Before And After I Do

Get Married is coming soon! Starting April 15th at 9:30 A.M. on Sunday Mornings, our popular TV show will be seen across the country on WE tv (Women’s Entertainment).

Hosted by Jenn Hobby (She’s the one on the right in the picture. Jenn also co-hosts Get Married Atlanta.) with wedding expert Crys Stewart — Founding Editor-In-Chief of WeddingBells magazine — and Jessica Campbell (She’s the one on the left in the picture).

Check out the promotional video and Bridal Designer Melissa Sweet on Get Married.

 Giftpile Registered Couple: Laura & Sean

Wedding Date: January 2007

Honeymoon Destination: Costa Rica
 

Giftpile:Why was Costa Rica your dream honeymoon destination?
Laura (and Sean): It is only a 2 1/2 hour flight from Houston and had so much to offer in terms of activities. It was a good balance between adventure and relaxation. Our other alternative was Hawaii.

Giftpile: Where did you stay & how would you rate your hotel?
Laura (and Sean): Arenal - Tabacon - 10, Monteverde - Monteverde Lodge - 4, Tamarindo - Cala Luna - 10, Punta Islita - Punta Islita - 10, Jaco - Villas Caletas - 8. We spent 2 nights in each hotel.

Giftpile:What was the perfect place for you two to be together alone.
Laura (and Sean): Just about anywhere - hotels, beach, driving, etc.
 
Giftpile:Tell us about the scuba diving. Did you have get trained up before your dive?
Laura (and Sean): We ended up not scuba diving because Sean could not find his license. We did a sunset sailboat cruise instead. That was awesome.

Giftpile:Did you pick up any great souvenirs?
Laura (and Sean): Coffee, coffee, coffee.

Giftpile:Which of your great activities; hang–gliding, beach wheeling, diving, zip lining, did you enjoy the most?
Laura (and Sean): Off-shore fishing was our favorite.

Giftpile:How was the food? Could it compete with the sunsets?
Laura (and Sean): The food was great, but a bit more pricey that we had expected. You can find a good mix of food types. The seafood is excellent and the Costa Rican fare was great (similar to Cuban food with white rice, black beans, a grilled meat, and plantains). There was plenty of Italian to find too.

Giftpile:Was it worth hiring the jeep to tour Costa Rica?
Laura (and Sean): We could not have made it without a 4×4 vehicle. Most of the roads are dirt and gravel with huge potholes. We were there in the dry season, so I cannot imagine driving in the wet season.

Giftpile:Is there anything that you’d have rather avoided?
Laura (and Sean): We are glad that we saw the rainforest in Monteverde, but would probably not go back. This is an area for hard core bird watchers and botanists. This was the least luxurious and the hardest to travel to/from.

Giftpile:Would you recommend Costa Rica as a honeymoon destination?
Laura (and Sean): Absolutely!!

Giftpile registered couples who have traveled to France included the following on their honeymoon registry:

Transportation

• Eurail passes for travel ($500+)
  Flexibibility of choosing from several passes including the Global Pass, Global Pass Flexi, Global Pass Saver, Global Pass Saver Flexi, Global Pass ‘n Drive or purchase a pass for a specific country or region.
• Visit France through a Mediterranean Cruise ($4,000+)
• Explore the french countryside, small villages and Provencal lifestyle by renting bikes ($20-40/per day)

Where to Stay

• Warwick Hotel Paris ($300+ / night)
  The luxury, four-star Warwick Champs-Elysées Hotel enjoys a prestigious Paris location, just half a block off the Champs-Elysées at the crossroads of Paris’ fashion, entertainment and business.
• Hotel Du Louvre ($400+ / night)
  “Looking out of the hotel from each facade, you see famous landmarks in each direction. On one side - the Louvre Museum. On another - the Opera House Garnier. From the third, the Comedie Francaise. From the fourth, the Palais Royal. You can feel the historical and cultural soul of Paris pulse all around you.”
• Hotel des Deux-Iles ($200+ / night)
  “This is a charming, small hotel on Ile Saint Louis. The location is very convenient to the Latin Quarter and the Marais areas. Ile Saint Louis is full of wonderful little shops and restaurants, but is also very quiet at night when the shoppers leave.”