
Head to Jon and Vinny’s in West Hollywood for pizza
Go shopping in Santa Barbara
Hire bikes and go for a picnic on Santa Monica Pier

Would you recommend your Californian road trip to other honeymooners?

Our trip was the perfect mix of busy city life and dreamy hotel relaxation – one day we were celebrating with a posh dinner and champagne after a day of sightseeing – the next we were having room service in a lovely comfy hotel after lying by the pool. Also – if you love wine it’s the most perfect trip for beautiful vineyards!

Thank you Harriet & Chris for sharing your patchwork story with us. And a big congratulations from Team Patchwork!
If this has inspired you to make your own patchwork, just customise one of our readymade patchworks or create one from scratch.

All wedding photography by the brilliant Babb Photo – www.babbphoto.com

P.s Listen to Harriet & Chris’s first dance song in our new Spotify playlist, made up of lots of Patchwork Couple’s first dances.

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Gap Year Travel Honeymoon Inspiration

Sofia’s Photo Diary: True Adventures in Peru

by Ismay Ozga September 15, 2017

written by Ismay Ozga

Sofia is travelling the world and has taken us along with her on her incredible trip. So far she’s showed us Rajasthan, South India, Nepal, Myanmar, the Philippines, Japan and Cuba. Now it’s over to Sofia to share her photos and tips from her latest destination – Peru.
From the tribes who live within the Amazon to the ancient Inca civilisations, Peru is steeped in history. It’s a traditional land and the people in it praise the pachamama (Mother Earth). You can definitely relax and admire the beauty of Mother Earth in this country, but you can also be challenged by it and revel in the new experiences you’re bound to have.

Throughout Peru there are tons of beautiful spots to hike and explore, like Colca Canyon – the second deepest canyon in South America, just off from Arequipa or Hauraz. Or of course, the most famous of all Peru’s incredible sights – Machu Picchu. I decided to opt for the jungle trek when I booked my trip, which was four days of pure adventure. We mountain biked through the towering mountains, sailing above the clouds. We whitewater-rafted through the valleys and zip-lined through the jungle. We walked the path of the Incas and learned how they built a city that would still be standing 500 years later.

From Cusco you can also discover the layered wonder of the colourful Rainbow Mountain. Or if you’re super brave, you can try your hand at cycling ‘Death Road’. Call me crazy but I wasn’t feeling quite that brave. Cusco itself has a clear Spanish influence, the cobbled streets of San Blas and the churches in San Francisco Square are distinctly colonial. It’s here you’ll find amazing flea markets with retro sports apparel for your inner 90s kid, and street food aplenty!

In fact ceviche may just be a reason to travel to Peru alone. Peru, and more specifically Lima, is a culinary feast. Earning itself multiple Michelin stars, the city has endless high quality restaurants for you to sample. However, head to the streets for lunch and you’ll be equally impressed.
For a change of scenery, try Huacachina – a natural oasis in the desert. Get out on the dune buggies and explore, or try sandboarding and go sliding head first down the steep slopes, it’s a quick adrenaline rush! By night you can climb the towering dunes and look down across the land. Marvel at the curving structures as the shadows fall across the dunes at sunset.

For even more jaw-dropping nature, make your way into the Amazon jungle from Iquitos, in the North of Peru. The town itself can’t be reached by cars, so you’ll find plenty of tricycles buzzing around. Around Belem market you can see witch potions, BBQ’d maggots on sticks, furs and animal teeth. You definitely have a feeling that you’re entering somewhere different, of different values and customs. Most restaurants will even offer an ayahuasca menu as this is one of the most popular places to try the traditional healing ceremonies.

I spent 4 days at a retreat, La Luna del Amazonas, learning the ways of the shaman and having a total out of body experience. You can jump in a boat for several hours, float down the river and stay in one of jungle cabins, listen to the orchestra of creatures as they sing the songs of the jungle. There are birds calling, frogs ribbiting and insects buzzing. The fireflies flicker as little fish leap in and out of the water. You’ll see sloths, monkeys and dolphins. If you want you can even hold a tarantula or catch some piranhas for lunch!

I spent 4 weeks in Peru, but only just scratched the surface. I’d love to see the surf and beaches in the north, do plenty more treks and explore many more small cultural treasures.

Sofia’s Top 5 Peru Tips:

Learn how to make ceviche. I did a lesson with in Lima, which I would very much recommend, Lima Gourmet. Whilst I didn’t find Colca Canyon the most rewarding trek, the town of Cabanaconde where you finish is really interesting to see. We were there over a festival weekend and watched women swirling in local dresses, whilst the men marched in the band with drums and trombones. Taking the time to see a village, slightly off the beaten track is well worthwhile to see how the Peruvians live outside of the modern cities.
Challenge yourself to the 2,500 steps to get to Machu Picchu. Be there to see the sunrise over the impressive ruins.
Try sandboarding in Huacachina, find yourself screaming as you fly through the dunes on the buggies!
If you are open to new experiences, head to an ayahuasca retreat in either the Amazon or Sacred Valley

Thank you Sofia! Don’t forget to catch up with the rest of Sofia’s journey here.

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