We interrupt our regular scheduled post to bring you this draw dropping, overly stunning, eye catching, seductive couple, make me want to take a honeymoon to Bali like yesterday, inspiration shoot! Ok, I just took a deep breath.
About the shoot
For many years I dreamt of a honeymoon in Bali. The tropical drinks, pristine beaches, and the overwater bungalows that seem like the ultimate oasis to unwind after the excitement and chaos of a wedding. While I didn’t make it to Bali for my honeymoon those visions still linger in my mind. These visions served as the inspiration for this editorial/inspirational shoot.
Though this shoot was not in Bali, it was in my opinion, as close as you can get without leaving the country. We shot at the Moorings Village in Islamorada, a place very close to my heart and one of the best kept secrets of the Florida Keys. With palm filled white sand beaches, beautiful cottages and winding paths through lush trees, the property is a one of a kind. The Moorings offers the seclusion, the luxury and beauty that truly make it honeymoon worthy.
Together with the talented team that worked with me to produce the chic Islamorada bridal editorial, we created this Bali inspired honeymoon story that seemed to be the perfect sequel to a chic beach wedding. Colorful, free flowing fabrics, exotic jewelry, fresh leis and the relaxing ambiance of the Moorings brought this from inspiration to reality.
I mean, seriously kt Merry Photography, can your work be any more stunning?
Bizous, (kisses)
Violaine
Credits:
kt Merry Photography
Location: The Moorings Village
Styling: The talented David Fittin
Necklaces by: Yenden
Florals: Parrish Designs
Hair and Makeup: Lori Clearly Lcmakeupartist@gmail.com
Assistants: Chad and Nicole
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| 1 Comment Getting ready to start planning your honeymoon? Say no more! We have it covered with our weekly destinations. If you’re passionate about discovering new destinations, the world is literally yours to have.
Part of the services we offer our clients is honeymoon planning and boy do we enjoy it! Every day we research and research the top destinations our clientele would like to visit. Some will be destinations we’ve never traveled and some will be destinations we’ve traveled to. Either way, you can trust we’re providing you with the best information available.
Today’s destination information comes from the best of the best; the editors of Travel and leisure! I told you it was the best information available. If you don’t believe what these editors are telling you, perhaps the pictures below will make you want to run and catch a flight so that you can see for yourself. Off course I would love to hear about your trip.
Happy honeymoon planning,
Violaine Diogene
This post was brought to you by Vacationist
Why Stay At Koro Sun Resort and Rainforest Spa
A former coconut plantation is the setting of a collection of villas on 150 acres on Fiji’s second largest island. There’s no better spot from which to explore the South Pacific.
The Scoop
Fijians are known for their fine-tuned sense of hospitality, and indeed, the Koro Sun resort makes guests feel very much at home. Rooms—ranging from studios to four-bedroom villas—take advantage of the island’s aquamarine ocean and a nearby shallow lagoon from private patios and balconies, outdoor showers, Jacuzzi tubs, and plunge pools. Meals at the two restaurants (one of which is waterfront) are included, as are sea kayaking, biking, snorkeling, and hiking. Additional activities include scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, and massage treatments in the Rainforest Spa (aptly named, considering its canopied location). Nights should end at one of Koro Sun’s two bars, where fresh fruit cocktails are served and musicians play on most nights.
Insider Tips
Ask Lemba, one of the hotel staff members, to give you a tour of the resort’s organic gardens and pineapple fields.
There is a secret waterfall at the top of the property, an especially romantic picnic spot.
Awards and Recognitions
Top 10 Best Resorts in Fiji for Children
- Sydney Morning Herald
Four-Diamond Award
- AAA
Best Fine Dining Restaurant in Fiji, Seaside Restaurant
- Diners Club International
10 Best Islands to Live On
- Islands Magazine
Top Spa Resort of Fiji
- World Travel Awards
Why We Love Vanua Levu Island
Have you seen a photo of Vanua Levu? Crystalline waters, coral reefs, sugar-white sands. Step into quintessential Southeast Asian paradise (a.k.a. the stuff of Microsoft’s mesmerizing desktop images).
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| 3 Comments Getting ready to start planning your honeymoon? Say no more! We have it covered with our weekly destinations. If you’re passionate about discovering new destinations, the world is literally yours to have.
Part of the services we offer our clients is honeymoon planning and boy do we enjoy it! Every day we research and research the top destinations our clientele would like to visit. Some will be destinations we’ve never traveled and some will be destinations we’ve traveled to. Either way, you can trust we’re providing you with the best information available.
Today’s destination information comes from the best of the best; the editors of Travel and leisure! I told you it was the best information available. If you don’t believe what these editors are telling you, perhaps the pictures below will make you want to run and catch a flight so that you can see for yourself. Off course I would love to hear about your trip.
The questions is, where are you going on your honeymoon?
Happy honeymoon planning,
Violaine Diogene
Why Stay At Secret Garden Boutique Hotel
The private Moroccan villas provide all the creature comforts of home—should your house include a housekeeping staff, on-call butler, and access to a stunning spa.
The Scoop
Privacy and pleasure are paramount at the Secret Garden, which is located within the Palmeraie Hotels & Resorts complex in Marrakech. The 23 villas comprise a secluded, self-contained universe where the focus is on total comfort. Styled with lustrous leather furniture, intricate rugs, and elegant tile work, these sumptuous three-bedroom, three-bath residences (which comfortably sleep six and feature a special kids’ room) also include access to a heated pool, hammam, and terrace equipped with a Jacuzzi—soak in it while soaking up views of the snowy Atlas Mountains. Breakfast in the villa and daily tea service are included. Should guests want to hit the links, the grand courses of the Palmeraie Golf Palace beckon close by. Visit Property Website
Insider Tips
Crave a sandwich at 3 a.m. or perhaps an extra set of towels? A butler is available 24 hours a day to attend to your every request.
Don’t worry about requesting a car to and from the airport. The Secret Garden will arrange a limousine to transport you.
Preferred Airport
Arrive at Menara Airport (RAK), which is approximately 11 miles from the hotel. Anticipate about 20-25 minutes of travel time. The hotel offers transfers: €18 each way for up to three people.
Why We Love Marrakech
Morocco’s onetime imperial city is filled with mosques and spas, traditional restaurants, and pulsing nightclubs—an ancient-modern mash-up of the best kind.
Don’t Miss
Evening Activity: When the sun dips, this square hums with henna artists, musicians, acrobats, and rows of food stalls, where you munch on everything from snails to sizzling sausage.
Outdoor Market The ancient quarter’s twisting, zigzagging streets and alleys are lined with vendors hawking leather shoes, bedazzled mirrors, and carpets. Haggling is a must.
Best Spa: Les Bains de Marrakech. Steam yourself silly at this spa, then opt for a relaxing chocolate massage. It’s deliciously relaxing. 011-212-24-38-14-28. Read More
Palace Tour: Bahia Palace. Built in the 19th century, this ostentatious abode once housed a grand vizier’s four wives. Expect plenty of jaw-dropping tiles and gorgeous gardens. 011-212-44-389-56.
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About two weeks ago I received a phone call from one of my brides looking for assistance in find a honeymoon location that would “wake my senses, shake me to the core and don’t forget exotic”! Naturally I started to dig for a location that would fit this darling yet daring bride and I stumbled on this gem; The Cellars-Hohenort, which is a 5 star Relais & Chateaux Hotel. A haven of peace and tranquility, a mere 20 minutes drive from the V&A Waterfront and 10 minutes from the 2010 World Cup Soccer Stadium in Green Point, Cape Town
This fifty three luxury rooms and suites is ideally located in the pristine Constantia Valley, Cape Town. On the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain and neighboring Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. All Fifty three rooms and suites are individually decorated with varied views of the breathtaking 9 acres (3.5 hectares) of world renowned hotel gardens and vineyard.
The Martini is the place to be seen, where guests can sample the bar’s signature drink from one of the longest Martini lists in the world. Having one of the best wine lists in South Africa, the choices are endless. Award Winning dining in either The Conservatory restaurant and Bistro with the emphasis on the organic and the fresh or The Cape Malay Experience restaurant serving traditional authentic Cape Town cuisine. Treat yourself to a private and romantic dinner for two in our Wine Cellar. Facilities include a luxurious Spa and Hair Salon, Collection Boutique, 3 salt-chlorinated heated swimming pools, a tennis court and a Gary Player designed putting and chipping green.
I fell in love with this destination because the diversity of luxury travel and safari opportunities in Southern Africa is immense. A trip to South Africa not only shows you the country’s eclectic cultural mix and widely varied landscapes, but it offers you excellent safari game viewing. Travel in open four-wheel-drive vehicles for unobstructed views of the bush.
Violaine Diogene
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So you’ve never heard of Mauritius? Don’t feel bad as I didn’t even know this amazing place was even on the map! One of my brides owns a travel agency and she’s looking into a very unique honeymoon destination and you guessed it; she landed on Mauritius! Once she sent me the link and I began my research and am I impress of what! Oh, Mauritius was recently named one the 10 Extraordinary Islands on the planet by Yahoo.
Mauritius is isolated in the Indian Ocean, 1,243 miles east of mainland Africa, Mauritius may be tiny, but there’s never a shortage of things to do. With a coastline ringed by coral reefs, and calm, clear, shallow lagoon waters, the island is ideal for all sorts of water sports; the unspoiled interior offers sights of spectacular natural beauty as well. Tourism on Mauritius is a relatively new phenomenon, however, and so far it’s definitely geared toward the higher-end traveler. Mauritius today is an amalgam of Creole, Indian, Chinese, and French peoples (there was never an indigenous population), with Creole and French the dominant flavors. Its most famous resident, however, may have been the flightless dodo bird, a rare species discovered here by the first Dutch visitors and soon driven to extinction by the settlers’ wild pigs and macaques.
The temperature on the coastal areas varies between 22°C in winter and 34°C in summer. The sea temperature varies between 22°C and 27°C. In the central part of the island, the maximum daytime temperature varies from about 19°C in August to about 26°C in February. The western and northern regions are warmer and relatively drier than the East and the South.
Visa & entry
A visitor must be in possession of a valid passport and a return or onward ticket. A visitor’s visa is normally granted for a period of two weeks to one month upon arrival, to almost all holders of a valid passport, with one or two exceptions. Visitors are strongly recommended to contact the Passport and Immigration Office in Mauritius or the nearest Mauritian Embassy or Consulate. The visa can be extended upon request at the Passport and Immigration Office, Sterling House, 11-19 Lislet Geoffroy Street, Port-Louis, Tel : (230) 210-9312 to 210-9317 Fax (230)210-9322.
Ok, now you have the major requirements of getting into the Island. Where do you stay? Well, you know that’s the best part. Le Telfair Golf & Spa is one of the many places to stay but I’m going to make it THE place to stay and the pictures will tell you why.
Can you picture yourself enjoying this amazing property in such plush, sensual setting? I can! I see myself just spending the day under one of the lovely umbrellas with a Pina Colada (extra rum please) with my favorite book. Well, you know the rules on this blog; let me know your thoughts. How do you see yourself enjoying this property?
Spirit’s in Le Telfair Golf & Spa,
Violaine Diogene
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| 2 Comments On this very cold day and I do mean a very cold day in Atlanta, I was writing a completely different post when my mind drifted to one of my favorite places on the planet; Los Cabos, Mexico! Who wouldn’t want to be in Los Cabos at the moment? Well, I guess if you reside on an Island that would be a different story but with the warm Sea of Cortés which meets the cooler Pacific Ocean at El Arco.
My property of choice on is the exclusive, 5 star One & Only Palmilla Hotel. Rimmed by desert and ocean, this exclusive property which is considered to be the Jewel of the Baja, and is one of the world’s most scenic pieces of waterfront property. The seaside tropical oasis is nestled amid thousands of palm trees on the southern tip of the Baja peninsula. Internationally acclaimed as the quintessential embodiment of elegance, every need is attended to with gracious hospitality, and the distinctive artistry of Mexico is discovered at every turn at this magnificent resort.
Every one of the 172 guest rooms at Palmilla Resort has an ocean view, and a patio or balcony facing the water. Water lovers can also choose from the two infinity edge pools complete with swim-up bar within the hacienda-style resort. Palmilla also has a Jack Nicklaus golf course rated among the world’s top 100. The spa at Palmilla contains private villas for indoor/outdoor treatments and in-room manicures/pedicures, facials, and massages are available.
Even the smallest ocean front rooms at Palmilla Resort measure a generous 500 square feet. High-end in-room amenities include a flat-screen satellite TV with DVD/CD player and Bose surround sound. Luxurious marble bathrooms have a double-headed shower so two can get clean at once. And you can choose to have your king-size bed made up with Egyptian cotton, pressed linen, or cotton sateen sheets.
Below are some pictures for you to enjoy. Well, what do you think? Have you selected your honeymoon destination yet?
Daydreaming about Los Cabos,
Violaine Diogene
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| Leave a Comment Stop blushing at these lovely little pieces. Tame your imagination, you’re a lady…. yeah, I know it’s hard not to giggle when you see these. While reading one of my favorite online news papers; New York Wedding Guide, there was a lovely post from Kaija Helmetag about well, you know; sexy underwear’s and Lingerie. I’ll stop there. To read more about this, visit her post tittled ”Your Other Wardrobe“.
Now, I know you probably don’t want to discuss this online but I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you like this post? Should I write more about this?
Always with you in mind,
Violaine Diogene
Blue silk-chiffon chemise, available at Journelle.com
Pearl restraints, available at Kiki de Montparnasse; 79 Greene St.; 212-965-8070.
Faroux bra and knickers, available at catrionamackechnie.com.
Body Silk strapless bra, suspender belt, and thong, available at Journelle
Both Fleur of England Lace Boudoir bra and Tie Brief at Journelle
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| Leave a Comment A few years ago, I was privileged enough to plan a wedding in Bora Bora and stayed at perhaps the most amazing hotel on the planet; The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort. My bride Melisa who’s wedding is next October just informed me that she’s going to Bora Bora for her honeymoon and that prompt me to start writing about amazing properties for one; destination weddings and two, your honeymoon. Each week I’m going to research different properties from all over the world and present them to you. Since The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort prompted this conversation, it’s only befitting that I started with them besides, having a personal experience there does not hurt.
Just saying the name Bora Bora stirs the wanderlust in any traveler. The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort affords the most impressive accommodations in the South Pacific combined with a distinctive interpretation of personalized service elevate St. Regis Resort, Bora Bora to a new level of splendor with effortless elegance. From the Oasis Pool, our own natural wonder; to the central pool, with a swim-up bar; to the saltwater private lagoon, luxurious villas, the 13,000 square foot Miri Miri Spa located on its own private island, all edged by powdery sands and a tranquil lagoon. One of my personal favorite features in this resort is the swim-up bar. I know, I’m smiling just thinking about it. But three delectable restaurants await you, ranging from Mediterranean to Pacific Fusion cuisine.
What’s an amazing property without one of my favorite services; St. Regis’s Butler Service! Every hotel should include a butler service and believe me, that is one amazing service. No request to small or large. The very much celebrated St. Regis Butler ensures that everything is possible – from arranging an unforgettable day of yachting and diving, a rose petal turndown to supervising every detail of a lavish “at home” dinner with family and friends, their butlers will take facilitate all on your behalf. In every meaning and in every way, St. Regis Resort, Bora Bora is the ultimate resort experience.
Off course you know I’m going to show you some pictures of the property but certainly visit them online and contact us if you would like us to plan your honeymoon for you. You know how much we value your input. Tell us about your honeymoon plans. Where are you going? How did you decide on that particular location? Send me some pictures and I’ll include them in our new section of “a honeymoon of a lifetime”.
Always with you in mind,
Violaine Diogene
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